Fast Forward Program – General Education
The fastest, most direct path to your teaching license, online, no credit required, start anytime.
The Fast Forward Program is a Wisconsin DPI-approved, non-credit route to a teaching license, delivered entirely online. There’s no university semester to wait for and no graduate credits to pay for, you start when you’re ready and move through the program at your own pace. Fast Forward is designed for working adults and career changers with a bachelor’s degree. It’s the fastest, most affordable path to become a fully licensed teacher.
What Is the Fast Forward Program?
Fast Forward is a Wisconsin DPI educator preparation pathway that leads directly to a teaching license, no master’s degree, no graduate credit required. You’ll earn your license through structured, on-demand coursework, pre-student teaching and student teaching placements.
Upon successful completion, you’re eligible for a Wisconsin Tier II Provisional Educator License. If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in a certification subject area, this is the most direct DPI approved, licensed path available to you.
Who is Fast Forward For?
Wisconsin schools need qualified teachers now. Fast Forward gives motivated candidates a direct, flexible way to answer that need without adding years of graduate school to the process.
Fast Forward is the right fit if you are:
- A career changer ready to bring real-world expertise into a Wisconsin classroom
- A paraprofessional or long-term substitute already working in schools who wants full licensure without a graduate degree
- A teacher on a Tier I license with stipulations who needs to enroll in a program to earn full licensure.
- A recent graduate whose undergraduate program didn’t include teacher preparation coursework
- A subject-matter professional ready to formalize your teaching credentials
Available Subject Areas
Fast Forward is available for 19 DPI-approved subject areas:
DPI License #
Subject Area
Grade Levels
How the Fast Forward Program Works
Step 1: Apply and Start Anytime
Submit your application and transcripts for review. There are no fixed semester start dates, you begin when you're ready. We confirm your subject-area content knowledge and program eligibility before you proceed.
Step 2: Complete Your Required Testing
Demonstrate content knowledge with a 3.0 GPA in your subject area or a passing Praxis II score. Candidates pursuing a K-9 license also complete the Foundations of Reading Test.
Step 3: Complete Your Online Coursework, On Your Schedule
The Fast Forward Program balances flexibility with hands-on prep: set your own pace for coursework, collaborate with us to coordinate your two pre-student teaching experiences, and step into your final 15-week student teaching experience when you are ready.
Step 4: Complete Student Teaching and Apply for Your License
After your student teaching placement, we submit your documentation. You then apply for your Wisconsin teaching license directly through the state. See the DPI's initial license application instructions for details on that final step. Upon approval, you'll hold a Wisconsin Tier II Provisional Educator License.
Fast Forward vs. Project Teaching: What’s the Difference?
Both programs lead to the same Tier II Provisional Educator License, across the same 19 subject areas. The difference is speed, cost, and whether you earn graduate credit.
Fast Forward Program
Project Teaching Program
$3,100 per course and student teaching
Want graduate credit alongside your license? Explore Project Teaching instead.
Why Fast Forward?
If you hold a qualifying bachelor’s degree and don’t need graduate credits or access to financial aid, and are ready to teach, Fast Forward was designed for you.
Start when you're ready:
Rolling start dates mean there's no semester to wait for. You can begin as soon as you're accepted.
Move at your own pace:
Coursework is self-paced and fully online, so you can move through it as quickly as your schedule allows.
More affordable path:
Fast Forward is non-credit, so you don't pay for graduate credits you don't need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a master's degree to teach in Wisconsin?
No. Wisconsin DPI requires a bachelor's degree and a state-approved educator preparation program for an initial teaching license, not a master's degree. Fast Forward satisfies that requirement without graduate coursework.
What are the admissions requirements?
1. An official transcript that provides evidence that you hold a Bachelor's Degree (BA/BS), Juris Doctor Degree (JD), Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD) or Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree (DDS) from an accredited college: or university or a foreign credential evaluation that verifies the equivalent to a BA/BS in the U.S. The student must request that an official transcript, that includes degree conferred date be sent by the university either through the mail or electronically through their parchment service to Educate Pathways to be admitted to the program.
2. A resume that includes pertinent education and experience.
3. Criminal background check with no conviction or plea bargain for crimes which may impact school children and/or the maintenance of a safe and healthy school. The background check shall be completed no more than 6 months prior to the date of admission and include a review of criminal conduct at the state and federal levels.
How long does the Fast Forward Program take?
Fast Forward is on-demand, so you set your own pace for the coursework. Each course must be completed within 4 months. The program includes 2-3 online courses, two pre-student teaching placements and a 15-week student teaching placement.
When can I start a course?
You'll be enrolled in each course once its course fee is processed. For your first course, that happens right after payment. For each course after that, your Program Administrator will first verify your final grade in the previous course, then enroll you once your next course fee is paid. Your four-month window begins on the day you're enrolled in each course.
What are the required courses?
- Individual Development and Effective Practice
- Teaching and Learning Practices
- Content Methods for Elementary and Middle School (Elementary/Middle K-9 only).
How does student teaching placement work?
Student teaching is one full-time, 15-week placement in your subject area and grade levels. Student teaching comes after all coursework and your pre-student teaching placements are complete. When you apply, you'll choose an anticipated start month and year. Your program administrator will work to set up a placement in your preferred school district. If you are teaching on a license with stipulations in your subject area and grade level, you can student teach on the job.
What license do I earn after completing Fast Forward?
Successful program completion leads to a Wisconsin Tier II Provisional Educator License in your subject area.
Which subjects can I get licensed in through Fast Forward?
All 19 DPI-approved subject areas, see the full list above, from Agriculture to Technology Education.
Questions?
Have questions about subject-area eligibility or how this program fits your background? Our program administrators are here to help.
Questions? Call (715) 246-6555