Bilingual Added Authorization (Spanish)

The 9-unit hybrid Bilingual Added Authorization (Spanish) (BILA) is designed to prepare credentialed teachers and specialists to serve in dual immersion classrooms and other bilingual education settings. Candidates will gain foundational knowledge of bilingual education policy, history, and populations and be prepared to deliver bilingual (Spanish/English) instruction across the content areas.

BILA candidates will also learn strategies for the assessment of student bilingualism and biliteracy proficiency and content knowledge benchmarks in English and Spanish. Candidates must possess a preliminary teaching credential and a passing score on the CSET Spanish Subtest III (or equivalent coursework/degree) prior to admission to the program. Students can be admitted to the program without passage of the CSET but must pass the CSET prior to applying for their added authorization.

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At A Glance

9 credits

$473 per credit

Hybrid

Fall 2025: TBD

Admission Requirements

Admission into the Bilingual Added Authorization (Spanish) requires the following:

Valid California Multiple Subjects, Single Subject, or Education Specialist teaching credential.* The prerequisite credential will also authorize instruction to English learners such as CLAD or an equivalent English Learner Authorization. (The Certificate of Completion of Staff Development is not equivalent to a CLAD authorization.)
Spanish language proficiency as demonstrated by the passing of CSET Spanish Subtest III, equivalent coursework, or degrees.* You can register for the CSET Spanish Subtest III and find more information about the exam here.
All BILA applicants must demonstrate Spanish Academic Language Competence (BILA Program Standard 6) before receiving their Bilingual Authorization. Language Competence may be demonstrated in any of the following ways*:
- A passing score on the CSET Spanish III.
- Holding of both a Spanish Bachelor of Arts degree and a Spanish Single Subject Teaching Credential.
- A passing grade (B- or higher) in CSUB course SPAN 3000: Advanced Spanish Grammar or its equivalent.

* For a full list of eligible certificates, CSET Spanish Subtest III information, or equivalent coursework and degree information, contact the BILA Academic Coordinator, Adam Sawyer (bila@csub.edu).

Program Outline and Requirements

Below is a sampling of the courses available for the Bilingual Added Authorization (Spanish) with the number of associated credit hours beside the course name.

Course Listing

Please note: Course availability and descriptions are subject to change. Please refer to the CSU Bakersfield Course Catalog for the most up-to-date information.

This course provides BILA candidates with knowledge of the historical, philosophical, theoretical, legal, and legislative foundations of bilingual education and their effects on program design and educational achievement. In addition, the course will explore the migratory and demographic patterns of Spanish-speaking Latinos in the United States and how historical, institutional, social, economic, cultural and educational factors in both the countries of origin and in the United States have influenced the socialization, acculturation, and scholastic outcomes of this group in the western United States. This course will be taught in English.

This course prepares BILA candidates for teaching in the Spanish-English bilingual classroom. Program models for bilingual instruction will be explored alongside methods and strategies for supporting student bilingualism and biliteracy across the content areas, assessment of student content-area and linguistic benchmarks, and the development of healthy bicultural identities for emergent bilinguals. Candidates will also develop skills for engaging Spanish-speaking parents through observation and leading of ELAC and parent meetings. This course will be taught bilingually in Spanish and English.

Within this clinical practice course, candidates will apply a broad array of theoretical and methodological understanding of bilingual education approaches across the curriculum. Focus areas to include: methods for supporting bilingualism and biliteracy; intercultural communication; culturally responsive instruction; school-home-community collaboration; language and literacy instruction and assessment; and content-area instruction. This course includes observations, participation, planning and practice teaching in a K-6 bilingual public school classroom. Minimum 20 hours of fieldwork experience in the classroom is required. Students are also required to be actively engaged in the learning experience by completing assigned homework and through various small and large group discussions and activities. This course will be taught bilingually in Spanish and English.

Tuition and Fees

The Bilingual Added Authorization (Spanish) consists of 9 credit units of instruction.

Typical costs are as follows:

$4,257Instruction

(9 units at $473 per unit)

$1,000Books

$500Miscellaneous supplies

Approximate Total Cost of Program:$5,757

Intermittently, government and/or district grant funds are available to help offset the cost of the program. Please contact the BILA Academic Coordinator, Adam Sawyer, at bila@csub.edu to inquire about available funding options.

Financial Aid

The Bilingual Added Authorization (Spanish) is not eligible for financial aid. Students are required to cover the full cost of tuition and fees. However, we offer a Tuition Deferment Payment Plan, which allows you to spread the cost of your classes over a longer period of time. See the Tuition Payment Plan form for more details.

Additionally, government and/or district grant funds may be available to help offset the cost of the program. Please contact the BILA Academic Coordinator, Adam Sawyer, at asawyer2@csub.edu to inquire about available funding options.

Tuition Payment Plan

How to Apply

Application to the Bilingual Added Authorization (Spanish) at CSU Bakersfield requires the following:

Complete Application

Teaching Credential

Application Fee

CSET results

See Admissions Requirements for prerequisites and testing requirements.

All materials should be submitted to:

CSU Bakersfield Extended Education
9001 Stockdale Highway – 30 BDC
Bakersfield, CA 93311

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Application Deadlines

Fall 2025 Semester Admission:
TBD

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Bilingual Added Authorization (Spanish)