Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) will soon receive a grant to support four-year teaching certificate programs meant to ease a statewide shortage of teachers, especially in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, the Cal State University (CSU) system announced yesterday.

The university was one of 17 campuses, including those in Carson, Fullerton, Los Angeles and Pomona, that received a combined total of nearly $5.8million in Integrated Program Grants from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

“In addition, to incentivize more students to enter the teaching profession, teacher candidates will also be eligible for $16,000 in state and federal grants,” said Marquita Grenot-Scheyer, CSU assistant vice chancellor of Teacher Education Program and Public School Programs, in a statement. “There’s never been a better time to enter the profession given these new flexible credentialing options and financial incentives.”

Officials said reducing the time to earn a degree and teaching certificate from five to four years can save students an average of $20,000 in tuition, books and related expenses.

CSULB is one of seven CSU campuses already offering four-year teacher programs, and the grant will serve to expand the current programs’ capabilities, in addition to adding such programs to 16 more campuses. The campuses will begin admitting students in the fall of 2018.

Individually, Cal State Dominguez Hills received $227,262, Cal State Fullerton received $240,648, Long Beach received $249,999, Los Angeles $250,000 and Pomona received $246,322.