Teacher Certification ~ Certification/Licensure Only
A student who has already received a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University or from another college or university (accredited for baccalaureate degrees by the appropriate regional accrediting association) may pursue additional study to complete teacher certification requirements at Illinois State University.
The student must apply for admission as a Second Bachelor’s student or as a Graduate student (PDF 8KB). Second Bachelor’s students seeking ‘certification only’ (completion of a teaching program without completing a second degree), should mark the ‘teacher certification’ box on the Undergraduate admission application. An audit of the student’s previous work will be prepared. Certification Only is a non-degree program. (Second Bachelor’s students who are expecting to complete the second degree should not mark this box on the Undergraduate application.)
Graduate Students seeking ‘certification only’ must complete a Graduate admission application and be admitted into a graduate major. Students must then notify both Evaluation Services at (309) 438-2282 (download the form) and the graduate departmental advisor of their intention to seek teacher certification.
Please note that students pursuing the ‘certification only’ option must meet the requirements for the teacher education major, professional education and certification that are in effect at the time of admission to the program. There are no specified hours required beyond the granting of the first degree and no minimum senior college level hours required for ‘certification only’. However, if the preparatory audit for completing the teaching program indicates more than 30 semester hours will need to be completed, the student may wish to consider changing to a degree seeking designation.
Those seeking ‘certification only’ (non-degree seeking second bachelors and graduate students) should notify Evaluation Services that they are ready for a final audit of their records (generally the semester of student teaching). If all requirements are met, a statement will be placed on the student’s Illinois State University transcript indicating the date and area completed for ‘certification only’. The Illinois State Board of Education will be notified for these students as well.
Upon completion of program and professional education requirements (generally the semester of student teaching), the second bachelor’s degree seeking student should apply for graduation. If all requirements are met the degree will be awarded and the Illinois State Board of Education will be notified.
