Initial Professional Educator License
Get ready to begin your teaching career by obtaining your professional educator license (PEL). NIU offers several programs that will prepare you for initial educator licensure in Illinois.
Teaching Endorsement Areas
Your initial license will include at least one endorsement area. However, you may complete requirements for multiple endorsement areas at any time.
An early childhood education license qualifies you to teach children from birth through second grade. Early Childhood Education is a program offered by the College of Education.
With an elementary education license, you'll be ready to teach children in first through sixth grades. Elementary Education is a program offered by the College of Education.
Our program in middle-level teaching and learning is housed in the College of Education and prepares you teach two content areas to adolescent learners from grades five through eight. You'll prepare for teaching in one major content area endorsement, either English language arts, mathematics, science or social sciences.
The secondary license authorizes you to teach specified topics to students in grades nine through 12. Licensure programs in secondary education are offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Specific Programs
The special K-12 license qualifies you to teach students in all grade levels in one of the following areas:
- Art and Design Education (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
- World Languages (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences)
- Music Education (College of Visual and Performing Arts)
- Physical Education (College of Education)
The special education license authorizes you to work with individuals from preschool to age 21. NIU offers several programs housed in the College of Education that will prepare you for initial licensure in this area:
Contact Us
Office of Educator Licensure and PreparationWilliston Hall 320
815-753-0846
TeacherCertification@niu.edu