Endorsements
Undergraduate and graduate students at the UIC College of Education who are pursuing or who already have an Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) can add endorsements to their PEL as part of their course of study. Please visit the individual endorsement pages for information on applications, requirements and contacts.
For some endorsements, licensed teachers have the opportunity to earn them separately without enrolling in a UIC master's program. In these cases, students complete the endorsements through UIC Extended Campus or as graduate non-degree students. Please note that non-degree and Extended Campus students do not qualify for UIC scholarships and financial aid.
Bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) Endorsement Heading link
The Bilingual and English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsements are for undergraduate or graduate students who are pursuing, or who have earned, an Illinois Professional Educator License. The endorsements enable students to teach in a Bilingual and/or English as a Second Language setting. Graduate students do not need to be admitted to a degree program to take the required courses.
Early Childhood Education Endorsement Heading link
The College of Education offers courses that lead to an Early Childhood Education (ECE) Endorsement (birth to age 8) for current undergraduate and graduate students in licensure programs.
Early Childhood Special Education Endorsement Heading link
This endorsement qualifies teachers with a Professional Educator License to teach children with disabilities from birth to age 5, and qualifies teachers with an LBS I certificate to teach children with special needs, ages 3 through 5. Open to degree and non-degree students.
High School Science Content Area Endorsements Heading link
The MEd Science Education (Strand A) program provides pathways to endorsements in one or more of the five content areas:
- Science: Biology
- Science: Chemistry
- Science: Earth and Space Science
- Science: Environmental Science
- Science: Physics
Learning Behavior Specialist I & II Endorsements Heading link
The Department of Special Education offers coursework leading to a Learning Behavior Specialist II certificate for special education teachers who have an Illinois Learning Behavior Specialist 1 certificate and who seek to develop specialized knowledge and skills. Endorsements can be earned through the MEd Special Education program or as a non-degree student through UIC Continuing Education.
Middle Grades Endorsement Heading link
The College of Education offers courses that lead to a Middle Grades Endorsement (grades 5-8) for current undergraduate and graduate students in licensure programs. An individual who is already licensed must be a current UIC student or must take the courses as a non-degree student through the Office of Continuing Education.
Reading Teacher Endorsement Heading link
Students earn this Illinois endorsement to become qualified as a subject-level expert in reading.
Reading Specialist Endorsement Heading link
Students in the MEd Language, Literacies and Learning program who are licensed teachers with two years’ teaching experience are eligible for this Illinois endorsement, for qualification as having deep expertise across all reading areas, including with children with special education needs.