Middle Grades Endorsement

Students in the BA Urban Education - Elementary Education program can add a Middle Grades Endorsement for teaching grades 5-8 through coursework and testing. There are four areas of specialization for the Middle Grades Endorsements: Math, English, Science, and Social Science. Current undergraduates should contact their advisor if they have questions about their eligibility to pursue a Middle Grades endorsement.

In addition, graduate students in the MEd Educational Studies and MEd Language, Literacies & Learning programs have the option to pursue the Middle Grades endorsement if they already have a professional educator license (PEL) upon entering the program.

For more information, contact the Office of Student Services at 312-996-4532 or the Council on Teacher Education.

Endorsement Requirements

  • To qualify as a Middle Grades teacher, candidates must complete at least 18 semester hours in the subject area of their primary teaching assignment (Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, or Social Studies). This coursework must include an approved, content-specific methods course. Please consult your advisor or the Council on Teacher Education to determine the appropriate methods course for your intended area of specialization.
  • Candidates must also pass the ILTS content-area test in their chosen Middle Grades specialization (Mathematics, English Language Arts, Science, and/or Social Science).