Middle School Endorsement Option

(Required for those who wish to teach departmentalized, or subject specific, grades 6-8.)

Middle school endorsement requirements are under review by both the Educational studies department and the State Board of Education.  Expect changes.  Consult with your Educational Studies advisor regarding your specific endorsement plans.

Candidates completing the IWU requirements for both an elementary certificate and a middle school endorsement are considered “highly qualified” upon passing the Elementary/Middle Grades test.

Educational Studies Course Requirement:  Educ 260 Middle School Philosophy.

Discipline-specific Course Requirements:  In general, completing your minor requirement will qualify you for a middle school endorsement, with some exceptions noted on the following page.  Courses taken for general education, and for which you have earned AP credit, may also count toward endorsement requirements in some cases.  Transfer courses may be accepted with department approval.

Course requirements follow for each of the endorsements listed below.  Completing these requirements provides eligibility for the endorsement at the time of entitlement by IWU.  It is also possible to add endorsements to your certificate after graduation and any time during your teaching career by completing state requirements (http://www.isbe.net/certification/requirements/section7.pdf). The application form is at: www.isbe.net/certification/pdf/73-52_application_elem_hs_admin.pdf.

  • Art:  Minor in studio art or art history.
  • Biological Science: Minor or  Bio 110, 120, or 164, Chem 110 or 201, Bio 101 and 102, 200 level or above Biology, and Bio 306 or 315.
  • Computer science: Minor in computer science.
  • Foreign Language: A major in the target language and Educ 360 or equivalent.
  • General science:  5 units, including upper level coursework, across the natural sciences.
  • Health:  Minor in health.
  • Language arts: Minor in English.
  • Music: Minor in music (BA program).
  • Physical science:  a minor in physics or chemistry; or 5 units, including upper level coursework, across both disciplines and geology or earth science.
  • Social science:  Minor in anthropology, economics, history, political science, or sociology (not psychology); or 5 units, including upper level coursework, across the social sciences listed here.
  • Theatre/Drama: Minor in one of the theatre arts.
  • Mathematics:  Elementary candidates seeking the middle school Mathematics endorsement are advised to minor in Mathematics, in addition to taking Educ 260 and Educ 351, Middle School Mathematics.  Careful selection among the requirements outlined by the Mathematics Department is necessary, due to course prerequisites.  The state of Illinois has course-specific requirements for candidates pursuing an endorsement to teach mathematics in grades 6-8.  The state of Illinois has course-specific requirements for candidates pursuing an endorsement to teach mathematics in grades 6-8.  The state requires 5 units of coursework in four of the areas listed below. 
    • Calculus 
      • Math 161, 162 or 165, 166 (meets minor requirement)
    • Modern Algebra or Number Theory
      • Math 215 (meets minor requirement)
      • Math 337 (prerequisite: Math 200; meets minor requirement)
      • Math 340  (prerequisite: Math 166; meets minor requirement)
      • Math 405 (prerequisite: Math 200, 215, and either 263 or 267; meets minor requirement)
    • Geometry 
      • Math 425 (prerequisites: 200, 215, and either 263 or 166; meets minor requirement) 
    • Probability and Statistics
      • Math 324 (prerequisite: Math 215; meets minor requirement)
      • Math 325 (meets minor requirement)
    • Computer Science
      • CS 135 (does not meet minor requirement in mathematics)
    • History of Mathematics
    • Math content courses for elementary teachers
      • Math 105/6 (neither counts toward the mathematics major or minor)