Introduction

The Teacher Licensure Program (TLP) is non-degree program designed for returning students who already hold a degree in a field other than education and wish to obtain their K-12 initial Professional Educator License (PEL) for one the following subjects:

  • Visual Art Education
  • Music Education 
  • Spanish Education

Combine TLP and Master's Degree Programs 

The education coursework of the K-12 TLP consists of a mixture of graduate and undergraduate level courses and does not lead to a master’s degree on their own. There are options for combining or adding programs with a master’s degree. Some programs to consider combining with the TLP include:

Contact the College of Graduate Studies and Research for more details and other program options.

K-12 TLP ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
  • Minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75 (4.0 scale). Students with an advanced degree from a regionally accredited university are excused from this requirement.
  • Evaluation of content coursework for admission. In order to meet all Illinois state license requirements, 32 or more semester credit hours are required in one of the subject areas above to be licensed to teach it. Additional content area courses may be required before program completion and licensure entitlement.

Course Sequence and Licensing Requirements 

The Illinois State Board of Education requires all students enrolled in teacher certification programs to complete 100 hours of clinical experience in a recognized elementary or secondary school prior to student teaching. The professional education requirements are structured in Blocks and in addition to any needed content area courses. They education courses are as follows:

BLOCK 1

 

  • EDFN 405 3 Credit Hours: Development of Educational Thought
  • EDFN 406 3 Credit Hours: Human Development & Learning

For Spanish Education only and in addition to EDFN 405 and 406: 

 

  • WLC 302 3 Credit Hours: Introduction to Teaching Foreign Languages or equivalent
  • SPAN 319 3 Credit Hours: Applied Spanish Linguistics or equivalent

BLOCK 2

  • EDFN 407 3 Credit Hours: Learning Theories & Educational Practice 
  • SCED 311 3 Credit Hours: Writing Intensive Program: School Curriculum
  • LTCY 301 3 Credit Hours: Teaching Literacy in Junior and Senior High Schools

Block 2 Prerequisites

 

  • Complete Block 1
  • SCED 311 requires 21+ credit hours completed in content area
  • 2.75 GPA in education coursework
  • LTCY 301 not required for Music Education

BLOCK 3 

Art Education only:

 

  • SCED 303A 3 Credit Hours: Methods of Teaching Art
  • SCED 304A 1 Credit Hour: Clinical Experience Art and Seminar

Music Education only:

  • SCED 303I 3 Credit Hours: Methods of Teaching Instruments
  • SCED 303V 3 Credit Hours: Methods of Teaching Voice
  • MUS 393L 2 Credit Hours: Clinical Field Experience and Seminar 

Spanish Education only:

  • SCED 303F 3 Credit Hours: Methods of Teaching Spanish 
  • SCED 304J 1 Credit Hours: Clinical Experience and Seminar 

All Clinical Experiences require 100 clock hours of field experience with a cooperating teacher in the appropriate subject at a local school

Block 3 Prerequisites

  • Complete Blocks 1-2 with the exception of LTCY 301.
  • Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) for Spanish Education
  • Piano Proficiency Exam for Music Education
  • Application for Clinical Experience

BLOCK 4

  • SCED 305 9 Credit Hours: Student Teaching and Seminar (Art, Spanish, or Music sections available)

Block 4 Prerequisites

  • Complete Blocks 1-3 with B grades or better
  • Passing score on ILTS Content Area Exam
  • 2.75 GPA in content major and education coursework
  • Application for Student Teaching

Required for program completion and state entitlement

  • Completion of required content area courses.
  • Completion of all requirements in Blocks 1-4.
  • Completion of SCED-305 Student teaching with a B or better.
  • Passing score on edTPA.
  • Overall grade point of 2.75 or better in professional education sequence courses.

Notes: No professional education course may be taken more than twice to achieve an acceptable grade.

All students must consult with both the Content Area advisor and the K-12 Education advisor while progressing through the professional sequence coursework in pursuit of teacher licensure.