Endorsements

Endorsements on a teaching license indicate which subject areas and grade levels you are qualified to teach. When pursuing your undergraduate, post bachelor’s, or graduate teaching licensure area in the Iowa State University Educator Preparation Program, you have a multitude of endorsement options, depending on your interests. To be recommended for an endorsement on your license, you must complete the necessary requirements of the specific endorsement.

  • K-12 teacher candidates major is the initial endorsement (example: physical education and music education)
  • Secondary teacher candidates (middle school and high school) major is the initial endorsement (example: English, history)
  • Elementary Education teacher candidates’ major is in Elementary Education and will obtain a reading endorsement. Students can add additional endorsements.
  • Early Childhood Education teacher candidates major is in Early Childhood Education and has PK-K ECE special education additional endorsements embedded into this program.
EndorsementInitial undergraduateInitial graduateK-8 (Elementary specializations)Grades 5-12Grades K-12
Agricultural educationXX X 
ChineseX  X
Coaching interscholastic athleticsX1
English and language artsXXX
English as a second languageXX
Family and consumer sciencesXX
FrenchXX
GermanXX
HealthXX
HistoryXX
Latin X
MathematicsXXXX
MusicXX
Physical educationXX
Reading X1X
Russian X
ScienceXXXX
Science—biologyXXX
Science—chemistryXXX
Science—earthXXX
Science—physicsXXX
Social studiesX
SpanishXX
Special educationXX2
Speech   X1 

1 Coaching, Reading, & Speech are not stand-alone endorsements but can be added to any initial endorsement.

2 K-12 Instructional Strategist II: BD/LD is available as an additional endorsement to an existing license and with graduate course work in special education.

Need More Information?

Teresa Kahler

Coordinator of Licensure

133A MacKay Hall,
2302 Osborn Drive,
Ames, Iowa 50011-1078

515-294-7004

takahler@iastate.edu