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Endorsements and Extensions

As a teacher, would you like to enhance your marketability and add variety to your teaching repertoire?

The Department of Teaching and Learning offers a full complement of certification endorsements and extensions designed to broaden your expertise and knowledge base, while adding additional certifications to your teaching license.

Endorsements include graduate courses that may be counted toward a Masters degree or Rank I program.

Extensions include both undergraduate and graduate courses. Undergraduate courses cannot be used to fulfill requirements for a Masters degree or a Rank I program. If you are currently teaching with a Kentucky professional license, you may qualify for the Highly Qualified Option offered by the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB). You would not be required to complete an extension through the University if you meet the qualifications. For more information, please visit http://epsb.ky.gov/certification/tchq.asp.

Teaching Endorsements

  • Classroom Reading Endorsement P-12 (Pending EPSB approval in early summer 2012.)
    This endorsement is designed for teachers who would like to be better equipped to teach reading in their own classrooms.
    It may be completed as part of the Master of Education in Teacher Leadership, the Master of Education in Literacy, a Rank I program, or as a Standalone endorsement.
  • English As a Second Language P-12
    This endorsement focuses on language acquisition strategies as well as strategies for working effectively with English learners and their families by teachers in P-12 classrooms. It may be completed as part of the Master of Education in Teacher Leadership, a Rank I program, or as a Standalone endorsement.
  • Gifted and Talented P-12
    This endorsement focuses on the nature and needs of gifted, talented, and creative children in P-12 classrooms. It also provides ways to increase gifted behaviors in a greater number of children than those already identified.
    The Gifted and Talented endorsement may be completed as part of the Master of Education in Teacher Leadership, a Rank I program, or as a Standalone endorsement.
  • Instructional Technology P-12
    This endorsement teaches how to develop a skill base in using and critically evaluating the usefulness, validity and viability of instructional technologies appropriate for use in the P-12 classroom.
    The Instructional Technology endorsement may be completed as part of the Master of Education in Teacher Leadership, the Master of Education in Instructional Computer Technology, a Rank I program, or as a Standalone endorsement.
  • Literacy Specialist P-12 (Pending EPSB approval in early summer 2012.)
    This endorsement is designed for teachers who wish to be literacy specialists across their districts. The Literacy Specialist endorsement may be completed ONLY through the Master of Education in Literacy.
  • Teacher Leadership P-12
    This endorsement addresses the knowledge, skills and dispositions needed for teacher leaders in their classrooms and schools. Focus will be on development of teacher leadership skills and action research to increase student achievement. The Teacher Leadership Endorsement does not lead to Principalship. If you are interested in becoming a Principal or other type of school administrator, please contact the Educational Leadership, Foundations, and Human Resource Department at (502) 852-6667 for further information.
    The Teacher Leadership endorsement may be completed as part of the Master of Education in Teacher Leadership, a Rank I program, or as a Standalone endorsement.

Extension of a Teaching Certificate

  • Extension of the Middle Grades (5-9) Teaching Certificate to Secondary (9-12)

    The graduate courses required for the extension may be completed as part of the Master of Education in Teacher Leadership, a Rank I Nondegree program or as Standalone Nondegree graduate courses. Please be aware that extensions include both undergraduate and graduate courses. Undergraduate courses cannot be used to fulfill requirements for a Masters degree or a Rank I program.

    Your first step will be to have a transcript evaluation prepared to determine if you need any undergraduate courses in the content area that you would like to add to your license. If you hold a Bachelors degree with a major in the content area that you wish to add to your license, a transcript evaluation will not be required. Please contact Ms. Betty Hampton in the Education Advising Center to have a transcript evaluation prepared.
    blhamp01@louisville.edu
    (502) 852-0411

    Secondary Teaching Areas that may be added to the Middle Grades teaching certificate:

    • Biology Health
    ChemistryMathematics
    Earth SciencePhysics
    English Social Studies
    French Spanish
  • Extension of the Elementary (P-5) or Secondary (8-12) Teaching Certificate to Middle Grades (5-9)

    The graduate courses required for the extension may be completed as part of the Master of Education in Teacher Leadership, a Rank I Nondegree program or as Standalone Nondegree graduate courses. Please be aware that extensions include both undergraduate and graduate courses. Undergraduate courses cannot be used to fulfill requirements for a Masters degree or a Rank I program.

    Your first step will be to have a transcript evaluation prepared to determine if you need any undergraduate courses in the content area that you would like to add to your license. If you hold a Bachelors degree with a major in the content area that you wish to add to your license, a transcript evaluation will not be required. Please contact Ms. Betty Hampton in the Education Advising Center to have a transcript evaluation prepared.
    Blhamp01@louisville.edu
    (502) 852-0411

    Middle Grades Teaching Areas that may be added to the Elementary or Middle Grades teaching certificate:

    --Language Arts
    --Mathematics
    --Science
    --Social Studies

How to Apply

1. If you will be pursuing the Endorsement through the Master of Education in Teacher Leadership or the Master of Education in Literacy, here are the admission requirements:

Note: Meeting GRE score and GPA minimums does not guarantee admission to the program.

Students may apply to the program by first going to the School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies web site.

Students must also submit the following information:

Additional Admission Requirements

Upon admission to the program, students will be assigned a faculty advisor and will work collaboratively with that advisor to complete the following components. The materials below will be submitted electronically through LiveText.

Information about the Personal Statement

The personal statement is the applicant's opportunity to demonstrate his/her writing ability as well as provide a personal introduction to the admissions screening committee. The personal statement should be no more than 500 words, and should be double spaced and word-processed. Applicants are encouraged to proofread their writing, and to submit the best work possible. The attached rubric (Ideas to Action Holistic Construct Rubric) is provided to help applicants understand how their writing will be evaluated.

In developing the personal statement, applicants are encouraged to identify and describe personal characteristics, abilities, beliefs and goals as well as diverse experiences with children and adolescents, which will contribute to their success as an outstanding educator. Applicants should also review the College of Education and Human Development’s Conceptual Framework, reflecting on the concepts of inquiry, action, and advocacy. Applicants should consider the following questions:

  • How do you demonstrate intellectual curiosity?
  • How do you develop positive relationships and work collaboratively with peers, teachers, and others?
  • How do you demonstrate the interpersonal skills necessary to do the daily work of teaching?
  • Can you give examples of your commitment to diversity, equity and social justice?
  • Can you identify characteristics critical to successful teaching (such as dependability, initiative, organization) and give examples of how you exhibit those traits?

2. If you will be pursuing the Endorsement through a Rank I program or as a Standalone program, here are the admission requirements:

Students may apply to the program by first going to the School of Interdisciplinary and Graduate Studies web site. Admission requirements include the following credentials:

  • Official transcripts with a GPA of 2.75 in the Bachelor's degree and a GPA of 3.0 in the Master's degree
  • Teaching certificate
  • TOEFL is required of all foreign students from countries in which English is not the native language. Students holding a baccalaureate or advanced degree from an accredited institution in the U.S. are exempt from this requirement.

3. If you will be pursuing the Extension, and it is determined that you will need undergraduate courses to complete the content area, you will apply as an undergraduate post-baccalaureate student and will be eligible for undergraduate tuition. Please be aware that undergraduate courses cannot count toward an M.Ed. or Rank I nondegree program.

Contact Us

Department of Teaching and Learning (Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Middle and Secondary Education)
College of Education & Human Development
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY 40292
502-852-6431
Paula Gordon, Administrative Assistant

Teaching Endorsements

Extensions of a Teaching Certificate

Please contact Ms. Betty Hampton in Education Advising and Student Services, 502-852-0411.

Opportunities for Graduates

Teachers who complete an endorsement or extension will be eligible to add this additional certification to their teaching certificate. If they are also completing a Master of Education or Rank I program, teachers may obtain a Rank change for salary purposes in Kentucky as well.

General Information

For general information on financial aid resources, please visit the University of Louisville's Student Financial Aid Office web site. The College of Education and Human Development has its own web page dedicated to financial aid that contains some extra information not listed here.

Please be aware that because the Rank I program is a Non-degree program and does not lead to a degree, there will be some financial aid sources for which the Rank I program will not qualify.

College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) Scholarship

The CEHD has a long history of offering scholarships to prospective and current students pursuing an education degree program. The CEHD provides over $225,000 annually and selects recipients three times a year. Scholarship selection is competitive and applies to tuition only. Apply online for a CEHD Scholarship before the deadline (March 1st, June 1st and/or October 1st). Applicants should expect notification four to five weeks after the posted deadline.

  1. Are the Endorsements Primary through 12th Grade?

    Yes. All of the Endorsements may be taught across the curriculum (P-12).

  2. What is the difference between the Classroom Reading Endorsement and the Literacy Specialist Endorsement?

    The Classroom Reading Endorsement is for teachers who would like to be better equipped to teach reading in their own classrooms.
    The Literacy Specialist Endorsement is designed for teachers who wish to be literacy specialists across their district.

  3. If I need undergraduate courses to complete a teaching area in order to add an Extension, how do I apply for admission?

    You will apply as a post-baccalaureate student and would be eligible for undergraduate tuition for the courses needed to complete your teaching content area.

  4. Will I need to pass a Praxis Test in order to add an Endorsement or Extension to my teaching license?

    Yes. Each Endorsement or Extension requires passing Praxis scores. To select the correct Praxis test, here is the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board Praxis Test website: http://www.ets.org/praxis/ky/requirements

  5. I would like to add Elementary Education or Early Childhood Education to my license. How can I do this?

    There is no Endorsement or Extension available for Elementary Education or Early Childhood Education. You would need to complete the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program in order to add one of these certifications.

  6. I would like to add a Special Education area to my teaching certificate. How can I do this?

    You would need to complete the Master of Education in Special Education to add a Special Education area to your teaching certificate.

  7. I would like to add Art Education (or Music Education or Physical Education) to my teaching certificate. How can I do this?

    There is no Endorsement or Extension available for these teaching areas. You would need to complete the Master of Arts in Teaching in Art Education, the Master of Arts in Teaching in Music Education, or the Master of Arts in Teaching in Physical Education in order to add one of these teaching areas to your certificate.

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