Endorsement FAQ
What are endorsements?
How do nontraditional majors meet endorsement requirements?
How does one evaluate course work from a non-traditional major to meet endorsement requirements
Can I be endorsed in a subject area for which I have less than an academic major?
What else should I know about endorsements?
What if I have taken a course that does not clearly state a content area requirement for an endorsement?
What if I have questions about endorsements?
How will I be certified if I want to teach middle school?
What are endorsements?
Endorsements are the content areas or the academic disciplines in which the teacher is prepared to teach.
Elementary teachers (Grades K-8): The elementary endorsement is for those who intend to teach in elementary schools. The state requires content knowledge to teach the Essential Academic Learning Requirements. Seattle University expects applicants to have prior coursework in mathematics, history, geography, civics, economics, physical science, life science, and the arts. To learn more about these elementary requirements please download an Elementary Content Review form.
Elementary endorsement courses for MIT applicants: Often, applicants to the program do not have the wide array of coursework to meet all the requirements for the content areas in elementary education. Therefore, one-credit independent study courses from Seattle University are offered to meet areas not previously addressed in college courses. These courses provide continuing education credit and are restricted to MIT applicants.
Secondary teachers (Grades 5-12): The secondary endorsement is for those who intend to teach in specific subject areas at the high school level. Applicants must have an academic major or equivalent coursework in an endorsable area or a closely related field. If you desire a "broad-based" endorsement such as social studies, you must have coursework in all areas identified in the endorsement. If you have an academic major (e.g. international studies) that is not an endorsable area, then an endorsement area should be sought that most closely matches your academic major - provided that is the subject you desires to teach. For more information on the required coursework for each endorsement area please download an Endorsement Verification Form for that endorsement area.
Endorsements for secondary teachers at Seattle University:
- Arts: Theater Arts (Drama)*, Visual Arts
- English: English/Language Arts; ELL*
- History
- Social Studies
- Mathematics
- Science: General Science*, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science*, Physics
- World Languages: French, Japanese, Spanish
- ELL (English Language Learners)
*An additional endorsement is required for these subjects as placements are limited in secondary schools.
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How do nontraditional majors meet endorsement requirements?
Occasionally, applicants have a major such as environmental studies that is not an endorsable area. Seattle University will work with you to design a program of study that will meet the endorsement requirements. The endorsement must be completed prior to beginning the MIT Program. To begin the planning, please review the endorsement options described above. Once you have decided on a subject area that is of most interest, attend an information session or arrange for individual advising by contacting John Green, the Program Advisor, greenjo@seattleu.edu
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How does one evaluate course work from a non-traditional major to meet endorsement requirements?
Download the Endorsement Verification Form for the teaching area, e.g., (mathematics for engineering) -- provided that it is the subject you desire to teach. Review your course work and complete the verification form. If you have life experiences that address certain content areas, include a written statement specifically describing those experiences; when they occured and for how long, and how you think those experiences address the appropriate required content.
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Can I be endorsed in a subject area for which I have less than an academic major?
Yes, though you should know that applicants with an academic major in an endorsable area are given priority. However, the MIT faculty recognizes that life-long learners can acquire competencies through work experiences and independent study. Therefore, if you desire a secondary certificate in any of the endorsement subject areas offered through Seattle University, you must meet the following minimum requirements: 1) hold a bachelors degree from a regionally accredited university and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the last 90 quarter/60 semester credits, and 2) have a minimum of 30 quarter/20 semester credits in that subject (except social studies which needs 40 quarter/27 semester credits) and pass the WEST-E test in that subject. Download an Endorsement Verification Form for your subject area for specific requirements.
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What else should I know about endorsements?
You must have earned a "C" (2.0) or better or a grade of pass on a pass-fail system of grading in any course listed as part of an endorsement content review. All courses including correspondence courses must have been taken at a regionally accredited college or university. AP courses must be shown as accepted by a regionally accredited college or university and listed on the transcript. There is no limit on higher education course level (undergraduate lower or upper division) and there is no time limit on when the course was taken. More than one required content area may have been covered in a single course. In other words, one course may meet more than one of the required content areas.
Transcripts submitted with your application to the MIT program will be used to verify your course work.
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What if I have taken a course that does not clearly state a content area requirement for an endorsement?
If a course title does not clearly indicate the topic of the course, additional documentation must be submitted. This documentation may include any of the following:
- Official communication by letter or email from the department chair where the course was taken. The letter or email must be signed by the department chair whose name and title are identified. This communication must identify the course taken (title, course number, and year) and the essential area(s) addressed.
- A course syllabus.
- A course description from the university catalog (from the year the course was taken).
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What if I have questions about endorsements?
If you have other questions, or need further clarification or assistance, please call the MIT program office at (206) 296-5759 or attend one of our regularly scheduled information sessions.
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How will I be certified if I want to teach middle school?
Middle school teachers must be certified at either the elementary or secondary level.
If you select elementary certification, you will be qualified to teach any subject area; however, the middle school hiring team would want to be confident that you had adequate content knowledge in the areas you would most likely teach. Frequently, middle schools integrate subjects into block classes, with English and social studies being the most common. With elementary certification, you could readily teach in this integrative model, provided you had a solid knowledge base in both English and social studies. The hiring team would make a judgment based on your college transcript, previous experiences, as well as your performance in the MIT Program.
If you are certified to teach at the secondary level and apply to teach in an integrative English-social studies block, technically you would need to have both areas of endorsement--English and social studies. Thus, the elementary endorsement makes you more versatile, but secondary endorsement would verify your content knowledge base. It is recommended that students seeking an elementary endorsement with a desire to teach middle school take the appropriate middle level WEST-E exams in addition to the elementary WEST-E. Those students wishing to teach middle school humanities should take both the Middle School Language Arts and the Middle School Social Studies tests. Those wishing to teach math or science should take the corresponding Middle School WEST-E.
Another approach to middle school teaching is to think about your long-range goals. If you envision yourself teaching middle or high school, then secondary certification is a better choice. If you envision yourself teaching elementary or middle school, then elementary certification is a better choice. Essentially, this decision is a matter of personal preference.
You may also choose to add a middle school endorsement to your K-8 or 5-12 certification. This is an “icing on the cake” option and requires you to complete your teaching internship at the middle school level. See the endorsement form outlining the requirements here.
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