Quick Navigation

Northern Illinois University

Department of History

General Overview

Students intending to become certified as history and social science teachers at the secondary level (grades 6-12) must consult with the history certification office before beginning their program and are required to meet with the advisor at least once each semester.

 It is important to note that a teaching certificate is different from an academic degree.  Admission to the certification program for Secondary Teaching in the Social Sciences, although usually associated with a degree program, is a process separate from, and independent of, any other status candidates may seek or possess in the university.  Students pursuing a BA/BS degree do so simultaneous with their enrollment in the program, while those students who already possess a BA/BS degree may enter the program to seek certification only without seeking an additional degree of any kind.  However, in order to take courses at Northern Illinois University students must establish an official status.  The options for students seeking certification in social science are as follows:

  1. A student who does not hold a bachelor's degree from a recognized institution should enroll as an undergraduate and pursue a degree in one of the seven majors: Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology.
  2. A student who holds a bachelor's degree in a discipline other than one of the seven social sciences should enroll as a postgraduate and pursue a second bachelor's degree in one of the program’s approved disciplines.
  3. A student who holds an undergraduate or graduate degree in one of the seven disciplines should enroll as a student-at-large and pursue certification.  (This status allows students to accumulate up to 15 hours of graduate credit which can later be transferred into a master's program.)
  4. A student interested in pursuing a graduate degree while simultaneously seeking certification can either apply to the graduate program in the appropriate discipline or, if s/he already has a graduate degree in one of the disciplines, apply to a graduate program in the College of Education.

Secondary teacher certification in the social sciences is an intensive program.  There are many requirements that a student must follow in order to earn their certificate.  Students will constantly be assessed throughout the program and will be asked to provide documentation of their progress in professional education coursework, content area coursework, and clinical work. 

Students are responsible not only for meeting the requirements of their degree program, but also the certification program and the requirements for a teaching certificate as set by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).  While the program provides extensive advising, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to keep track of their progress and to complete all requirements. 

Students also need to be aware that, as a result of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) changes to their programs may be required, even if the student is near completion.