About the Office of Educator Licensure and Preparation

Chartered in 1895, Northern Illinois University first opened its doors in 1899 as the Northern Illinois State Normal School solely to prepare college-educated teachers. The university has since grown into a world-class university that attracts students from around the globe while still serving the northern Illinois region. Throughout its history, educator preparation has remained at its core. The Office of Educator Licensure and Preparation is a university-wide office that provides support and services across four colleges and 37 programs. Our university-wide commitment to the preparation of exemplary educators is reflected in our unique structure and is based on the shared vision and goals of a community of learners. At NIU we focus on providing intensive preparation in content fields, teaching pedagogy, and the clinical setting.Our preparation programs are not located in just one college, but in five different colleges, taking full advantage of the extensive expertise of our faculty throughout the university.