As a student at Grinnell College, you may earn licensure in secondary education in at least one of the following disciplines: art, English, foreign languages (French, German, Latin, Russian, Spanish), mathematics, psychology, the natural sciences (biology, chemistry, general science, physics), or social studies (American government, American history, anthropology, economics, sociology, world history). A GRINNELL MAJOR IS NOT THE SAME AS AN ENDORSEMENT. If you earn a license in one or more of these approved areas, you may want to earn licensure in a second teaching field to make you more employable. You can earn a second endorsement in any of the areas we offer as first licensure areas but keep in mind that licensure in a second area is not possible without licensure in a major area.

If you decide to pursue licensure, you will need to take a core of courses and approximately 20 hours of education courses. To allow enough flexibility to complete a major and to go abroad, you should take our introductory course, EDU 101: Educational Principles in a Pluralistic Society no later than the first semester of your sophomore year. Below is a list of the core courses and education courses needed for licensure.

General Education Requirements for Secondary Licensure
All practitioner candidates must successfully complete:

• 1) One (1) Course in American history or American government or AP credit if awarded college credit.
• 2) One (1) Course in mathematics, or AP credit if awarded college credit.
• 3) Course work in both biological and physical sciences. This requirement may be met by one of the following:
• a) one (1) course in biology and one (1) course in chemistry, physics, or geology; or
• b) one (1) course in environmental science (approved by Education Department) and one (1) course in physical science; or
• c) ANT-104, plus one (1) course in physical science; or
• d) PSY-113, plus one (1) course in physical science; or
• e) SOC-260, plus one (1) course in physical science.
• 4) One (1) Course in Humanities
• 5) Freshman Tutorial, its equivalent or a designated writing course.

Education Course Requirements for Secondary Licensure
EDU 101: Education Principles in a Pluralistic Society
EDU 2xx: One course at the 210-215 series.
EDU 221: Educational Psychology
EDU 250: The Exceptional Child
EDU 334: Research and Methods in the Discipline