Education Degrees

Ask any teacher, and they’ll tell you that teaching preschool, kindergarten, or the first two primary grades require a unique skill set due to the needs of young children. Our early childhood education program prepares teachers by combining general education courses and professional learning to ensure that institutional requirements are met before graduation.

Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship available. Learn More.

As elementary schools have a student population that ranges from age five to preteens, there is a need to provide a diverse training workload that offers a wide selection of general education courses as well as professional education courses that meet state requirements. By completing this program, you’ll receive a degree in elementary education, as well as a professional educator license with an endorsement in elementary education.

Through the middle grades, teaching becomes more specialized. So, those looking to receive a degree in middle grades education choose a specific subject area (such as literacy, math, science, and social science), to pair with their educational coursework. Completing this program will help a student teach in their chosen subject area in grades five through eight.

For those looking to teach biology, chemistry, English, French, German, history, mathematics, physical education, Spanish, theatre arts, or visual arts, you’ll need to complete a major in these subjects, as well as complete a minor in secondary or Pre K-12 education. This enables teachers to meet both graduation requirements, as well as those of the state for educators.

Completing the special education program enables teachers to teach in a special education setting (for those kindergarten-aged to 21 years old). This program helps teachers receive their special education degree, as well as a professional educator license with a learning behavior specialist endorsement.

If you already have a professional educator license, you can seek an endorsement for bilingual or English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching. To help you achieve this endorsement, our Department of Education will help you complete the necessary 100 hours (or three months) of bilingual or ESL-based teaching experience, as well as completing a language examination in the non-English language.

English as a Second Langauge Endorsementent

Only those seeking a professional educator license or who have already received it may take on the ESL Endorsement minor program. Before receiving the endorsement, though, the educator must already have a valid PEL, as well as either 100 hours or three months of experience teaching ESL students.

Rockford University is proud to offer a Master of Arts in Teaching since 1952. This program is ideal for those with bachelor’s degrees in non-education fields who want to change careers and become a teacher.

A two-year program, the Master of Education degree offered by Rockford University adds a new endorsement to your teaching license. This degree also helps you move pay tracks and increase your earning potential as a teacher.