DESE Online Profile & Applications
All candidates seeking initial state certification or provisional certification must complete an online profile and application on the DESE website.
Legal Name Change on DESE Profile
If you have changed your legal name and would like to have that change made on your certificate, you will need to send DESE the following information via US Mail:
Please send all documentation to the following mailing address:
DESE – Educator Certification
PO Box 480
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Initial State Certification
Please contact the School of Education and Child Development at (417) 873-7271 for questions regarding state certification. Please refer to the DESE website for more information.
Additional Areas of Certification
Individuals having a current Missouri professional certificate of license to teach may acquire certification in additional areas by successfully completing the appropriate Missouri Content Assessments designated for the additional area of certification sought.
General State Certification Requirements
Certification Verification for Other States
If verification of Drury’s recommendation for initial state certification is needed for licensure in a state other that Missouri, please mail the verification forms and a stamped/addressed envelope to the Coordinator of Teacher Certification. Information can be mailed to Drury University, Lay Hall, 900 North Benton, Springfield, MO 65802.
Substitute Certification
In order to apply for a substitute certificate in Missouri, follow the procedure on the DESE website.
Provisional & Alternative State Certification
This route to certification only applies to students who are within 12 credit hours of completing an approved program of study leading to initial state certification and who have a confirmed offer of employment by a school district to teach in the appropriate content area. Students admitted to the DATSE program may also qualify. Please contact the School of Education and Child Development at (417) 873-7271 to discuss this option.
Temporary Authorization Certificate (TAC)
The TAC is an alternative route to certification provided by DESE. The TAC is not a Drury program, but the School of Education and Child Development provides the courses required by DESE to meet the competencies for mild/moderate cross-categorical special education (K-12), middle school (5-9), secondary (9-12), and K-12 certification areas. The TAC does not apply to elementary education (1-6). Please refer to the DESE website for more information.
The required courses through Drury for special education and middle school, secondary, and K-12 are linked below.
If you are interested in taking courses to meet the DESE TAC competencies linked above please contact the School of Education and Child Development at (417) 873-7271 to seek enrollment approval.
Teacher Certification Grade Requirements
Communication courses required for admission to teacher education must be completed with a C or higher
EDUC foundations courses must be completed with a C or higher (EDUC 208/212 must be passed with a Satisfactory)
Elementary certification courses must be completed with a B or higher
EDUC methods courses must be completed with a B or higher (practicums must be passed with a Satisfactory)
Middle school (5-9) content courses (24 hours) must be completed with the following GPA:
Secondary (9-12) and K-12 content courses required for certification must be completed with the following GPA:
Graduate courses meeting foundational requirements must be completed with a B- or higher. Graduate courses meeting methods requirements must be completed with a B or higher.
Graduate Student Grade Requirements
Students with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00 are automatically placed on academic probation. Students on academic probation are subject to possible dismissal from the graduate program.
Graduate students are expected to do work of high caliber and standards. Receiving a grade below a “B-” requires the student to meet with the graduate program director and discuss academic performance. Any student receiving two grades below a “B-” will be dismissed from the program.
Graduate students also seeking state teacher certification must meet the grade criteria listed under Certification Grade Requirements above.