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State Teacher Certification

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:

  • A letter requesting that DESE staff change your legal name. Please include the following information in that letter:
    • Your last name as it currently appears on the DESE website and your new last name
    • Your educator ID number and your Social Security Number
    • A copy of the documentation for your name change (marriage certificate, etc.)

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

  • Completion of an approved program of study
  • 2.75 overall GPA (for all post-secondary institutions)
  • 3.0 Content GPA
  • Passing Missouri Content Assessment score in appropriate area (MoCA)
  • Valid fingerprint clearance

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

  • Two writing courses, one speech course

EDUC foundations courses must be completed with a C or higher (EDUC 208/212 must be passed with a Satisfactory)

  • EDUC 200, EDUC 208, EDUC 205, EDUC 207, EDUC 212, EDUC 302, EDUC 340

Elementary certification courses must be completed with a B or higher 

  • EDUC 361
  • Applies to all students enrolling in these courses August 2013 or after (a grade of C or higher required for students enrolling prior to August 2013) 

EDUC methods courses must be completed with a B or higher (practicums must be passed with a Satisfactory)

  • Elementary:  EDUC 356, EDUC 380, EDUC 382, EDUC 401, EDUC 407, EDUC 409, EDUC 402, EDUC 452, EDUC 455, EDUC 338, EDUC 331
  • Middle School/Secondary:  EDUC 303, EDUC 304, EDUC 308, EDUC 385, content methods, EDUC 331
  • Student teaching:  EDUC 476, EDUC 477, EDUC 478
  • Applies to all students admitted to teacher education August 2012 and after (a grade of C or higher required for students admitted prior to August 2012)

Middle school (5-9) content courses (24 hours) must be completed with the following GPA:

  • Students admitted to the teacher education program prior to August 2014 = 2.75
  • Students admitted to the teacher education program August 2014 and after = 3.00

 Secondary (9-12) and K-12 content courses required for certification must be completed with the following GPA:

  • Students admitted to the teacher education program prior to August 2014 = 2.75
  • Students admitted to the teacher education program August 2014 and after = 3.00

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.