Alternative Certification Links

Alternative Routes to Initial Certification

 Alternative Certification in Special Education

The Alternative Certification in Special Education is designed to prepare individuals, who do not currently hold certification and have not completed a teacher preparation program, for a rewarding career as an educator working with children in an LBD (Learning and Behavior Disorders) classroom.

This is a teacher preparation and certification program at the graduate level and will lead to certification.  Students who complete the alternative certification in special education program through Northern Kentucky University are eligible to apply a portion of the graduate coursework towards obtaining a Master in Arts of Education.  For information on the Alternative Certification in Special Education Certificate Program, please contact Melissa Decker at deckerm@nku.edu or 859-572-6330.   Deadline for submission of all materials is May 1, 2010.

Traineeship: Information on the Traineeship Tuition Fund program for Northern Kentucky University. If you have additional questions regarding funds, please either send an e-mail to traineeship@nku.edu or contact their offices at (859) 442-3606.

Master of Arts in Teaching

The Master of Arts in Teaching program is for students who hold a bachelors, masters, or doctorate degrees in fields other than education. Candidates interested in pursuing teacher certification can become certified in a number of topics which may be P-12, 5-9, 5-12, or 8-12.  The area (s) of certification depend on the subject area(s) the candidate has chosen to pursue a teaching career in.  The areas listed on teh transcript evaluation form and the website for the MAT program are the only areas available for certification, NKU does not offer initial elementary certification at the graduate level. The program is typically completed in five semesters beginning in the fall.  Deadline for submission of all admission requirements is June 1, 2010.

For additional information once you have looked over the information on the website, please contact Melissa Decker at deckerm@nku.edu or (859) 572-6330.

World Language Intensive Summer Institute

The World Language program is a summer alternative certification program for students who hold a bachelors or masters in a foreign language.  For information on the Summer 2010 World Languages Program please visit the World Languages Page then you may contact Heidi Waters at watersh2@nku.edu or 859-572-1567.   Deadline for submission of all materials is May 1, 2010. 

Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education - Proficiency Evaluation

The interdisciplinary early childhood education (IECE) proficiency evaluation is designed for candidates who hve experience working with children in one or both of these categories:  birth to 2 years; 3 years to 5 years.  It is designed for those working in pre-school, daycare, first steps, etc. who need to obtain their initial teacher licensure.  For additional information or to make an appointment please contact Melissa Decker at deckerm@nku.edu or (859) 572-6330..   Deadline for submission of all materials is the admission and application materials deadline for the given semester, this program admits in all semesters.

For any of the alternative certification programs you must have completed a baccalaureate degree with an overall GPA of above 2.5 or a 3.0 in the last 60 hours.  A  set minimum GPA is a requirement of all initial teacher education programs.  All Graduate Programs in the College of Education and Human Services also require students have taken the GRE (general portion) and received a qualifying score.