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Licensure/Certification

Teacher Education

If you plan to teach in Illinois public schools, you'll need to obtain a Professional Educator License (PEL).

All education candidates must pass all Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS) content-area tests required for licensure by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

Candidates are also required to pass the edTPA (Teacher Performance Assessment) prior to licensure. The edTPA requires candidates to demonstrate the knowledge and skills required to help all students learn in real classrooms.

To see how our candidates are performing, please see Candidate Performance Data.

Our programs specifically address the standards set forth in the State of Illinois Professional Teaching Standards. This alignment of coursework, projects, assignments and experiences ensures that students are well prepared to obtain certification and licensure.

Counseling

In accordance with the National Board of Certified Counselors, Inc., candidates will be eligible to sit for the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE) during the final internship or immediately following graduation.

Professional School Counselor - Illinois

To be a licensed professional school counselor in the state of Illinois, students must meet all program and Illinois State Board of Education requirements, to include passing the Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS) School Counselor content test.

Counseling Licensure for another state

Candidates who reside outside of Illinois must check with their state for credentialing information in either Professional School Counseling or Clinical Mental Health Counseling to learn about specific requirements for professional practice, as well as any applicable reciprocity rules. Variations in requirements may occur either in the candidate’s state of residence or in the state where the candidate may plan to practice professional counseling relative to his or her area of specialization. Bradley University is a SARA-approved institution (SARA=State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements).