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
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.
Change from MOCA to Praxis
Effective July 1, 2024, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) began using the Praxis exam through ETS for certification. Candidates who passed all relevant subtests of the MOCA are able to use those results for certification, but candidates who did not must take the Praxis exam in their content area in order to be certified.
Additional Areas of Certification
Individuals who hold a current Missouri teacher certificate may acquire certification in additional areas by successfully completing the appropriate Praxis Assessment designated for the additional area of certification.
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
Admission to Teacher Education
DESE Certification Requirements
For graduate candidates:
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.
For questions regarding certification requirements or admission to teacher education, please contact Ali Geren, Certification Officer, at ageren@drury.edu or 417-873-7369.
