The Licensure Only program is open to students who have completed their undergraduate degree and want to pursue licensure to teach social studies in secondary schools but don’t want to pursue a master’s degree. Generally, students take coursework at the graduate level if they anticipate pursuing a future degree and want to transfer the graduate credit earned in the Licensure Only program.

Endorsements

For maximum preparation and employability, the social studies program recommends obtaining one of the following endorsements. Both allow you to teach a broad array of history and social science courses in grades 5-12:

  • 5-12 Social Sciences - Basic
  • 5-12 All Social Sciences

Single-subject-area endorsements are also available:

  • 5-12 American Government
  • 5-12 American History
  • 5-12 Anthropology
  • 5-12 Economics
  • 5-12 Geography
  • 5-12 Psychology
  • 5-12 Sociology
  • 5-12 World History

Admissions and Application

  • Admission to the University of Iowa as an Undergraduate Non-Degree Student
  • Completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours of earned college credit before submitting your application. (Some areas have additional prerequisites.)
  • Documented completion of 10‐hour Pre‐admission School Field Experience
  • Transcripts from all colleges attended with evidence of courses taken and grades earned. Please upload UI grade report and transcripts from any other institutions if courses and grades do not show on UI grade report.
  • Two recommendations. Ask recommendation writers to complete the recommendation form. Writers may return the completed forms to you for upload, or send the them directly to the Office of Student Services for attaching to your application. (Some areas have additional requirements.)
  • An essay (doc, docx, pdf) of no more than 500 words, on the topic: Please describe on a personal and professional level why you want to be a teacher, and specifically in the particular program area to which you are applying.
  • A resume (doc, docx, pdf) of paid and/or volunteer work experience, including jobs, employers and dates of employment
  • For undergraduate and post‐baccalaureate admission, cumulative grade-point average is considered and reviewed on an individual basis.

To submit your application, go to the TK20 application portal and follow the provided directions. We recommend using Google Chrome, so please check your current browser information.

Create your account:

  • Click to open the “Admissions” tab at bottom. Then click on “Click here to create your account” at very bottom. DO NOT enter “username” and “password” if this is your first visit to the site.
  • Provide the required information in “Create Applicant Account” using your UI email, then click “Submit.”

After you've created your account (or signed in):

  • Click on “Applications” in the left side menu.
  • From the drop-down menu at top of page, select the appropriate application for your program and click “Next”
  • Complete the application
  • If you need to stop before your application is complete, click “Save” at the bottom of the form and then click “Close.” DO NOT SUBMIT until your application is complete.
  • When the application is complete, click the green “SUBMIT” button at the bottom of the form. You cannot make any changes to the application once you SUBMIT the application.

After you submit your application you will receive a notification from the Office of Student Services that either:

  • Your application is complete and will be reviewed by the admissions committee, or
  • Your application is incomplete. Please submit the following items.

Apply Now

Please review the requirements and supplemental documents above before starting.

Contact Us

Questions?

Contact us!

We're here to help: ask-education@uiowa.edu.