Teacher Certification & DESE Approved Programs - Missouri Baptist University

Teacher Certification & DESE Approved Programs

Programs Offered:

The undergraduate degree programs offered by the School of Teacher Education, with the exception of Child Development and Studies in Teaching and Learning, are designed to meet Missouri State Teacher Certification requirements, approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). The Child Development major is intended for those individuals who desire to work in settings not requiring state teacher certification, such as daycare centers and preschools. The Studies in Teaching and Learning major is available for education students who have completed their undergraduate degree requirements but do not yet meet all requirements for a state-approved teaching certificate.

The Missouri Baptist University Teacher Education Program prepares professional educators for certification in both public and private educational settings in the following areas.  To view the curriculum matrix for each program below, showing MBU program alignment to DESE certification requirements, click on the associated blue hyperlink.

CertificationSubject AreaConcentration/EndorsementGrade LevelUndergraduateGraduateStand Alone/Add-on
Early ChildhoodBirth-Grade 3XXSA/AO
Elementary Education1-6XXSA/AO
Middle School EducationBusiness Education5-9XXSA/AO
Language Arts5-9XXSA/AO
Social Studies5-9XXSA/AO
Mathematics5-9XXSA/AO
Science5-9XXSA/AO
Speech/Theatre5-9XXSA/AO
Secondary (9-12)Biology9-12XXSA
Business Education9-12XXSA/AO
Chemistry9-12XXSA
Driver Education19-12XXAO
English 9-12XXSA/AO
Marketing Education9-12XXAO
Mathematics9-12XXSA/AO
Social Sciences9-12XXSA/AO
Speech/Theatre9-12XXSA/AO
K-12HealthK-12XXSA/AO
MusicVocal / InstrumentalK-12XXSA
Physical EducationK-12XXSA/AO
Library Media Specialist2K-12XSA
Special Reading3K-12XAO
Special EducationEarly Childhood Special EducationBirth-Grade 3XXSA/AO
Cross-Categorical DisabilitiesMild/ModerateK-12XXSA/AO
Student ServicesCounselor (non-certification)K-12XSA
CounselorK-12XSA
Psychological Examiner4K-12XAO
AdministrationSchool Leader5K-12XSA
Special Education Director6K-12XSA
Superintendent7K-12XSA

1 Teacher must be certificated in another elementary, middle school, or secondary teaching field.

2 Library Media Specialist is available as a stand-alone certification at the graduate level; students may pursue this certification in conjunction with the Master of Arts in Teaching and/or the Graduate Certificate in Library Media Specialist.

3 A valid Missouri teacher’s certificate in another elementary, middle, or secondary teaching field and two (2) years of classroom teaching experience are required.

4 A valid Missouri teacher’s certificate or student services certificate is required.

5 A valid Missouri teacher’s certificate plus three (3) years of classroom teaching experience are required.

6 Certification in special education or student services, a Master of Educational Administration degree, and a minimum of three (3) years teaching experience in special education or student services are required.

7 A minimum of one (1) year of experience as a building- or district-level administrator at a public or accredited non-public school is required.