Add-On Endorsement

Add-On Endorsements

NOTICE: While every attempt will be made to keep the program requirements current, revisions in programs may occur without notice. Please consult with the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it in the Office of Teacher Education / College of Education before beginning a program of study.

General Guidelines

General education knowledge and skills are assumed to be met if the candidate holds a current, valid teaching license.
Professional education knowledge and skills are assumed to be met, except for those that may be specific to the teaching field for the additional endorsement being sought, e.g. critical methods courses and requirements added by the state since the time the candidate received earlier licensure.
Teaching specialty area knowledge and skills requirements roughly equivalent to a minor in the field may be met through previous course work, through fully-documented previous teaching or related experiences, professional development activities, or by special examination credit.

Assessment of Candidate's Educational Background

Each candidate is responsible for providing the College of Education Certification Analyst all transcripts of previous course work and full documentation of any previous experiences the candidate believes are relevant and wants the university to consider. Both the transcripts and the required documents must be provided prior to assessment of requirements. The Certification Analyst in the College of Education evaluates the transcripts for add-on licensure. Equivalent courses or a combination of courses that clearly meet required knowledge and skills as defined by the Tennessee State Board of Education for the desired licensure program are accepted toward the program. The evaluation, copies of transcripts, and all other documentation will then be forwarded to faculty advisers designated by the various departments, who will plan with the candidates an appropriate program leading to the additional endorsement.

The University policy on the establishment of credit by special examination is followed. A student who has had sufficient training or experience in a subject to merit the same, comparable, or higher level course at the college level, may request the privilege of taking a special examination. The request for special examination is secured from the Office of Records and Registration, and the required signatures of approval are obtained, after which the student pays the special examination fee in force at the time to the Business Office. The results of such an examination will be recorded on the student's permanent record. No more than 14 semester hours may be established by special examination. To establish credit in this manner, a student must be enrolled in the University. Only grades of A, B, C, D, and F may be assigned for this type credit. The combined total of credit by examination, correspondence courses, and extension courses may not exceed one-fourth of the course work in the licensure program.

Assessment of Prior Teaching Experience

Candidates who have completed student teaching in an accredited program and/or have prior teaching experience in a state or regionally accredited school within the last five years may submit that experience to fulfill selected field-based requirements of the program. The experiences must be verified by appropriate administrators, and evaluations of performance in these experiences must be provided. Substitutions will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the assigned adviser with the approval of the substitutions by the department chairperson. Prior experiences must also be in an area consistent with the general pattern of demands present in the teaching responsibilities of the desired licensure.