Teaching Minors and Endorsements

Improve Your Teaching at the University of Montana

Gain specialized skills that will improve your teaching, broaden your professional scope and make you more attractive to potential employers. We offer a variety of teaching endorsements and minors that allow you to specialize in early childhood education, literacy, special education, English as a second language and teacher-librarian.

You'll learn strategies to assess and address students' individual needs; foster curiosity and lifelong learning; navigate the digital world; and collaborate with colleagues and students' families. You'll also learn and practice with the guidance of faculty who are experienced P-12 teachers and other mentors who are expert practitioners in their fields of education.

Teacher endorsement and minor programs

UM's endorsements for teachers are designed to create possibilities, both for you and for your students. Our teaching endorsement programs are available at the undergraduate, post-baccalaureate or graduate level, and will prepare you to teach anywhere in the world. To be eligible for these minor and endorsement programs, you must either be a licensed teacher or concurrently pursuing your initial teaching licensure as part of a teacher preparation program. 

Literacy K-12 teaching endorsement

Prepare to teach literacy and language arts to K-12 students with a range of learning needs, and to become literacy education leaders within schools and districts. As a literacy specialist, you'll share the power of communication with your students, enhancing their intellectual, emotional, cultural and moral development, as well as their academic and professional futures. Learn more about the literacy endorsement program.

Teacher librarian K-12 teaching endorsement

As a teacher librarian, you'll open doors for your students, providing access to digital media and text resources; teaching media-literacy and research skills; sharing stories and ideas; and enhancing literacy skills. This program is offered fully online, with courses taught through either the UM-Missoula campus or the UM-Western campus. Learn more about the K-12 teacher librarian endorsement program.

Early childhood education P-3 minor

Prepare for high-demand careers working in public schools, Head Start and Early Head Start, and community-based early childhood programs. As an early childhood education specialist, you'll influence the social, emotional and cognitive development of children in the crucial years of preschool-grade 3. You'll work with children in our on-site Learning and Belonging (LAB) Preschool. Learn more about the early childhood education minor program.

Special education K-12 minor

As a special education teacher, you'll change lives, offering opportunities and support for students with developmental disabilities and students who are at-risk to grow, learn and thrive. Courses for this program include a clinical component through which you'll engage in real-world experiences working with students with disabilities. Learn more about the special education endorsement program.

Why earn your teaching endorsement at the University of Montana?

At the University of Montana, you'll benefit from experiential learning opportunities that allow you to gain practical, real-world training while working with students in P-12 classrooms. You'll learn from experienced teachers and professional mentors who are here to support your every step. Depending on your needs, you may also access flexible course delivery options, with coursework for our teacher education minors and endorsements offered at the UM campus, synchronously via Zoom or asynchronously in Moodle.