Professional Licensure or Certification
Bachelor’s degree in Education
All Elementary concentrations, English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Special Education and B.A. in Music with an emphasis in Music Education.
The Bachelor of Arts in Education (B.A.Ed) program in the School of Education fulfills the education requirements for professional licenses outlined below. The programs at the school are nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), and meets the educational requirements for professional licensure or certification in Mississippi. The university as a whole holds regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
Students seeking to teach outside Mississippi, are advised to (a) meet Mississippi licensure standards first and then applying for reciprocity in other states and/or (b) research the specific state guidelines and follow accordingly while also meeting education degree requirements. Students are also encouraged to consult with the School of Education’s SAFE Office at 662-915-7382 or safe@olemiss.edu.
State licensing requirements are always subject to change at the discretion of the state licensing board. The University will routinely update this page, but we strongly recommend you inquire with the applicable state board to confirm your eligibility for licensure prior to enrolling in the Teacher Education program. For any questions regarding licensure, please contact the state/territory agency directly. Please refer to the links for state compliance and requirements for licensure and school certification below. For any questions about the program, please contact the department at safe@olemiss.edu.
While many states accept Mississippi licensure through reciprocity agreements, each state has its own certification requirements, which may include additional coursework, testing, or background checks. Some state licensing boards require additional requirements beyond academic and clinical requirements, including (but are not limited to): additional post-graduation examinations or experience, application and licensing fees, criminal background checks, reference checks, fingerprint submissions, etc. Continuing education may also be required for the maintenance of licensure. Ensure you understand and review any additional requirements before enrolling in the B.A.Ed. program.
Carefully review the academic and clinical prerequisites for your intended state/territory of licensure and whether our program meets those educational requirements for licensure. Use the agency contact information provided below to clarify or confirm any requirements.
If questions remain after reviewing the information provided below, contact the Safe Office.
The State Licensing Requirements should indicate if the program curriculum is MET or, NOT MET in these states and US Territories.
*If the program has yet to determine whether the curriculum requirements are met for these states and US Territories, it will be labeled as not met until further notice. Please contact your program advisor/director for more information.
Search Disclosures by State
| State/Territory | Does NOT Meet Curriculum Requirements | Meets Curriculum Requirements, Allows Direct Application |
Meets Curriculum Requirements, RECIPROCITY |
NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | Out-of-state approved teacher preparation program graduates who hold license/certificate from state/territory where program is approved meet educational requirements. | ||
| Alaska | Yes | ELIGIBLE FOR ONE YEAR PROVISIONAL Out-of-state program must be NCATE/CAEP accredited or "equivalent" to NCATE/CAEP standards. See AS § 14.20.015 or the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development for more details. |
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| American Samoa | Yes | |||
| Arizona | Yes | Completion of the United States and Arizona Constitution coursework from an accredited institution or the Constitution of the United States and Arizona exam, AZ033. (This is an allowable 3-year deficiency. *) | ||
| Arkansas | Yes | |||
| California | Yes | Must pass CA Basic Skills Test | ||
| Colorado | Yes | |||
| Connecticut | Yes | Must have 30 school months of successful service within last 10 years under a valid out-of-state certificate to be exempt from testing. Must have 20 schools months under a valid out-of-state certificate to be eligible for a provisional license. | ||
| Delaware | Yes | Delaware Department of Education considers educators who hold a full and current license/certificate in another jurisdiction for licensure by reciprocity. Upon review of the documentation, DDOE will determine if the applicant meets the requirements for an Initial License or Continuing License, and Delaware offers a comparable certification area to the applicant's out-of-state credentials. Official documens include official transcripts, student teaching on an official transcript, copy of current and valid out of state license, verification of teaching experience form, Praxis test scores. | ||
| District of Columbia | Yes | Applicants for a District of Columbia educator credential who hold an active full credential or license issued in another US state or territory may qualify for issuance of a DC credential based upon reciprocity. Applicant has completed an approved program or an approved sequence of coursework required in the other state to obtain a standard or professional credenaial. Applicants must provide passing scores for comparable licensing exams necessary to obtain their credential in another US state or territory. Any applicant who is not able to provide passing scores must present passing scores for the prescribed District of Columbia exams. | ||
| Federated States of Micronesia | Yes | |||
| Florida | Yes | Eligible for a Temporary Certificate. Must complete the FLORIDA TEACHER CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION |
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| Georgia | Yes | |||
| Guam | Yes | All persons issued an educational professional certificate who have not completed a three (3 ) semester credit course in Guam history of culture shall complete one (1) such course during the first year after certification. Failure to meet this requirement shall constitute sufficient cause to cancel the certificate until the deficiency is corrected. | ||
| Hawaii | Yes | HTSB honors reciprocity for all 50 states. Out-of-State: Please note that if you are completing a state approved teacher education program, outside of Hawaii, you will need to complete additional testing requirements listed in NBI 21-13. Individual must submit official transcripts of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, official passing scores for the following HTSB approved licensure tests: Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics, Praxis Principals of Learning and Teaching for recommended grade level, and Praxis content test. Individual must also pass a professional fitness clearance from HTSB and present a valid government issued ID as prescribed by HTSB policy. | ||
| Idaho | Yes | Applicant holds a current, valid certificae based on full completion of an approved certification program recognized by the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, OR has completed an EPP approved by NCATE/TEAC/CAEP/AAQEP. Applicant will complete and sign application, pay application fee, complete background check, present copy of current, valid out-of-state license or institutional recommendation, and provide official transcripts. | ||
| Illinois | Yes | If an individual holds a valid license from another state, that license can be transferred to Illinois. Individual will need to create an Educator Licensure Information System (ELIS) account, apply for a professional educator license, and submit licensure documents. Licensure documents include official transcript from regionally-accredited college or university, copy of valid out-of-state educator license, and verification of completion by approved out-of state- program form, which can be found on IL Dept of Edu website. | ||
| Indiana | Yes | If an individual holds a valid out-of state license and has completed an CAEP or AAQEP accredited or state approved teacher preperation program in another state, they are elligible to apply for an Indiana teaching license. Indiana requires an applicant to pass a content (subject matter) licensure test in every content area that will appear on the Indiana license issued.Indiana also requires all applicants to complete CPR/Heimlich/AED training, including hands-on skill practice on a mannequin in person with an instructor and suicide prevention training. Depending on your application path and type of Indiana license being issued the timing of these required trainings varies, but you may be required to complete these trainings in order to submit your application. Required documents: valid CPR certification, suicide prevention training certificate, valid out of state license or certificate, educational experience verification letters signed by employers on letterhead stating position and number of years of experience, official transcripts, official score reports for tests that support an out of state license or certificate. | ||
| Iowa | Yes | Iowa has reciprocity with all states providing education licensure. This means any individual completing a program in your state which leads to education licensure will be granted a similar license in Iowa providing the institution can verify the candidate has completed all requirements for licensure within that state or the candidate can submit an education license issued from that state. from Geri McMahon | ||
| Kansas | Yes | |||
| Kentucky | Yes | Out-of-state applicants must have completed a state approved teacher preparation program at a regionally accredited educator preparation institution or a state-approved alternative training program. In addition, candidates must comply with the state ancillary requirements such as GPA, testing and internship | ||
| Louisiana | Yes | |||
| Maine | Yes | |||
| Maryland | Yes | |||
| Massachusetts | Yes | Temporary: An option for educators who are licensed in another state and have three years of experience working in the role of that license in that state. | ||
| Michigan | Yes | In order to be issued a Standard Teaching Certificate based on completion of an out-of-state program, Michigan does not impose additional educational requirements beyond what Mississippi State would require for its graduates to be recommended for teacher certification in Mississippi. Michigan honors the programs approved for teacher certification by other states for licensure and does not generally impose additional educational requirements for teacher certification beyond completion of a program approved by the educator preparation provider’s home state to lead to teacher licensure. For program completers with less than three years of successful teaching, passage of the appropriate Michigan Test(s) for Teacher Certification is required. Mississippi State program completers may be issued a nonrenewable one-year Temporary Teaching Certificate in order to complete testing requirements. | ||
| Minnesota | Yes | |||
| Mississippi | Yes | |||
| Missouri | Yes | Yes | ||
| Montana | Yes | |||
| Nebraska | Yes | |||
| Nevada | Yes | |||
| New Hampshire | Yes | Yes | ||
| New Jersey | Yes | |||
| New Mexico | Yes | New Mexico offers teachers from out-of-state the ability to earn New Mexico teaching certification based on previous experience, education and certification from other states. Applicants will need to complete the following: earned Bachelor's Degree or higher from an accredited institution; provide a copy of at least 1 current valid teaching license issued by a state education agency; have completed a standard or alternative teacher preparation program; provide copies of test scores for exams required to receive the license; provide evidence of having satisfactorily taught under their out-of-state/country licenses; or combination of valid licenses. Level of teaching license an educator can receive through reciprocity: 1-3 years of teaching experience, you will receive a level 1 license; 3-5 years of teaching experience, you will receive a level 2 license; 6 or more years of experience and a master's degree, you will receive a level 3A license (base salary $54,000). | ||
| New York | Yes | New York does not offer a provisional license. Out-of-state educators must complete all of the following to receive a certificate: proof of completion of a comparable approved program (coursework will be evaluated to see if it is comparable); earned bachelor's degree; minimum 2.5 undergraduate GPA; New York State Teacher Certification Exam- Educating All Students Test (EAS); Contnet Specialty Test (CST); Child Abuse Identification Workshop; School Violence Intervention and Prevention Workshop; Dignity for All Students Act Workshop; Fingerprint clearance. | ||
| North Carolina | Yes | North Carolina offers reciprocity for other states. Elementary ed and exceptional ed, must pass North Carolina's required licensure tests. Comparable licensure tests for all other educators will be taken into consideration. If all licensure requirements have been met except the licensure exam requirements, an educator can apply for the Initial Professional License (IPL). If the IPL is issued, the licensure exams must be attempted in the first year of the license and passed before or during the third year of the license. Must submit all other official documents: Degree-dated transcripts; valid educator license from another state; Form V; experience request forms for previous work if applicable. | ||
| North Dakota | Yes | Educators will receive an Other State Educator License (OSEL). If they did not complete a Youth Mental Health PD during their training, that will be a requirment that can be completed within their school district. North Dakota also requires the completion of a reading competency of the Science of Reading, but the Foundations of Reading exam will suffice for this. | ||
| Northern Mariana Islands | Yes | Candidates will be eligible for the Basic I renewable license that is valid for 2 years. They will have to provide the following: signed and completed certification application form, one passport size photo, fingerprint submission, police clearance, payment receipt of $40, official college transcript, bachelor's degree or higher, proof of passing Praxis II. | ||
| Ohio | Yes | |||
| Oklahoma | Yes | |||
| Oregon | Yes | FIRST OREGON TEACHING LICENSE | ||
| Pennsylvania | Yes | |||
| Puerto Rico | Yes | |||
| Republic of Palau | Yes | |||
| Republic of the Marshall Islands | Yes | |||
| Rhode Island | Yes | Must pass RI licensure exams but eligible for provisional license while meeting that requirement. Required Document Checklist. | ||
| South Carolina | Yes (for areas of special education) |
Yes | Reciprocity is granted; however, note provisional licensure is not granted for areas of special education. South Carolina Department of Education. | |
| South Dakota | Yes | South Dakota Department of Education - Educator Certification | ||
| Tennessee | Yes | |||
| Texas | Yes (with standard license in another state can receive "review" for provisional license) |
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| U.S. Virgin Islands | Yes | Complete a course in U.S. Virgin Islands history within the first year of employment. | ||
| Utah | Yes | Yes | If you have a standard renewable educator license from another state or country you may apply for a Utah Educator License, using the License Equivalency Review (LER) application for submission to Utah State Board of Education. Utah requires testing and (on website) a list of "equivalent" tests (ETS/Praxis II). Candidates in elementary education, special education and early childhood education will also have to meet passing scores on the Foundations of Reading assessment. | |
| Vermont | Yes | Yes | Eligibility for licensure through the traditional route is determined by the completion of a state approved educator preparation program at a college or university through a bachelor, post-baccalaureate or master’s degree program and recommendation for licensure from the institution. Praxis II content tests are required for content areas for all candidates unless they hold a valid non-conditional license in the same endorsement area from any US state education agency, or a participating jurisdiction of the NASDTEC agreement. | |
| Virginia | Yes | Yes | An individual coming into Virginia from any state may qualify for a Virginia teaching license with comparable endorsement areas if the individual has completed a state-approved teacher preparation program through an accredited four-year college or university, if the individual holds a valid out-of-state teaching license (full credential without deficiencies), or holds an active national certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). For reciprocity: For individuals who have obtained a valid out-of-state license, with full credentials and without deficiencies, that is in force at the time the application for a Virginia license is received by the Department of Education. Each such individual shall establish a file in the Department of Education by submitting a complete application packet, which shall include official student transcripts. No service requirements or licensing assessments shall be required for any such individual | |
| Washington | Yes | Yes | ||
| West Virginia | Yes | Yes | ||
| Wisconsin | Yes | Yes | ||
| Wyoming | Yes | Yes |
Disclaimer: Although all state licensing boards have been reviewed by the University of Mississippi for program adherence to meet the educational requirements, it is up to each student to review the boards as well and be knowledgeable of all requirements. Some boards require additional tests, or unique state specifications. These requirements are noted here but are also privy to change without notice. (Updated: 11/25/2025)