One Degree, Two Teaching Licenses: B.A. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education

Earn your Illinois PEL with both the Early Childhood (birth to Grade 2) and Elementary Education (Grades 1 to 6) endorsements in one bachelor's degree, from the university that has produced more Golden Apple Award winners than any school in Illinois.

  • Dual Illinois PEL Endorsements
  • Licensed Birth to Grade 6
  • 80+ Golden Apple Award Winners
  • On-Campus or Online

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Why Choose NLU for Early Childhood and Elementary Education?

2 Licenses
Early Childhood (B to 2) and Elementary (1 to 6)

One degree qualifies you for both endorsements. More classrooms, more jobs, same cost.

Birth to Grade 6
The widest grade range NLU's undergraduate teaching degrees offer

Teach in any classroom from infant settings through sixth grade.

80+ Golden Apple
Award winners from NLU's education programs

More than any school in Illinois.

103,800/yr
Kindergarten and elementary teaching openings (BLS)

Dual licensure means you qualify for the widest set of these openings.

$12,195/yr
First-time freshman tuition (2025-2026)

A dual-endorsement degree at a single affordable rate.

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Program at a Glance

How long?
4 Years
On-campus or online; accelerated for transfers
How much?
$12,195/yr
First-time freshman tuition (2025-2026 rate)
How many?
180 QH
Bachelor of Arts with dual PEL endorsements
What range?
Birth to Grade 6
Licensed across early childhood and elementary

What You'll Learn

  • Teach any classroom from birth through sixth grade
  • Design developmentally appropriate, equity-informed instruction
  • Teach literacy, math, science, STEM, and social studies
  • Support children with disabilities in inclusive classrooms
  • Complete multi-grade field experience and student teaching
  • Qualify for dual Illinois PEL endorsements (ECE and Elementary)

Full Course List

Foundations
How children develop from birth through the elementary years across every domain.
Equity
Teaching responsively in the diverse classrooms that define Illinois schools.
Literacy
How literacy develops from birth through Grade 6, and how to teach it.
Mathematics
Planning and teaching mathematics across the early childhood and elementary grades.
STEM
Integrating inquiry-based STEM teaching into the elementary classroom.
Science & Social Studies
Teaching science and social studies in the elementary grades.
Inclusion
Teaching children with disabilities in inclusive settings across grade levels.
Clinical Practice
Multi-grade field experience and a student teaching placement in your chosen track.

Next start: September 21, 2026 — seats filling fast.

Admissions Requirements

  • High school diploma or equivalent (no application fee)
  • Online application at nl.edu
  • Advance to the licensure program at junior standing with a 2.5+ GPA
  • Grade of C or better in all prior courses
  • Passing scores on the ISBE content tests for both endorsements
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One Degree, Two Licenses

Graduate qualified for both the Early Childhood (birth to Grade 2) and Elementary (Grades 1 to 6) Illinois endorsements. Most programs make you choose; NLU gives you both.

Illinois' Most Awarded Teaching School

More Golden Apple Award winners than any school in Illinois, from preparing Illinois educators since 1886.

Choose Your Student Teaching Track

Specialize your final placement in early childhood or elementary based on your career direction, after multi-grade field experience across the program.

Where Will Your Degree Take You?

103,800
Kindergarten and elementary teaching openings each year (BLS)
Kindergarten Teacher
Elementary Teacher (Grades 1 to 6)
Early Childhood Teacher
ESL or Bilingual Teacher
Elementary Special Educator
Instructional Coordinator

The dual-endorsement degree gives NLU graduates maximum flexibility, licensed to teach any classroom from infant settings through sixth grade. Illinois posts more than 103,800 kindergarten and elementary openings each year, with another 65,500 in preschool, driven by replacement demand (BLS, 2024 to 2034).

Kindergarten and elementary teaching carries a median salary of $62,340 (BLS, May 2024). An optional ESL or Special Education concentration adds a third credential, making graduates among the most comprehensively prepared educators in the Illinois job market.

Get Started Now

How to Apply in 3 Simple Steps

  1. Request Information

    Submit the form above. An NLU advisor will reach out within one business day.

  2. Connect With an Advisor

    Your advisor walks you through the two-step admission process, dual-endorsement licensure, and your concentration options.

  3. Apply and Start Classes

    Submit your application at nl.edu with no application fee. Next start: September 21, 2026. Your advisor guides you through every step.

Get Started

Take the First Step

No commitment required. An NLU advisor will reach out within one business day to map your path to dual Illinois teaching licenses.

Take the First Step
  • Dual Illinois PEL Endorsements
  • Licensed Birth to Grade 6
  • 80+ Golden Apple Award Winners
  • On-Campus or Online

*Salary data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Elementary School Teachers (SOC 25-2021) and Preschool Teachers, May 2024.

**Job openings: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, 2024 to 2034 projections.

***Endorsements and curriculum: SmartCatalog, National Louis University, Early Childhood and Elementary Education B.A. (nl.smartcatalogiq.com, current catalog).