OVERVIEW
Designed for Math Teachers Seeking to Inspire the Next Generation of Problem-Solvers
Advance your teaching career with the Middle Grades Math Endorsement at WGU. Designed for licensed secondary math educators who are ready to specialize in middle school instruction, this online program integrates educational theory and effective teaching strategies to ensure you’re prepared to meet state licensure requirements. This program utilizes:
- Virtual simulations
- Classroom observations
- Hands-on teaching practice
These strategies are designed to help you be prepared to make a difference in middle school and junior high school classrooms. Guided by expert instructors, this program equips you with the knowledge and confidence to teach math in middle school settings effectively. Add to your credentials, boost your impact, and take the next step in your teaching journey.
Note: The specific grade levels you will be eligible to teach depend on your state’s licenses and certificate programs. This program is for licensed teachers who have a secondary math license.
What is an Endorsement Program?
An endorsement program is a pathway for teachers to gain additional qualifications in a certain subject area or grade level, allowing them to "endorse" their teaching abilities in that particular field through coursework and demonstrating proficiency. Endorsement programs can be in a specialization such as certain science focus areas, ESL/ELL, or gifted education, and is typically added to an existing teaching license. Endorsements can also add grade level options to your license, such as secondary or middle grades. Endorsements at WGU are for individuals who already have a teaching bachelor's degree and are a licensed teacher, or for those who are currently going through a WGU bachelor's degree program in education.
Most students will complete this program in a minimum of
6 Months*
WGU lets you move more quickly through material you already know and advance as soon as you're ready. The result: You may finish faster.
*WGU Internal Data
Tuition per six-month term is
$2,550
Tuition charged per term—rather than per credit—helps you control the ultimate cost of your degree. Finish faster, pay less!
Educator renewal points
Yes
Pursuing an endorsement program will count towards re-licensure points to keep your teaching license up-to-date. Endorsements then become part of your license and will need to be renewed. The details will depend on your specific state.
Not Sure If You Need a Teaching License?
If you aren't sure which program is right for you, or if you'll require a teaching license, you can learn more about licensure and if it's needed for your career goals.
COURSES
Middle Grades Math Courses
Curriculum that ensures you’ve mastered the things middle grade math students need you to know.
Program consists of 2 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
This online endorsement preparation program prepares licensed teachers to gain the additional certification and licensure required to teach middle grades math and to develop significant skills in curriculum development, design, and evaluation.
This program is made up of the following courses, which you will typically complete one at a time as you make your way through your program, working with your Program Mentor each term to build your personalized degree plan. You’ll work through each course as quickly as you can study and learn the material. As soon as you’re ready, you’ll pass the assessment, complete the course, and move on. This means that you can finish as many courses as you can handle in a term at no additional cost.
2 Courses
Program consists of 2 courses
At WGU, we design our curriculum to be timely, relevant, and practical—all to help you show that you know your stuff.
Praxis Prep
Helping you prepare for the Praxis Exam
Courses in this program are focused on Praxis exam prep to help ensure that students are ready to take that licensing exam. In order to add middle grades math to their license, most students will be required by their state to take the Praxis exam for midle grades math.
“WGU was fantastic for me. Mentors and teachers had one goal: to launch me forward through any challenge OR obstacle. I loved their 'can do' attitude, it was contagious.”
—Kassie Ann
Endorsement Program, English Language Learning
Endorsement or Master's Degree
Should you pursue a master’s degree or an endorsement program? Educators who want to expand their ability to teach certain grades or subjects may consider either a master’s degree or an endorsement program. Individuals should research their state to understand how an endorsement vs. a master’s degree will impact. Here are some important points about choosing one or the other.
Endorsement Programs
- Shorter program overall, with fewer courses and often a lower cost than a master’s degree.
Adds a credential to your teaching license allowing you to teach another grade level or subject area.
Only for currently licensed teachers. An endorsement program does not give you initial eligibility to teach.
Counts toward renewal points for current teachers.
Is valuable to school districts and can look great on your résumé, helping you land a job.
Master's Programs
- More in-depth knowledge in a subject area with more courses, and a higher cost overall.
Can also add subject areas or grades to your teaching license but they can be unrelated to your current license.
Master’s programs available for individuals who need an initial license to become eligible to teach in a classroom.
Counts toward renewal points for current teachers.
Is valuable to school districts and can look great on your résumé, helping you land a job.
Why WGU?
You Aren't On Your Own
WGU has Program Mentors who work with you from the day you start, all the way through graduation. They help you chart your courses, answer your questions, and ensure you can go through your program. You're not alone when you choose an online program at WGU.
Flexibility You Need
Students choose WGU for their online degree program because of its flexibility. Whether you already have a full-time job, have responsibilities as a parent, or just have a busy schedule, WGU can work for you.
Strong Alumni Network
When you enroll in the middle grades math program at WGU, you join an impressive network of education professionals. Over 19,000 students graduated from the School of Education in 2024 alone, taking their skills and impacting the educational system all around the United States.
Accredited, Respected,
Recognized™
One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality has been recognized.
COST & TIME
When We Say Affordable We Mean It
By charging per six-month term rather than per credit—and empowering students to accelerate through material they know well or learn quickly—WGU helps students control the ultimate cost of their endorsement. The faster you complete your program, the less you pay.
An Endorsement Is Within Reach
There is help available to make paying for school possible for you:
The average student loan debt of WGU graduates in 2023 (among those who borrowed) was about half* the national average.
WGU endorsement programs are approved for U.S. military and veteran benefits.
Payment plans help students pay for their program on a monthly basis rather than all at once.
*WGU undergraduate students have approximately half the debt at graduation compared to the national average, according to the Institute for College Access and Success (2023).
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULE
A Different Way to Learn: Endorsement Programs Designed to Fit Your Life—and All the Demands on Your Time
No rigid class schedules. Just a solid, career-focused teaching program that meshes with your current lifestyle. You'll be challenged. You'll work hard. But if you commit yourself and put in the hours needed, WGU makes it possible for you to earn a highly respected endorsement as a busy working adult.
WGU's Middle Grades Math Endorsement program is designed for licensed teachers who want to add an endorsement to their license qualifying them to teach middle grades math in pre-K through 12th-grade settings.
This program is specifically designed for working adult students, so you can honor your current work and family responsibilities while completing your coursework.
CAREER OUTLOOK
With This Middle Grades Math Endorsement Program, You'll Be Prepared to Help Students Thrive in the Classroom
Supporting students on their road to learning is one of the things that make teaching so fulfilling. As a middle grades math teacher, you can help students find their spark and love of math, changing their lives forever.
Around the country there are shortages in STEM teachers, and this endorsement can help place you in high demand to teach important subjects in your school. This endorsement program is the perfect fit for:
- Licensed teachers with bachelor’s degrees who have a secondary math license
Where you can teach:
- Private schools
- Public schools
- Charter schools
- K-12 classrooms
32%
32% of public schools were able to fill vacancies for math teaching positions in the 2021 school year.
—National Center for Education Statistics
ADMISSIONS
Middle Grades Math Endorsement Admission Requirements
If you enroll in an endorsement program, the following is required of you:
- A copy of a valid, current professional license in secondary math
- Official transcripts that demonstrate you have earned a bachelor’s degree from a recognized accredited university.
An Enrollment Counselor will instruct you as to when and how to submit your teaching license prior to starting your program.
Transfer Credits
Get Your Enrollment Checklist
Download your step-by-step guide to enrollment.
Get Your Questions Answered
Talk to a WGU Enrollment Counselor.
More About the Middle Grades Math Endorsement
- More About This Program
This endorsement qualifies teachers to instruct grades 5-9 mathematics, covering pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, and foundational math concepts.
This endorsement is ideal for licensed secondary math teachers who are looking to teach middle school math.
This endorsement qualifies educators to teach pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, probability, and introductory statistics—key concepts covered in grades 5-9 math curricula.
It enhances mathematical instructional techniques, equips teachers with strategies for differentiated learning, and strengthens problem-solving approaches to support diverse student needs.
Ready to Start?
