OVERVIEW
An Endorsement Opportunity to Add Middle Grades Science to Your License
Earn your Middle Grades Science Endorsement and elevate your impact as a science educator. WGU’s online program equips licensed secondary science teachers with specialized skills for middle school instruction, blending theory, hands-on classroom experience, and effective teaching strategies that can enhance student learning and engagement. You will be equipped to teach science in middle schools and junior high schools, building on your existing knowledge and expanding your opportunities.
This endorsement program is an ideal fit for:
- Currently licensed secondary science teachers who want to add to their license
You can boost your résumé with the help of a middle grades endorsement.
Note: The specific grade levels you will be eligible to teach depend on your state’s licenses and certificate programs. Current teachers must have an initial license in secondary science in order to pursue this program.
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 approximately
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 Science Courses
Curriculum that prepares you to teach in middle grades classrooms
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 middle science endorsement program is specificially tailored to help existing science teachers learn additional classroom management techniques, curriculum development ideas, and assessement strategies geared towards middle grades students.
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're able 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
Several 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 to their license, most students will be required by their state to take the Praxis exam for middle grades science.
“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 science endorsement 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 endorsements. 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.
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 science endorsement is designed for licensed teachers who want to add an the ability to teach in grades 5-9 to their existing license.
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
Make a Difference for Middle Schoolers with a Science Endorsement
When you earn a middle grades science endorsement, you open the door to more opportunities to teach students in ways that could help them thrive. Connecting students with a love of science can impact them for the rest of their lvies.
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:
- Currently licensed teachers who have a secondary science license and are interested in teaching in middle school classrooms.
Where you can teach:
- Private schools
- Public schools
- Charter schools
- K-12 classrooms
31%
31% of public schools were unable to fill biology teaching vacancies in the 2021 school year.
—National Center for Education Statistics
ADMISSIONS
Middle Grades Endorsement Admissions Criteria
If you enroll in an endorsement program the following is required of you:
- A copy of a current professional license in secondary science.
- 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 Science Endorsement
- More About This Program
This certification qualifies educators to teach general science in grades 5-9, covering biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science fundamentals.
Currently licensed secondary science teachers who want to be able to teach middle grade students are a great fit for this endorsement program.
Middle grades science includes biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, and environmental science, preparing teachers to provide a well-rounded science education.
Yes! Many schools are expanding STEM initiatives, and a middle grades science endorsement positions educators for leadership in STEM-focused instruction and curriculum development.
Ready to Start?
