Accreditation & Program Approvals

States will not accept just any degree for educator licensure, certification or endorsement. State educator licensing offices rely on program approvals and accreditations to ensure that a program is designed to meet licensing standards. In virtually all cases, states require completion of an approved program for licensure or endorsement. It is important to choose a program that has approval or accreditations needed to meet your state's requirements.

Every state approves programs that are intended to prepare educators for licensing in their state. Typically, they approve programs for universities that are located in that state. Because Capella's headquarters are located in Minnesota, most of our programs have Minnesota approval. Capella also has several programs approved in Arizona.

In addition to state approval, some Capella programs are nationally recognized by a Specialized Professional Associations (SPA), as part of our National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accreditation. Many states develop their program approval standards around SPA/NCATE standards. Completing a SPA recognized/NCATE accredited program can make the pathway to licensure easier in these states. Additionally, some states require completion of a NCATE accredited program for licensure or endorsement. Read more about SPA recognition, NCATE accreditation and state partnerships on NCATE's website.

License/endorsement requirements vary significantly from state to state. Capella does not offer any programs for initial teaching certification or licensure. State requirements should be researched before enrolling in any program. See Licensure Research for more information.

Specialization	Degree	Program Approval?	Accreditation and National Recognition?	Licensure Program?
Curriculum and Instruction	MS	No	NCATE	No
Curriculum and Instruction	EdS	No	NCATE	No
Curriculum and Instruction	PhD	No	NCATE	No
Early Childhood Education	MS	Yes, Minnesota Board of Teaching	NCATE, NAEYC	Yes, for additional endorsement on an already existing teaching license.
K-12 Studies in Education	MS	No	NCATE	No
K-12 Studies in Education	PhD	No	NCATE	No
Leadership in Educational Administration	MS	Yes, Arizona State Board of Education	NCATE, ELCC	Yes, principal
Leadership in Educational Administration	EdS	Yes, Minnesota Board of School Administrators and Georgia Professional Standards Commission	NCATE, ELCC	Yes, MN principal or superintendent, GA building leader
Leadership in Educational Administration	PhD	Yes, Minnesota Board of School Administrators, Arizona State Board of Education, and Georgia Professional Standards Commission	NCATE, ELCC	Yes, MN and AZ principal or superintendent, GA building leader
Reading and Literacy	MS	Yes, Minnesota Board of Teaching	NCATE	Yes, for additional endorsement on an already existing teaching license
Reading and Literacy	EdD	No	None	No
Special Education Leadership	PhD	Yes, Minnesota Board of School Administrators	NCATE, CEC	Yes, Director of Special Education
School Counseling	MS	Yes, Minnesota Board of Teaching and Arizona State Board of Education	NCATE, CACREP	Yes, School Counselor
School Psychology	MS plus Specialist Certificate	Yes, Minnesota Board of Teaching and Arizona State Board of Education	NCATE, NASP	Yes, School Psychologist
School Psychology	PsyD	Yes, Arizona State Board of Education	NCATE	Yes, School Psychologist
Special Education Teaching: Learning Disabilities	MS	No	NCATE	No

Capella University cannot guarantee licensure, certification, or endorsement. State regulations vary regarding professional licensure and salary benefits. It is learners' responsibility to understand and comply with requirements for their state.