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Majors, Minors, Graduate Programs and Certificates

Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education Programs

NEIU offers a wide variety of majors, minors, graduate programs and certificates to students who aspire to become educators, counselors, health professionals, and leaders who think critically and serve others with empathy and a social justice mindset.

Learn more about our programs by clicking on the dropdowns below and by exploring any and all of the links that are available throughout this website.

With 11 degrees and eight minors, undergraduate programs in the Goodwin College of Education provide high-quality pathways to careers in PreK-12 teaching, community services, health programming and human resource management. All PreK-12 teacher licensure programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the premier accrediting body approved by the U.S. Department of Education

HEALTH, COMMUNITY AND HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT - DEGREES AND MINORS

TEACHER LICENSURE: B.A. DEGREES

LICENSURE: SUBSEQUENT ENDORSEMENTS AND MINORS

With 18 degrees, 10 certificates and/or endorsements, and three non-degree options, graduate programs in the Goodwin College of Education provide flexible and student-focused pathways to careers in counseling, PreK-12 teaching, community services, health education and programming, human resource management, and educational leadership. Teacher licensure and educational leadership programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the premier accrediting body approved by the U.S. Department of Education. Counseling programs are accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

The Ed.D. Program in Leadership, Equity, & Inquiry prepares leaders to address critical challenges within communities, schools, and other organizations. As scholar-practitioners, students engage in deep reflection on key problems of practice, and the social and structural elements that undergird these via an interdisciplinary study of Chicago, its communities, and institutions.

Learn more about the program and apply for admission to the inaugural cohort, beginning in Fall 2026.

The NEIU-CPS Teacher Apprenticeship Program is a United States Department of Labor registered apprenticeship program. It combines rigorous academic coursework with substantial paid, on-the-job learning, creating in-depth and clinically-focused preparation for your teaching career. Specifically, the registered apprenticeship prepares NEIU undergraduates for employment in Chicago's highest-need teaching areas: Bilingual Elementary Education, Special Education, and Physical Education. In development is a new pathway in Early Childhood Education, scheduled to begin in Summer 2026.

Recently, the NEIU-CPS Teacher Apprenticeship Program received a $400,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. This grant provides the financial support necessary to recruit and admitted 10 apprentices to complete all of the activities required for Year 1 of the program by the grant end date of June 30, 2027.

Click on the links below to learn more about the apprenticeship and this grant opportunity.

  • Program Structure
    Learn about the core components of the apprenticeship.
     
  • Benefits 
    Learn about the financial and academic support benefits of completing the first year apprenticeship program.
     
  • Eligibility & How to Apply
    Review requirements for admission, understand the application process, and access the online application form.
     
  • Information Sessions & Contact
    Register for upcoming information sessions and connect directly with the Program Director for personalized guidance.

Program Structure

The NEIU-CPS Teacher Apprenticeship Program follows a carefully structured two-year timeline that balances academic coursework with extensive paid clinical experiences in Chicago Public Schools classrooms. During Year 1, apprentices receive an orientation and complete up to 9 credit hours of summer coursework that are required for licensure and enrollment in NEIU clinical experiences.  Thereafter, they complete 384 hours of paid clinical experiences (12 hours a week for 32 weeks/$20 per hour) under the supervision of experienced CPS mentor teachers and NEIU instructional supervisors. In the summer after the completion of the required clinical experiences, apprentices complete an additional 9 credit hours of coursework in preparation for student teaching. All required summer coursework, including tuition and fees, is paid by the grant.

Year 2 of the apprenticeship entails a full year of paid student teaching.  Apprentices are assigned mentor teachers and are paid at a rate of $22 per hour to work 37.5 hours a week for 32 weeks. Under the supervision of experienced CPS mentor teachers and NEIU instructional supervisors, you'll gain extensive classroom experience and fulfill all of the requirements for an Illinois Professional Educator License and future employment in the Chicago Public Schools. Back to the Top

Benefits

The program's DCEO grant provides tuition support for up to 18 credit hours of professional education coursework. At NEIU's current rate of $531 per credit hour (including fees), your apprenticeship tuition support amounts to $9,558. This support includes 9 credit hours in Summer 2026 valued at $4,779 and an additional 9 credit hours in Summer 2027 valued at $4,779. All tuition and fees are completely covered by grant funding, eliminating the need for student loans or out-of-pocket expenses for up to six licensure courses. In addition, paid clinical experiences totaling 384 hours, at $20 per hour, provide $7,680 in wages distributed across Fall 2026 and Spring 2027. Beyond tuition and wages, all apprentices receive comprehensive support services funded through NEIU's substantial cost-sharing commitment, including: orientation materials, Individual Education Plan development, academic advising throughout the program, Program Director mentorship and supervision, field placement coordination by the Director of Clinical Experiences and School Partnerships, and competency-based assessment and feedback systems. The combined value of tuition support, wages, and support services totals over $17,238, representing a transformative investment in your teaching career.  

Although funding for Year 2 of the program has not yet been secured, another grant proposal is under consideration. If this additional grant is received, all apprentices who complete Year 1 of the program will be expected to complete Year 2, which consists in the main of a full year of paid student teaching. If the additional grant is not received, apprentices will have the option of completing a traditional, 16 week student teaching experience, to fulfill all of the requirements for their Illinois Professional Educator 
License.

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Eligibility & How to Apply 

The NEIU-CPS Teacher Apprenticeship Program is designed for undergraduates who have completed foundational educational coursework in their major and are ready for intensive, paid field experiences in Chicago Public Schools classrooms. This registered apprenticeship is ideal for NEIU teacher candidates who are ready to begin field experiences, as well as new transfer students who have at least 60 hours of college coursework and are committed to teaching in CPS high-need areas. All applicants must have a major in one of the four high-need areas supported by the program: Bilingual Elementary Education, Special Education, Physical Education or Early Childhood Education.  In addition, all apprenticeship applicants should demonstrate strong academic performance with a minimum 2.75 GPA.  A recommendation from an NEIU instructor also is required as part of the admission process.

To apply for the NEIU-CPS Teacher Apprenticeship Program, you may submit an application by the priority deadline of March 1, or by the final deadline of March 15. The application will ask you to describe your motivation for becoming a teacher in Chicago Public Schools and your commitment to serving students in one of the four areas supported by the program: Bilingual Elementary Education, Special Education, Physical Education, or Early Childhood Education. 

By April 1, all finalists for the 10 apprenticeship positions will be notified about interviews that will take place in early April. In most cases, candidates will sit for both an individual and a group interview. Thereafter, admitted students will receive notification via email on or about April 15, and will be asked to confirm participation by May 1. Once you confirm, you'll be connected with the Program Director to begin the development of your Individual Education Plan and enrollment in Summer 2026 courses.

If you have questions about your eligibility or the application process, please contact the NEIU-CPS Teacher Apprenticeship Program Director:

Dr. Wendy Gonzales, Associate Professor
w-gonzales@neiu.edu
1-773-442-5599

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  • Start Your Application Now

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Information Sessions & Contact

We strongly encourage all prospective applicants to attend an information session before submitting an application. These sessions will provide opportunities to learn detailed information about program structure, benefits, and the pathway from apprenticeship to student teaching and licensure completion. Attendees will meet the Program Director and will learn about employment opportunities in high-need teaching areas in CPS. They also will connect with other prospective apprentices and will learn how the NEIU-CPS Teacher Apprenticeship Program integrates with other NEIU support programs.

Coming Soon:

  • Apply to the Apprenticeship Program Today
  • Upcoming Information Sessions

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