Teacher Certification - Community College Transfer Students

The Department of Mathematical Sciences at Northern Illinois University would like you to make a smooth transition from your community college to NIU. The following information and suggestions should aid you in this transition.

  1. Questions, before and during your transition, should be directed to Bonnie Kersten, Coordinator of Teacher Certification in Mathematics at NIU, in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at (815) 753 5390 or tcert@math.niu.edu.

  2. Please use the document Teacher Certification General Education Requirements for the Mathematics Certification Program as a guide for courses you take during your community college experience. Also, you may complete the Calculus sequence (equivalent of MATH 229, MATH 230 and MATH 232 at NIU) and the computer programming course at your community college. The computer science course should articulate to NIU as either CSCI 230 or 240 and be a 4 semester hour course.

  3. If you will be completing the Calculus sequence as described in #2 above at your community college and plan on taking MATH 240 (Linear Algebra and Applications) during your first semester at NIU, you should consider taking ILAS 201 (Introductory Clinical Experience) during your first semester at NIU. Taking MATH 240 at NIU is highly recommended as preparation for the upper level math courses - see this link for more information.
    If you wish to take ILAS 201 during your first semester at NIU, you should contact Bonnie Kersten by the end of the fifth week of the NIU fall or spring semester that precedes your transfer to NIU and obtain the information about ILAS 201 and the application materials. When you contact Bonnie Kersten include your mailing address and phone number. You may also download the information and application form by clicking on the link to Applications. Follow the directions and return the designated number of copies to: Ms. Bonnie Kersten, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115. You need to return the designated number of copies of the completed application materials by the end of the seventh week of that same semester.

Once Ms. Kersten receives your completed application materials, she will mail you a "Permission to Register" form, which has the permit number needed for registration for ILAS 201 through TRACS or online at NIU. Please read the information carefully and note the date, time and place of the initial meeting of ILAS 201. Once you receive your "Permission to Register" form for ILAS 201, register through TRACS or online as soon as you can.