Applying for an Initial Professional Certificate (IPC)

Please begin by visiting the Missouri Department of Education.

  1. Click "Educator Certification" in the center of the page.
  2. From this page, click on "Educator Certification System" in the center of the page. You can also click on "Web Application" on the lower right. Both will take you to the login screen.
  3. Enter your DESE User Name and Password and click "login"
  4. Under the Heading "DESE Web Applications", click on "Educator Certification System".
  5. New Applications (Click the “black triangle”to the left of #3):
    1. Click “Initial Professional"
    2. Do NOT worry about the education section - we will fill that out for you.
    3. Fill out the Professional Conduct information
    4. Type of Application
      • If you are getting a Teaching certificate, select “Professional”
      • If you are getting a Counseling, Psych Examiner, or Speech Language Pathologist Certificate, bubble in “Student Services”
      • If you have earned an Administrative (Principal or Superintendent) certificate, select "Administrator".
    5. If you select either Student Services or Administrative, you will then see a section for Occupational Experience. Enter any relevant work experience in this section. Those selecting a teaching certificate will not see this section.
    6. Read the Sworn Statement
    7. Release of Educational Information: Check “I Accept”.
    8. Select the institution where coursework was completed for this area of certification (Drop down menu). All Missouri State Program Completers will select "Missouri State University".
    9. Click “Submit to Institution”
    10. Click “OK”
    11. You have finished your application and may now log out of the system.

Your application will automatically be submitted to the work log for the institution you selected in step 8 above. That application will be processed as soon as you have completed your last requirement and are eligible for initial certification.

How long does the process take?

The certification process requires several steps, and takes several weeks to complete. Following are the steps we will take to certify you, and a basic timeline. For example, let's say you complete your last requirement at the end of spring semester:

  • During your last semester of classes, you will complete your DESE online profile and will submit an Application for Certification. Once submitted, your application will appear in the "work log" for Missouri State on the DESE website.
  • After graduation, the Teacher Certification Office will verify through transcripts that you have successfully completed all coursework for certification. Grades are not available on your transcripts until approximately two weeks after the end of the semester, so nothing can be done to process your certification until that time.
  • Once we verify that all requirements have been met, we will order a new Missouri State transcript for you and will complete your certification application on the DESE website.  Once we hit "submit", it will go into the DESE work log. We will then mail your transcripts to DESE as verification of your completed coursework.
  • You can check the status of your certificate on your DESE profile.
  • The timeline after we submit your application to DESE, can vary due to changing work load at DESE.  Your certificate will be available to view online by visiting the same site where you established your profile and submitted the application. Both the certificate holder and the school district will only be able to view and print the certificate from the DESE website.

If you change your address after submitting your online application, please make sure to notify DESE immediately. Changing your address with Missouri State is important, but does not change what you put on your online application with DESE.