Certificates

Flexible certificate and endorsement programs

Work towards a professional certificate or endorsement on your schedule through Independent Study in Idaho (ISI). These flexible, fully online courses are ideal for teachers, professionals and students pursuing endorsement, therapeutic licensure or a teaching minor. Whether you’re working toward the Idaho K–12 Teacher Librarian Endorsement, seeking an addictions counseling credential or simply advancing your career, ISI courses offer quality instruction backed by the state’s leading research university. No matter where you live, ISI helps you stay on track, meet state requirements and grow your professional qualifications.

Library science — K-12 endorsement

University of Idaho-sponsored library science courses are only available through Independent Study in Idaho (ISI). These courses are required for the Idaho Teacher Librarian K-12 Endorsement and can be applied toward U of I’s library science teaching minor. Library science courses can also be taken for professional development.

K-12 Teacher Librarian Endorsement

Teacher Librarian Endorsement and minor for University of Idaho students and Teachers with an Idaho Teaching Certificate

Idaho Teacher Librarian Endorsement (K-12):

The Teacher Librarian Endorsement (K-12) endorsement must total 24 credits in the areas of collection development/materials selection; literature for children and/or young adults; organization of information (cataloging and classification); school library administration/management; library information technologies; information literacy; and reference and information services. Additional requirements include meeting or exceeding the state qualifying score on the Praxis II Test 5311 and the completion of a three-credit practicum. Because library science is not a teaching field, the teacher librarian must also qualify for a standard Idaho elementary or secondary teacher's certificate.

Grade point average (GPA) requirement for entering the program is 2.75 or permission. Library Science course credits earned before 2015 will not count toward the Teacher Librarian Endorsement or Library Science Minor.

When the coursework, practicum and the Praxis II Test 5311 are completed, and if the student is completing an endorsement for Idaho, they must contact Taylor Raney, the certification officer at Undergraduate Programs and Certification, College of Education, Health and Human Sciences, University of Idaho, 875 Perimeter Drive MS 3084, Moscow, ID 83844-3084 for institutional recommendation signature approval of completion of requirements for the Idaho State Department of Education. Students must earn a C or better in the courses pertaining to the Teacher Librarian K-12 endorsement to receive an endorsement recommendation by the certification officer.

University of Idaho Library Science Teaching minor:

The teaching minor in library science must total 27 credits in the areas of collection development/materials selection; literature for children and/or young adults; organization of information (cataloging and classification); school library administration/management; library information technologies; information literacy; and reference and information services. This teaching minor will qualify the student for the Idaho K-12 Teacher Librarian Endorsement. Because library science is not a teaching field, the teacher librarian must also qualify for a standard Idaho elementary or secondary teacher's certificate.

Courses for education professionals (K-12)

Independent Study in Idaho courses may be used toward renewing teaching credentials or for recertification. Contact your state's department of education to determine if ISI courses are applicable.

If you reside in Idaho, contact:

Idaho State Department of Education
650 West State Street
P.O. Box 83720
Boise ID 83720-0027

Toll-free: 800-432-4601
Phone: 208-332-6800
Fax: 208-334-2228
Web: sde.idaho.gov

Teacher Librarian Endorsement for teachers outside Idaho

ISI Library Science courses may be approved for endorsements in other states. Teachers outside the state of Idaho should check with their state's Department of Education to determine requirements and to obtain written confirmation that ISI credits are acceptable for their state's endorsement.

If you are seeking endorsement after completing your library science coursework, contact your state board of education to ensure you are meeting current state requirements.

Independent Study in Idaho courses may be used toward renewing teaching credentials or for recertification. Contact your state's department of education to determine if ISI courses are applicable.

Library science courses

400-level courses

Currently, ISI offers the following library science courses:

LIBS 4100/5100: Libraries and their Collection: Materials Selection
LIBS 4130: Computer Applications in Libraries
LIBS 4140/5140: Reference and Information Services
LIBS 4180/5180: Classification and Cataloging
LIBS 4250/5250: School Library Administration, Leadership and Management
LIBS 4270: Library and Media Center Practicum
LIBS 4300: Children’s Literature for Teacher Librarian
LIBS 4310: Adolescent Literature for Teacher Librarians
LIBS 4330: Information Literacy for the Teacher Librarian

See all course descriptions

500-level courses

All 500-level courses require instructor permission for registration. To request instructor permission to register for a 500-level course, please email the following to the Independent Study in Idaho office:
Official or unofficial transcripts from your undergraduate and/or graduate program(s) that include the name of the institution and the degree earned (if applicable)
A brief statement explaining why you are interested in 500-level library science coursework.
Library sciences courses must be completed in sequence. If you wish to request an exception to the required sequence of courses because you think you’ve taken similar courses as part of a different program, please submit the following to the Independent Study in Idaho office:
- An explanation of your request
- Official or unofficial transcripts that include the courses you believe meet the same learning outcomes of U of I library science courses
- A completed library science course equivalency worksheet and short description of course/information.

Addictions minor

Coursework for University of Idaho's addictions minor is available through Independent Study in Idaho. This minor is designed to provide all coursework required by licensing agents in Idaho and Washington for you to become an addictions counselor in either state.

It is critical that you visit the appropriate certification board's website, where you'll find additional requirements for certification, including required hours under clinical supervision.

IBADCC - Idaho Board of Alcohol Drug Counselor Certification

Certification Requirements | Washington State Department of Health

A student must be enrolled in a degree program at University of Idaho to earn a minor. PSYC 101 is a prerequisite for all the courses for the addictions minor.

For more information about University of Idaho's Addictions Minor, see University of Idaho's addictions minor or contact Benjamin Barton at barton@uidaho.edu.

Addictions minor courses

100-level addictions minor courses

Psyc 1101: Introduction to Psychology

See course description

400-level addictions minor courses

Psyc 4700: Introduction to Chemical Addictions
Psyc 4720: Introduction to the Pharmacology of Psychoactive Drugs
Psyc 4730: Blood and Airborne Pathogens: HIV/STDs/Hepatitis/TB
Psyc 4740: Record Keeping and Case Management in Chemical Addictions Counseling
Psyc 4750: Professional Ethics in Addictions Counseling
PSYC 4760/5760: Relapse Prevention in Chemical Addictions Counseling
Psyc 4780: Individual and Group Therapy Techniques in Chemical Addictions Counseling
Psyc 4820: Client Screening, Assessment, and Placement