Choose the Right Licensure Area

Decide what you want to teach, and choose the teaching license that’s right for you. Read this page and get our free guide to licensure!

Get the Guide Learn About Licensure

A future Colorado teacher in front of a light blue background. Around her are illustrations of a graduation cap, blue ribbon and diploma.

Before you enroll in a teaching program, you’ll need to decide what you want to teach—the subject and age group. These will determine your licensure area.

On this page, we’ll go over your options!

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How do I choose a licensure area?
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What are my licensure options?
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Get the Licensure Guide

How do I choose my area of licensure?

If you already know what subject you want to teach, you can jump to the next section.

Not sure or open to different subjects? Click on the tabs to see how you can maximize your job opportunities.

In some cases, you may have multiple teaching licenses to choose from. For example, if you want to teach seventh or eighth grade math, you could earn either a middle school math license OR a secondary math license.

What can I get licensed to teach?

Once you know the subject and grades you want to teach, you can choose your licensure area. Click the tabs below for a full list of teaching license options.

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Early Childhood Education	Ages 0–8	✅
Early Childhood Special Education	Ages 0–8	✅
Elementary Education	K–6	✅

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Dance	K–12	✅
Drama & Theater Arts	K–12	✅
Music	K–12	✅
Visual Art	K–12	✅

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Adapted Physical Education (You must have an existing Physical Education license to add on this license.)	Ages 3–21
Health	K–12	✅
Physical Education	K–12	✅

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
English Language Arts	7–12	✅
Social Studies	7–12	✅

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Agriculture & Natural Resources Education	7–12	✅
Computer Science	K–12	✅
Mathematics: Middle School	6–8	✅
Mathematics: Secondary	7–12	✅
Science	7–12	✅

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Adapted Physical Education (You must have an existing Physical Education license to add on this license.)	Ages 3–21
Early Childhood Special Education	Ages 0–8	✅
Gifted Education Core (You must have an existing Colorado teaching license to add on this license.)	K–12	✅
Gifted Education Specialist (You must have an existing Colorado teaching license to add on this license.)	K–12	✅
Special Education Generalist	Ages 5–21	✅
Special Education Specialist: Deaf & Hard of Hearing	Ages 0–21	✅
Special Education Specialist: Visual Impairment	Ages 0–21	✅

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
American Sign Language	Ages 3–21
French	K–12	✅
German	K–12	✅
Italian	K–12	✅
Japanese	K–12	✅
Latin	K–12	✅
Mandarin Chinese	K–12	✅
Russian	K–12	✅
Spanish	K–12	✅

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Agriculture & Natural Resources Education	7–12	✅
Business/Marketing	7–12	✅
Family & Consumer Sciences	7–12	✅
Technology Education (Industrial Arts)	7–12	✅

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Education	K–12	✅
Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Bilingual Education	K–12	✅
Reading Specialist (You must have an existing Colorado teaching license to add on this license.)	K–12
Teacher Librarian (You must have an existing Colorado teaching license to add on this license.)	K–12	✅

Get the Licensure Guide

An image of the TEACH Colorado Teacher Licensure Guide

Keep a list of licensure areas handy, and get step-by-step details on pathways to teaching and licensure in Colorado.

It’s all free in our Licensure Guide!

Get the Guide

What’s next

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Career Coaching in Colorado

Talk to an expert about how to become a licensed teacher in Colorado. Get free advice on what to teach and how to choose and apply to the right program.

Colorado’s Educator Shortage Survey Results. Colorado Department of Education. https://www.cde.state.co.us/educatortalent/edshortage-surveyresults#shortage
Colorado Teacher Endorsement Requirements. Colorado Department of Education. https://www.cde.state.co.us/cdeprof/endorsementrequirements

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Choose the Right Licensure Area

Before you enroll in a teaching program, you’ll need to decide what you want to teach—the subject and age group. These will determine your licensure area.

On this page, we’ll go over your options!

How do I choose my area of licensure?

Which subjects are shortage areas in Colorado?

What can I get licensed to teach?

Get the Licensure Guide

What’s next

Colorado Program Explorer

Career Coaching in Colorado

References

Sign Up for Free Resources

Choose the Right Licensure Area

Before you enroll in a teaching program, you’ll need to decide what you want to teach—the subject and age group. These will determine your licensure area.

On this page, we’ll go over your options!

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What are my licensure options?

Get the Licensure Guide

How do I choose my area of licensure?

Which subjects are shortage areas in Colorado?

Consider a K–12 subject

What can I get licensed to teach?

Elementary & Early Childhood

Fine Arts

Health & Physical Education

Humanities & Social Sciences

Math, Science & Technology

Special Education

World Languages

Career & Technical Education

Academic Specialties

Get the Licensure Guide

What’s next

Colorado Program Explorer

Career Coaching in Colorado

References

Sign Up for Free Resources

How do I choose a licensure area?