Outreach

professional development


Professional Development

The Office of Study Abroad and Outreach of Western Illinois University can provide professional development through workshops, certifications/licensures/endorsements, educational institutes, conferences, etc. These programs help professionals gain occupational training that increase their value to their institution.

No matter what your professional background, if you or your employees are in need of professional development, please contact our office at  309-298-1911 to see what Western Illinois University can offer you. 


Current Programs

esl ESL(English as a Second Language) Endorsement

For the first time, the University is offering teacher cohorts in the Quad Cities, offering an English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement and cohorts, exclusively for early childhood teachers. Persons seeking English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement through the  State of Illinois must hold a valid professional Illinois teaching license. 

A total of 18 semester hours of course work distributed among the following course areas is required:

  • Linguistics
  • Theoretical Foundations of Teaching ESL
  • Assessment of the Bilingual Student
  • Methods and Materials for teaching ESL
  • Cross-cultural Studies for Teaching Limited-English-Proficient Student

ESL clinical experience equal to 100 clock hours of three months teaching experience with ESL students must be documented. 

The current training cohorts include teachers from:

Moline-Coal Valley School District 

Beardstown CUSD #15

Rock Island-Milan School District #41

For full program information, visit the School of Education ESL Endorsement site . 

Emergency Management Post Baccalaureate Certificate

Due to the ever-increasing threats facing the law enforcement community the School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration developed a PBC with an emphasis in emergency management. This PBC will afford students the education and knowledge on how to survive and work in a disaster zone as well as provide critical skills that will increase job possibilities and salaries with an emergency management focus. The certificate program will provide and/or substitute coursework needed for professionals in emergency management. The focus of the program is to provide students with an advanced knowledge of emergency management organizational, planning, strategies, threat assessment, evaluation and leadership.

Fall Courses

EM 360, 361, 362

EM 367, 368, 369, 370

Spring Courses

EM 363, 364, 365, 366

EM 371, 372, 373, 374 

For full program information, please visit either the Emergency Management departmental program website or the WIU Admissions program website . 

superitendent licensure Superintendent Licensure

This program provides Type 75S superintendent's licensure through Western Illinois University  must complete a licensure program including the following: 36 semester hours of course work,  EDL 655 (Internship), and a minimum of two years of administrative experience requiring a Type  75 Administrative License or its equivalent. The Office of Study Abroad and Outreach, in  partnership with Mundelein High School District 120, is currently offering a licensure program in Grayslake, Illinois.

For full program information, visit the School of Education's Superintendent Licensure website.