Choose the Right Licensure Area

Decide what you want to teach, and choose the teaching license that’s right for you. Read this page or download our guide.

Get the Licensure Guide Learn About Licensure

A future NC teacher wearing red glasses and a red shirt. They are smiling and holding a hand to their chin thoughtfully.

Before you can enroll in a teaching program, you’ll need to decide what teaching license you want to earn. Your licensure area will depend on the age group and subject you want to teach.

On this page, we’ll go over your choices for licensure.

1
Choosing a Licensure Area
2
Licensure Options
3
Get the Guide

I'm not sure what I want to teach

If you already know what grade and subject you want to teach: Fabulous! You can jump to the next section. If you’re not sure, consider an NC shortage area or a subject that lets you teach all grades.

Explore Your Licensure Options

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. (2)

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Birth to Kindergarten	Birth–K
Elementary Education	K–6	✅
English as a Second Language	K–6 or K–12
Exceptional Children: Adapted Curriculum	K–6	✅
Exceptional Children: General Curriculum	K–6	✅
Reading	K–6

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Academically Gifted	K–12	✅
Behaviorally/Emotionally Disabled	K–12	✅
Cross Categorical (mildly/moderately disabled	K–12	✅
Deaf & Hard of Hearing	K–12	✅
Mentally Disabled	K–12	✅
Severely/Profoundly Disabled	K–12	✅
Special Education: Adapted Curriculum	K–12	✅
Special Education: General Curriculum	K–12	✅
Specific Learning Disabled	K–12	✅
Visually Impaired	K–12	✅

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Art	K–12
Dance	K–12
Music	K–12
Theater Arts	K–12

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Health & Physical Education	K–12
Health Specialist	K–12
Physical Education	K–12

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Anthropology	9–12
Economics	9–12
English	9–12	✅
English as a Second Language	K–12
Geography	9–12
History	9–12
Journalism* *This subject requires you to be licensed in another area first.	9–12
Language Arts, Middle Grades	6-9	✅
Psychology* *This subject requires you to be licensed in another area first.	9–12
Reading	K–12
Social Studies	9–12	✅
Social Studies, Middle Grades	6–9	✅
Sociology	9–12
Political Science	9–12

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Biology	9–12	✅
Chemistry	9–12	✅
Computer Education Endorsement* *This subject requires you to be licensed in another area first.	K–12
Earth Science	9–12	✅
Mathematics	9–12	✅
Math, Middle Grades	6–9	✅
Physics	9–12	✅
Science, Middle Grades	6–9	✅
Science	9–12	✅

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
American Sign Language	K–12
Arabic	K–12
Cherokee	K–12
Chinese (Mandarin)	K–12
French	K–12
German	K–12
Greek (Ancient)	K–12
Greek (Modern)	K–12
Hebrew	K–12
Hindi	K–12
Italian	K–12
Japanese	K–12
Korean	K–12
Latin	K–12
Portuguese	K–12
Other Second Languages	K–12
Russian	K–12
Spanish	K–12
Swahili	K–12
Turkish	K–12

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Agriculture	6–12	✅
Business, Finance & Information Technology	6–12	✅
Family & Consumer Sciences	6–12	✅
Health Science	6–12	✅
Information Technology	6–12	✅
Marketing	6–12	✅
Technology Engineering & Design	6–12	✅
Trade & Industrial Education	6–12	✅

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Bible	9–12
Junior ROTC	K–12
Speech Communication	K–12

Remember, you can add licenses in different grade levels and subject areas throughout your teaching career. You don’t have to get all your teaching licenses at once!

Get the Licensure Guide

The cover of the TeachNC Teaching Licensure Guide

Keep a list of licensure subject areas handy, and get step-by-step details on how to get your North Carolina teaching license.

It’s all free in our Licensure Guide!

Get the Guide

What’s next

Career Coaching in North Carolina

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

Alternative Teacher Licensure in North Carolina

If you have a bachelor’s degree, you may be able to start teaching right away. Learn how TeachNC can help you get started.

Sign Up for Free Resources

Enter your email to get FREE resources for future North Carolina teachers—from tailored advising to funding opportunities and more. Already signed up? Sign in at the top of the page to access your dashboard.

References

North Carolina Teacher Shortage Areas, 2024–2025 Report. U.S. Department of Education. https://tsa.ed.gov/#/reports
Areas of Licensure, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. https://www.dpi.nc.gov/educators/educators-licensure/areas-licensure

Choose the Right Licensure Area

Decide what you want to teach, and choose the teaching license that’s right for you. Read this page or download our guide.

Get the Licensure Guide

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Birth to Kindergarten	Birth–K
Elementary Education	K–6	✅
English as a Second Language	K–6 or K–12
Exceptional Children: Adapted Curriculum	K–6	✅
Exceptional Children: General Curriculum	K–6	✅
Reading	K–6

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Academically Gifted	K–12	✅
Behaviorally/Emotionally Disabled	K–12	✅
Cross Categorical (mildly/moderately disabled	K–12	✅
Deaf & Hard of Hearing	K–12	✅
Mentally Disabled	K–12	✅
Severely/Profoundly Disabled	K–12	✅
Special Education: Adapted Curriculum	K–12	✅
Special Education: General Curriculum	K–12	✅
Specific Learning Disabled	K–12	✅
Visually Impaired	K–12	✅

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Art	K–12
Dance	K–12
Music	K–12
Theater Arts	K–12

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Health & Physical Education	K–12
Health Specialist	K–12
Physical Education	K–12

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Anthropology	9–12
Economics	9–12
English	9–12	✅
English as a Second Language	K–12
Geography	9–12
History	9–12
Journalism* *This subject requires you to be licensed in another area first.	9–12
Language Arts, Middle Grades	6-9	✅
Psychology* *This subject requires you to be licensed in another area first.	9–12
Reading	K–12
Social Studies	9–12	✅
Social Studies, Middle Grades	6–9	✅
Sociology	9–12
Political Science	9–12

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Biology	9–12	✅
Chemistry	9–12	✅
Computer Education Endorsement* *This subject requires you to be licensed in another area first.	K–12
Earth Science	9–12	✅
Mathematics	9–12	✅
Math, Middle Grades	6–9	✅
Physics	9–12	✅
Science, Middle Grades	6–9	✅
Science	9–12	✅

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
American Sign Language	K–12
Arabic	K–12
Cherokee	K–12
Chinese (Mandarin)	K–12
French	K–12
German	K–12
Greek (Ancient)	K–12
Greek (Modern)	K–12
Hebrew	K–12
Hindi	K–12
Italian	K–12
Japanese	K–12
Korean	K–12
Latin	K–12
Portuguese	K–12
Other Second Languages	K–12
Russian	K–12
Spanish	K–12
Swahili	K–12
Turkish	K–12

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Agriculture	6–12	✅
Business, Finance & Information Technology	6–12	✅
Family & Consumer Sciences	6–12	✅
Health Science	6–12	✅
Information Technology	6–12	✅
Marketing	6–12	✅
Technology Engineering & Design	6–12	✅
Trade & Industrial Education	6–12	✅

Licensure Area	Grades	Shortage Area?
Bible	9–12
Junior ROTC	K–12
Speech Communication	K–12

Keep a list of licensure subject areas handy, and get step-by-step details on how to get your North Carolina teaching license.

It’s all free in our Licensure Guide!

Choose the Right Licensure Area

Before you can enroll in a teaching program, you’ll need to decide what teaching license you want to earn. Your licensure area will depend on the age group and subject you want to teach.

On this page, we’ll go over your choices for licensure.

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Licensure Options

Get the Guide

I'm not sure what I want to teach

What subjects are shortage areas in North Carolina?

K–12 subjects

What are my K–12 subject area options?

Explore Your Licensure Options

Elementary and Early Childhood

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Exceptional Children

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Fine Arts

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Health and Physical Education

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Humanities and Social Sciences

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Math, Science & Technology

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

World Languages

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Career and Technical Education

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Specialty Subjects

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Get the Licensure Guide

What’s next

Career Coaching in North Carolina

Alternative Teacher Licensure in North Carolina

Sign Up for Free Resources

References

Choose the Right Licensure Area

Before you can enroll in a teaching program, you’ll need to decide what teaching license you want to earn. Your licensure area will depend on the age group and subject you want to teach.

On this page, we’ll go over your choices for licensure.

.css-1hnz6hu{position:static;}.css-1hnz6hu::before{content:'';cursor:inherit;display:block;position:absolute;top:0px;left:0px;z-index:0;width:100%;height:100%;}Choosing a Licensure Area

Licensure Options

Get the Guide

I'm not sure what I want to teach

What subjects are shortage areas in North Carolina?

K–12 subjects

What are my K–12 subject area options?

Explore Your Licensure Options

Elementary and Early Childhood

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Exceptional Children

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Fine Arts

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Health and Physical Education

Licensure Area

Grades

Shortage Area?

Choosing a Licensure Area

Choosing a Licensure Area