Elementary Education

About Elementary Education: Programs for Aspiring Teachers

Are you interested in a career in teaching in K-8 schools? You’ve come to the right place. The Elementary Education Program offers initial licensure for undergraduate students seeking a B.A.Ed. in Elementary Education and graduate students in an M.A. with Licensure Program who seek a K-8 alternative or standard license. Our academic programs help aspiring teachers learn instructional techniques, strategies, and assessments that are appropriate for all students in each of the content areas taught in elementary school classrooms.

As a student in our programs, you will learn how to apply what you are learning in your methods courses under the supervision of a veteran K-8 teacher in sustained, intensive classroom-based field experiences. The undergraduate licensure program of studies includes general academic core requirements, three teaching and learning support courses, teaching concentration in one of the academic disciplines, and professional licensure courses. The M.A. with Licensure program of studies includes required licensure coursework for the alternative license or the standard license, and the Master’s core curriculum which students may complete after meeting licensure requirements. Professional licensure courses provide a coherent curriculum over two-three semesters to prepare you for the work of a teacher in K-8 schools:

• Three content specific methods courses for the academic areas you will teach in an elementary school setting,
• a special ed course designed to support instruction in your content and grade level in the least restrictive environment,
• Two reading courses,
• One course that will prepare you to work with linguistically diverse students in regular education programs in K-8 schools, and
• Field experiences over the duration of the program that complement your university-based courses.