Undergraduate Elementary Teacher Education
The elementary teacher education program at the University of Michigan now offers first-year admission in addition to the option to transfer in as a junior (either across campus or from a different college or university). The elementary teacher education program at the University of Michigan has a strong emphasis on developing teachers’ instructional practices for the purpose of disrupting inequities in schools. Students earn a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and are recommended to the State of Michigan for elementary teacher certification. Prospective teachers (teaching interns) learn teaching practices that adopt a "subject-matter serious" perspective and are rooted in social justice.
The undergraduate elementary teacher education program prepares you to teach in:
- Grades PK–3 all subjects (PK–3 all subjects, self-contained classroom)
- Grades 3–6 all subjects (3–6 all subjects, self-contained classroom)
Foundational Pillars of the Elementary Education Program
- High Leverage Practices
- Ethical Obligations and Justice Priorities
- Content Knowledge for Teaching
Post-baccalaureate Certification Only
Students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree (and do not seek a second bachelor’s degree) may apply as a non-degree applicant to the Marsal Family School of Education to complete the teacher certification requirements. This Post-Baccalaureate/Non-Candidate for Degree Status program is for the undergraduate level only.
Please note: Multiple Dependent Degree Programs (MDDP), or dual degrees, are not available at this time for students in the Elementary Education program.
Want to learn more about the program?
See our upcoming information sessions
Additional certificate and endorsement opportunities
Requirements
The elementary teacher education program consists of two course sequences. The pre-professional sequence completed in the first and second year can either be taken at U-M or at another institution prior to transferring. The professional sequence is completed in the third and fourth year at Marsal. Select your applicant status below for a detailed curriculum outline.
Curriculum
Pre-professional credits
- Required Education Core Courses (26 credits)
- EDUC 118 – Schooling in a Multicultural Society (3 credits)
- EDUC 141 – Schools, Society, and Self: Beginning the Work of Teaching (2 credits)
- EDUC 151 – Youth Serving Community Engagement (1 credit)
- EDUC 160 – Everyday Equitable Practice and Dialogue for Teaching (3 credits)
- EDUC 241 – Deepening Disciplinary Knowledge (3 credits)
- EDUC 271 – Youth Serving Community Engagement II (2 credits)
- EDUC 291 – Educational Psychology (3 credits)
- EDUC 392 – Education in a Multicultural Society (3 credits)
- EDUC electives (6 credits; 2 courses)
- First-Year Writing (3 credits)
- Select one course designated by U-M as meeting the First Year Writing Requirement (FYWR), such as
- CLCIV 101, 121,
- COMPLIT 122,
- ENGLISH 124, 125, 126,
- GTBOOKS 191,
- HISTORY 195, or
- WRITING 160.
- Select one course designated by U-M as meeting the First Year Writing Requirement (FYWR), such as
- Natural Science (6 credits)*
- Select two courses (6 credits) in two different natural science disciplines from the following list:
- Astronomy
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Earth Science
- Physics
- Environmental Science
- Select two courses (6 credits) in two different natural science disciplines from the following list:
- Social Science (6 credits)*
- Select two courses (6 credits) in two different social studies disciplines from the following list:
- Civics/Political Science
- Economics
- History
- Geography: cultural, human or world regional with a social science focus (e.g., GEOG 145 – Introduction to International Studies—not physical or natural science)
- Advanced or in-depth courses that focus on specific issues and provide substantive learning opportunities are highly preferred to introductory, survey courses.
- Select two courses (6 credits) in two different social studies disciplines from the following list:
* AP/IB credit not allowed
General Elective Credits
17 minimum
Credits to complete during the professional sequence
Core credits
Students complete the following courses:
- EDUC 303 – Problems and Principles of Elementary Education (2 credits)
- EDUC 391 – Educational Psychology and Human Development (2 credits)
- EDUC 392 – Educational Foundations in a Multicultural Society (3 credits)
- EDUC 401 – Literacy 1: Development of Foundational Skills (3 credits)
- EDUC 403 – Literacy 2: Development of Comprehension and Motivation PK-6 (3 credits)
- EDUC 405 – Literacy 3: Development of Language and Composition PK-6 (3 credits)
- EDUC 407 – Literacy 4: Teaching Language, Literacy and Academic Content to Diverse Learners (3 credits)
- EDUC 411 – Teaching PK-6 Mathematics (4 credits)
- EDUC 414 – Creating School and Classroom Culture (3 credits)
- EDUC 415 – Children as Sensemakers in PK-6 Mathematics and Science (4 credits)
- EDUC 416 – Teaching with Curriculum Materials in PK-6 Mathematics and Science (4 credits)
- EDUC 417 – Imagination and the Whole Child (1 credit)
- EDUC 421 – Teaching PK-6 Science (3 credits)
- EDUC 430 – "Teaching To Transgress:" Using Dialogic Thinking and History/Social Science Perspectives to Understand Contemporary and Historical Issues (3 credits)
- EDUC 431 – Teaching Social Studies in PK-6 (3 credits)
- EDUC 443 – Teaching Students with Exceptionalities in the General Education Elementary Classroom (Module 1) (1 credit)
- EDUC 443 – Teaching Students with Exceptionalities in the General Education Elementary Classroom (Module 2) (2 credits)
- EDUC 444 – Teaching with Digital Technologies (Module 1) (2 credits)
- EDUC 444 – Teaching with Digital Technologies (Module 2) (1 credit)
Teaching experience credits
Students complete the following courses:
- EDUC 301 – Directed Teaching in the Elementary Grades (10 credits)
- EDUC 307 – Practicum (6 credits total: 2 each in Semesters 1, 2, and 3)
MDE ESL endorsement credits (optional)
Interns may elect the MDE English as a Second Language (ESL) endorsement by completing a sequence of courses and fieldwork, focused on English Language Development (ELD), during their elementary or secondary certification programs at the undergraduate or master’s levels. Fully approved by the State of Michigan, the ELD Coursework is a 17-credit, six course and practice-based course sequence, which meets Michigan state standards and prepares interns to take the MTTC ESL exam.
Upcoming Information Sessions
Application Deadlines
Apply early to receive a timely decision! Submitting an early application will give you time to engage with your program, visit campus, and have time to make an informed decision.
-
November 1
First-year admission only
-
February 1
Application Process
- Gather the materials outlined in the application checklist
- Complete the Common Application for First-Year Students and select one of the Teacher Education options as your program of study
- Visit First-year Application Plans to view your admission options (Early Action, Early Decision, or Regular Decision)
Quick Facts
Financial aid
Part-time status
Field placements
In-school placements every semester, plus additional courses that occur in schools
Careers
86%
92%
100%
Hiring organizations and job titles
In-state
| Organization | Job Title | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Abbot Elementary School | 1st Grade Teacher | Ann Arbor, MI |
| Carpenter Elementary School | 4th Grade Teacher | Ann Arbor, MI |
| Dearborn School of Music | Piano, Guitar, and Bass Guitar Instructor | Dearborn, MI |
| Kent Lake Elementary School | 5th Grade Teacher | South Lyon, MI |
| Wines Elementary School | Academic Resource Teacher (K-2) | Ann Arbor, MI |
Out-of-state
| Organization | Job Title | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Baker-Butler Elementary School | 1st Grade Classroom Teacher | Charlottesville, VA |
| Hoover Math and Science Academy | Kindergarten Teacher | Schaumburg, IL |
| Monterey Community School | 2nd Grade Teacher | Denver, CO |
| Sixth Avenue Elementary School | 3rd Grade Teacher | Aurora, CO |
Field Experience
Classroom Experience
Having a real-world experience within the settings of your chosen profession is an essential part of your educational preparation. In the first three terms, you will spend 6–9 hours per week in classrooms as a teaching intern. You will observe the classroom in action and collect data on student learning and teaching practice. You will contribute to the classroom instruction by tutoring, co-teaching, and planning with mentor teachers and your university partners.
The culminating field experience is the student teaching term, when you will follow the calendar and schedule of your placement classroom for a period of 14–15 weeks. During this experience, you will spend 5 days per week for the full school day immersed in the classroom. You will slowly and deliberately take on all aspects of instructional responsibility, building toward lead teaching, when you will be responsible for most or all aspects of the school experience for your K–8 students. Lead teaching generally happens between the 8th and 10th week of the student teaching experience and lasts 2–3 weeks.
School Partnerships
Substantial field experience in a diverse array of classrooms, urban to rural, is a key component of the program. You will have one field placement in a school in Ann Arbor and at least one placement in a neighboring district. You should expect to be assigned to grade levels spanning K–6.