Master of Arts with Elementary Teacher Certification

Schedule an appointment with an admissions representative

Complete a request for coursework evaluation form.

This process is used to determine the content coursework you have previously completed towards certification requirements. Please submit all transcripts reflecting college-level coursework directly to the Marsal Family School of Education. Unofficial transcripts are accepted for this initial evaluation, but official transcripts will be required upon admission. Evaluations are free of charge and may take three to four weeks to complete.

To submit a successful application for admission, you need to provide the following:

• Academic Statement of Purpose
  • Please review the Educator Preparation Program Mission and Vision Statements Below:
    • Mission: Our mission in the Educator Preparation Program (EPP) at the U-M Marsal Family School of Education is to prepare educators to support the well-being and learning of young people and to advance justice through their practice, advocacy, and activism. All pathways within the EPP leverage both research and the expertise of experienced educators to prepare novices for the complex work of supporting young people's learning and thriving, as well as that of  their families and communities. We drive to uphold diversity and inclusion, and to advance justice and equity, in the field of educator preparation. 
    • Vision: The Educator Preparation Program  at the U-M Marsal Family School of Education pursues a vision of educating towards justice. 
  • Please address the following in your Essay:
    • How does your experience prepare you to engage in a program with these commitments?
    • What goals do you have for your own career in light of these commitments?
  • 4000 characters - approx. 500 words - maximum
• Personal Statement 
  • 500 word limit
  • How have your background and life experiences, including cultural, geographical, financial, educational or other opportunities or challenges motivated your decision to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Michigan? For example, if you grew up in a community where educational, cultural, or other opportunities were either especially plentiful or especially lacking, you might discuss the impact this had on your development and interests. This should be a discussion of the journey that has led to your decision to seek a graduate degree. Please do not repeat your Academic Statement of Purpose.
• Two (2) letters of recommendation
  • Academic/Intellectual Letter (typically a professor or instructor): One letter assessing the applicant’s intellectual curiosity, preparedness for university study, receptivity to feedback, and/or perseverance. If you are applying to the secondary program, a letter from a professor or instructor from the content area in which you are seeking certification is preferred. 
  • Teaching Potential Letter One letter addressing the candidate’s potential to become a successful teacher. This may include: personal characteristics, work ability, capacity to work with people, specifically youth, etc.
  • Due to COVID-19, we are aware that complications may arise when seeking
    your letters of recommendation. Please view the letter of recommendation
    requirements *as guidelines* for the type of information we are seeking as
    you determine your two recommenders. We will offer additional flexibility
    as we understand the complications during this time of gathering letters of
    recommendation that speak to these requirements.
  • Register your recommenders' names and contact information on the online application so that they will be sent instructions for submitting their letters via the application system. Let your recommenders know that they need to upload a letter and that it is required by the program.
  • As soon as you click "save" on the page of the application where your recommenders' contact information is entered, they will receive an email with instructions for completing the process. Proceed to this point in the application process as soon as possible to trigger that email.
• Resume or CV
  • 1-2 pages 
• Test Scores (See test details in Step 7 below) 
  • English proficiency scores (for non-native speakers of English only)
  • GRE Test Scores are not required for admission

Create an account with Rackham Graduate School.

This program, like all of the Marsal Family School of Education's graduate programs, is administered through the University of Michigan's Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies. Rackham offers a host of resources and administrative support to help see you through from submitting your application to completion of your degree.

• After completing page 5 of the application, you will receive an e-mail with your U-M ID. A U-M ID number will be issued to you via email within 5 business days of completing pages 1-5 and advancing to page 6 of the ApplyWeb application. Having your U-M ID number to include on all your application materials ensures accurate and timely processing, so we encourage you to complete pages 1-5 early in the process.
• If you need to submit your application before you receive your U-M ID number, you may still complete the application. Include your date of birth and the program’s name on your application materials.
• Current and former U-M Ann Arbor students, alumni and employees: You do not need to obtain a new U-M ID number. Use your previously obtained U-M ID number.
• If your personal information has changed (for example, legal name, gender), make sure the personal information you submit with your application matches your previous Ann Arbor campus record. If your previous Ann Arbor campus record does not display your current personal information, contact the Registrar’s Office or the Shared Services Center to change your personal information before you apply.

Include at the top of each document:

• The type of document (Academic Statement of Purpose, Personal Statement, or Curriculum Vitae or Resume)
• Your name
• The name of the graduate program
• Your 8 digit U-M ID (if known)

Make sure margins are at least one-inch so nothing is cropped when you upload the documents to the application. Please preview your files after they have been uploaded. You can also convert your documents to PDF format before uploading.

• TOEFL, MELAB, ECPE, or IELTS scores (for non-native speakers of English only; valid 2 years from test date)
  • Information regarding English Proficiency tests and exemption guidelines can be found on the Rackham Graduate School website. 
• GRE Test Scores
  • GRE test scores are not required for admission, but scores (valid 5 years from test date) can be included with your application.
  • Provide ETS with the U-M Institutional Code of 1839 and your scores will be sent directly to the university.
• Test scores must be sent directly from the testing center to the Rackham Graduate School. We recommend starting this process early as it can take up to two weeks for the scores to be received. 

• Upload an electronic version of your official transcript(s) for each Bachelor’s, Master’s, Professional, or Doctoral degree earned or in progress through your ApplyWeb application account (part of the Rackham application system).
• Do not upload academic records printed from your school’s website or student portal.
• Students who have studied in a country outside of the U.S. should review the required credentials from non-U.S. institutions. For all degrees obtained at non-U.S. institutions—Request that degree-granting institutions submit official transcripts/records to the Rackham Graduate School at the time of application.
• If you are recommended for admission, the Rackham Graduate School will require official transcript(s). Recommended applicants will receive an email notification when the official transcript(s) are required for submission.

• Check the status of your letters of recommendation, change a recommender, or resend the notification email to your recommender using the ApplyWeb Activity Page
• Please reach out to marsal.admissions@umich.edu if there are any questions regarding the submission of the letters of recommendation.

Check on your application status. If you’ve been accepted, you will receive an email with information on how to send your official transcripts.

• If you have been accepted, congratulations! You may accept or decline the offer of admission in your U-M Friend Account.
• For international students that accept offer of admission, Rackham prepares immigration documents for visas.