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MASTER'S
CERTIFICATION

Master of Arts with Elementary Teacher Certification

Overview & Requirements
Applying
Careers & Field Experience

In the Master of Arts in Educational Studies with Elementary Teacher Certification program, students develop the professional and personal knowledge, dispositions, and skills required to engage diverse groups of children in thoughtful learning. The immersive full-time program begins in mid-June and finishes in mid-June the following year.

Through academic courses and supported PK-6 classroom experiences in a year-long field placement, students think deeply about teaching practices, subject matter, and social justice as they improve their skills in the company of colleagues who work together toward improving education for all children.

The elementary teacher education program aims to support teaching interns and help them become elementary teachers that meet the needs of all their students. Every semester, students participate in both academic and professional coursework, while also working in elementary classrooms. This complementary approach to learning allows students’ knowledge and confidence to grow, as the coursework and fieldwork build upon and expand what they have already learned.

Teacher Certification
The Elementary Master of Arts with Certification program prepares you for teacher certification in:
  • Grades PK-3 in self-contained, multi-subject classrooms
  • Grades 3-6 in self-contained, multi-subject classrooms

Foundational Pillars of the Elementary Education Program

Want to learn more about the program?
See our upcoming information sessions

Additional certificate and endorsement opportunities

Requirements

Admissions

To be eligible for this program, prerequisite courses must be completed before the program start date. Please submit a coursework evaluation request for personalized information on whether you have any outstanding courses that may still need to be completed.

Curriculum

Minimum credits required
62

Core credits

48

Students complete the following courses:

MDE ESL endorsement credits (optional)

20

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 20-credit, six course and practicum sequence, which meets Michigan state standards and prepares interns to take the MTTC ESL exam.

Learn more about obtaining an MDE ESL endorsement

Course Sequence

Semester 1
Summer (Year 1)
CourseDescriptionCredits
EDUC 401Literacy 1: Development of Foundational Skills4
EDUC 416Teaching with Curriculum Materials in PK-6 Mathematics and Science1
EDUC 430"Teaching To Transgress:" Using Dialogic Thinking and History/Social Science Perspectives to Understand Contemporary and Historical Issues3
EDUC 594Education in a Multilingual Society (required for ELMAC and counts towards ESL Endorsement)3
EDUC 650.201Reflective Teaching Field Experience - Math1
EDUC 650.211Reflective Teaching Field Experience - Language Arts1
EDUC 695Research and Educational Practice3
Total semester credits16
Semester 2
Fall (Year 1)
CourseDescriptionCredits
EDUC 403Literacy 2: Development of Comprehension and Motivation PK-63
EDUC 405Literacy 3: Development of Language and Composition PK-62
EDUC 417Imagination and the Whole Child1
EDUC 431Teaching Social Studies in PK-63
EDUC 444Teaching with Digital Technologies (Module 1)2
EDUC 518Teaching PK-6 Mathematics4
EDUC 528Teaching PK-6 Science3
EDUC 649Foundational Perspectives on Educational Reform3
EDUC 650Reflective Teaching Field Experience2
Total semester credits23
Semester 3
Winter (Year 1)
CourseDescriptionCredits
EDUC 407Literacy 4: Teaching Language, Literacy and Academic Content to Diverse Learners (required for ELMAC and counts towards ESL Endorsement)3
EDUC 443Students with Exceptionalities in the General Education Elementary Classroom (Module 1)1
EDUC 651Directed Teaching in the Elementary Grades10
EDUC 653Problems and Principles of Elementary Education2
Total semester credits16
EDUC 593Educational Lingustics (ESL endorsement only)3
Total semester credits with ESL19
Semester 4
Spring (Year 2)
CourseDescriptionCredits
EDUC 416Teaching with Curriculum Materials in PK-6 Mathematics and Science3
EDUC 443Teaching Students with Exceptionalities in the General Education Elementary Classroom (Module 2)2
EDUC 444Teaching with Digital Technologies (Module 2)1
EDUC 519Connecting Mathematical Practice and PK-6 Mathematical Topics1
Total semester credits7
EDUC 592Methods for Teaching Language and Literacy to K-12 Culturally and Lingustically Diverse Learners (ESL endorsement only)4
EDUC 595Leadership and Advocacy Practices for Teachers of Culturally and Lingustically Diverse Learners (ESL endorsement only)4
Total semester credits with ESL15
Semester 5
Summer (Year 2) ESL Endorsement - Optional
CourseDescriptionCredits
EDUC 590English as a Second Language Teaching Practicum and Seminar (ESL endorsement only)3
Total semester credits with ESL3

Upcoming Information Sessions

Application Deadlines

Summer (Jun)
November 15

Application Process

Step 2: Submit a request for coursework evaluation

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.

Step 3: Prepare your application materials

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
Step 4: Create an ApplyWeb account, managed by Rackham Graduate School

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.

Step 5: Complete pages 1-5 of application using ApplyWeb
  • 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.
Step 6: Upload academic statement of purpose, the personal statement, and a curriculum vitae (CV) or resume to the ApplyWeb application

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.

Step 7: Submit test scores (non-native speakers of English only)
  • TOEFL, MELAB, ECPE, or IELTS scores (for non-native speakers of English only; valid 2 years from test date)
  • 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. 
Step 8: Submit transcripts
  • 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.
Step 9: Check that letters of recommendation have been submitted
  • 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 [email protected] if there are any questions regarding the submission of the letters of recommendation.
Step 10: Create a U-M Friend Account

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

Step 11: Respond to admission offer

Quick Facts

Application fee waiver

Available

The $75 application fee is waived for all U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents

GRE general exam scores

Not required

Financial aid

Available
100% of admitted EPP master's students received scholarship support administered by the Marsal School in 2021–22:
  • Minimum scholarship offer to in-state admitted students: $11,500
  • Minimum scholarship offer to out-of-state admitted students was $25,000
  • Each of our Teacher Education programs recognized two Rackham Merit Fellowships (Rackham Master’s Awards - RMAs) as a result of allocations received from Rackham Graduate School
Students are automatically considered for our graduate scholarships—no application is required

Part-time status

Not available

Careers

88%

of known graduates found full-time employment in the field of education

78%

of known graduates were highly satisfied or satisfied with the current position

$50K

average first year salary

100%

of known graduates found jobs within 7 months
Hiring organizations and job titles

In-state

Organization Job Title Location
Garfield Elementary 4th Grade Teacher Port Huron, MI
Harvest Elementary School 2nd Grade Teacher Saline, MI
Oaktree Elementary School 5th Grade Teacher Goodrich, MI
The School at Marygrove Elementary Teacher Detroit, MI
Willow Elementary School 2nd Grade Teacher Lansing, MI

Out-of-state

Organization Job title Location
Lodge Community General Education Teacher Evansville, IN
North Mor Elementary School 4th Grade Teacher Northglenn, CO

Field Experience

The Clinical Experiences Coordinator arranges the internship placements, based on a thoughtful, well-established process, paying attention to the key variables that support a successful teaching internship. Students begin working with their cooperating teachers in late August. Students help with planning for the year and assisting in classroom set-up for the fall. Students work with the same students and mentor teacher throughout the school year. Students also work with the same field instructor who works regularly with students, observes classroom teaching, conducts seminar sessions with the cohort and assists students to become skilled professionals. We partner closely with Ann Arbor Public Schools and Ypsilanti Community Schools in deep and carefully structured collaborations to benefit teaching interns, teachers and students.