College of Education and Human Development

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Arts in education MEd and teaching license

Earn your MN K-12 teaching license to teach visual arts, dance, or theatre arts in just over a year. Our accelerated program will prepare you to step into your classroom with confidence and solid classroom experience. You will complete all of the required teaching hours through school-based field experiences and required coursework in 12 months. Our license is highly transferable to other states.

This is a graduate-level, full-time program integrating educational theory with classroom practice. Beginning teachers will be ready to implement a contemporary, comprehensive arts education program based on current theory and practice in the field.

100% Arts-in-education graduates found teaching jobs within a year of graduation (2021-2022 cohort)

Quote from Talia Edelheit, MEd 2021

This is one of the only programs in the US that gives students a master's degree and teaching license within a single year. The University of Minnesota is also one of the only educational institutions that puts a strong emphasis on anti-racist curriculum. As a white educator wanting to create a safe and diverse environment for my students, I knew that I needed this program.

Talia Edelheit, MEd 2021 Theatre teacher at Fair Downtown School

About the program and coursework

To look at the core curriculum and electives for the program, visit the University course catalog teaching MEd page.

Master's of education

This program includes two components: initial teaching licensure and MEd degree. The Department of Curriculum and Instruction offers our teacher preparation programs at the graduate level because it affords you the opportunity to master your content knowledge through your undergraduate degree before being placed in a real classroom for an optimal learning experience.

This model offers the following advantages:

  • Teachers who have a master's degree will see a roughly $7,000 annual salary increase [teacher.org]
  • Though the salary increase with a master's degree will vary by district and state, Minnesota teachers are on the higher end of the pay scale.
  • Teachers with advanced degrees can be promoted to school administration positions and become mentors to other teachers based upon their graduate training.

Curriculum

In order to be recommended for your Minnesota k-12 Dance, Theatre, and/or Visual Arts License(s), you must successfully complete these licensure requirements mandated by the state of Minnesota.

This material is available in alternative formats upon request. Direct requests to the Office of Teacher Education at ote@umn.edu612-625-5060.

Timeline

Our program is sequential and each required course is offered once per academic year, beginning in the summer semester, and can be completed by the end of the next summer (12 months). Summer semester courses are offered in shorter two to three week overlapping intervals meeting in both the morning and afternoon. Each of our three fall courses meets once a week from 4:40-7:20 p.m. for 14 weeks. Eight weeks of student teaching at the elementary level and eight weeks in middle or high school is usually completed in the Spring semester.

teachers taking a selfie

Teacher scholars of color program

Do you identify, or are you identified, as a non-majority racial group? Consider participating in the Teacher Scholars of Color program. Students admitted to the MEd and initial teaching license programs have the opportunity to join a community of prospective teachers of color and get paired with a faculty mentor. International students are also welcome to this program. Find out more about the TSoC program.

How to apply

Application deadline and instructions

  • October 1: MEd/ILP application opens
  • November 30: Deadline to request a transcript review/prerequisite evaluation
  • December 15: Application and scholarship application deadline
  • February 1: Admissions notifications sent out on a rolling basis
We are here to help! If you have questions, please contact the academic advisor in your program area.
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