Elementary education MEd and teaching license
Earn your masters of education and a license to teach in elementary classrooms (K-6) in Minnesota 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 and coursework in 13 months. The license to teach in Minnesota is highly transferable to other states and our candidates are sought after by local school districts. This is a graduate-level, full-time program. (The program is nine months for graduates of the elementary education foundations major).
If you are beginning your undergraduate studies and interested in a career in elementary education, visit the BS in elementary education foundations program.
Quote from Mychi Nguyen
I liked the idea of getting my teaching license as well as my masters degree in just one year. I also know that the U’s teaching program is very social justice orientated and I wanted to be able to work with like-minded people as I continued my education.
About the program
Master's of education
Earning an MEd with your teaching license 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 payscale. The annual mean salary for elementary school teachers in Minnesota in 2019 was $63,250 [Bureau of Labor Statistics].
Teachers with advanced degrees can be promoted to school administration positions and can become mentors to other teachers based upon their graduate training.
Timeline
Students starting the program without a BS in elementary education foundations from the University of Minnesota:
Courses start in May and finish June of the following year. Coursework taken in May-July are foundational courses to ground you in elementary education theory and practice. In the fall, you rotate between your student-teaching placement site and campus coursework. During spring, you will remain full-time at your student-teaching site and take two evening courses on campus.
UMN BS elementary education foundation students:
For students who are transitioning from the BS in elementary education foundations, the program runs August through June, in tandem with the public school calendars. In the fall, you rotate between your student-teaching placement site and campus coursework. During spring, you will remain full-time at your student-teaching site and take two evening courses on campus.
Student experience
Our unique co-teaching program and cohort experience will help you gain the confidence you need to start in your own classroom with plenty of support. Learn more about the student teaching experience .
Program coursework
To look at the core curriculum and electives for the program, visit the University course catalog teaching MEd page and scroll down to see the elementary education sub-plan.
Admission, tuition, and scholarship information
See admissions deadlines, prerequisites, application requirements, and program costs.
Curriculum
In order to be recommended for your Minnesota K-6 Elementary Education License, you must successfully complete the 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.edu, 612-625-5060.
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.
Tuition and funding
To get you started, we have created a tutorial to review your scholarship and financial aid options. Watch the scholarship video tutorial.
Financial aids
- Apply for financial aid and scholarships when you submit your application
- Each year we award partial scholarships to qualified teaching candidates. Teaching candidates received over $600,000 in scholarships from CEHD last year.
- If you intend to teach a high-need subject in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves low-income families, you may be eligible to receive grants of up to $4,000/year. Learn more about the TEACH grant on Onestop.
- If you plan to teach full time for five complete and consecutive years in schools that serve low-income families, you may be eligible for loan forgiveness of up to $17,500 through a program administered by the federal government.
- Learn more about teacher loan forgiveness
Application requirements
What we look for
Strong applications will demonstrate:
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A commitment to social justice and equity through working with diverse populations and underrepresented, or marginalized, group
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A capacity for critical self-reflection
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How teaching is a thoughtful and informed career choice
Application Process
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Prerequisite review
- GPA: 2.80 GPA is required for full acceptance. Special review will be given to applicants with a GPA less than 2.80.
- Unofficial transcripts: A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from a recognized college or university in another country, is required.
- Resume: A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from a recognized college or university in another country, is required.
- Personal Statement:
Writing prompt: Describe the world you come from--for example, your family, community or school. Tell us about a time when your worldview has informed and/or been challenged by working with children or youth.
- Diversity Statement: Writing prompt: Given the well-documented racial, ethnic, and/or cultural differences between teachersand the students they teach in K-12 spaces, what have you done to further your knowledge and understanding about equity and diversity?
- Letter of Recommendation: Ask someone who can speak to your experience working with children and/or youth, or who can vouch for your commitment to educational equity.
- (Optional) Extenuating Circumstance Statement: Recommended for those with a GPA below 2.8
*GRE is not required
International Student Applicants
- English Language Profiency Test: The Graduate School requires evident of English proficiency. Please visit the Graduate School's English language proficiency page for more information.
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Official evaluation of transcript by a NACES-approved member: You must get a NACES-approved member organization to complete a course-by-course evaluation of your transcript.
Send to: Department of Curriculum & Instruction c/o Foreign Transcript Evaluations Peik Hall, 125 159 Pillsbury Dr. SE Minneapolis, MN 55455
Program Prerequisites
Program Prerequisites
Before you are admitted to the MEd and Teaching license programs, you must complete some prerequisite coursework, which varies based on the type of license you are seeking. Below, you will find a list of prerequisites listed by license. Please send the program advisor your unofficial transcript(s).
Admissions Support
Request information
We’re here to help. Simply complete one of these forms and a member of our department will be in touch