Start your journey
Earn a tier 3 teaching license to teach English education
Earn your MN 5-12 teaching license to teach English education 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. The license to teach in Minnesota is highly transferable to other states and our candidates are sought after by local school districts.
Program details
Program Duration
- 12 months (3 semesters)
Modality
- In-person, cohort-based work
Schedule
- Full time, Monday thru Friday
Timeline
- The initial teaching licensure coursework is offered in a full-time, 12-month, graduate-level format integrating educational theory with classroom practice. Courses start in the summer and finish the following summer.
Cost
- $9,984 per semester (MN resident)
- $15,600 per semester (non-MN resident)
Career outlook
100% English education graduates found teaching jobs within a year of graduation (2021-22 cohort)
- Teachers with a master's degree are regarded as experts in their field, making you a more competitive job candidate with an MEd
- 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. Median Minnesota teacher salaries were $64,790 and $64,960 for middle school and high school respectively in 2019 [BLS]
- Once a teacher is employed, there is much more mobility that comes with a master's. Teachers with advanced degrees can be promoted to school administration positions and can become mentors to other teachers based upon specific graduate training
Admission information
Important dates:
- October 1 - Application opens
- December 15 - Application closes
Decisions are released mid February
Application requirements
International applicants
International applicants may also need:
- An English translation of your transcripts, if the transcript is not in English.
- A course by course evaluation may be required.
- TOEFL scores. Official TOEFL scores are required. You may qualify for an exception if you have completed 16 semester or 24 quarter credits within the past 24 months in residence as a full-time student at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States. Please see the University of Minnesota TOEFL score requirements and submission guidelines from the Graduate School. Early application is advised to ensure timely admission.
- International students with F-1 visas may take no more than the equivalent of one completely online education class (or 3 credits per semester) and count it towards their full-time course requirement. Full-time enrollment for graduate students is 6 credits. If you are enrolled in an online program and studying in your home country, you do not need full-time enrollment status.
Admissions support
Additional admissions information
Before applying online, make sure you have all the required materials. Download and refer to this application tip sheet as you work through the application. The included directions will help you complete your application quickly and smoothly.
We are here to help! If you have questions, please contact the academic advisor in your program area:
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
Tuition and funding
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 email the program advisor your unofficial transcript(s).
Program adviser:
Request information
We’re here to help. Complete our form and a member of our department will be in touch.
Why choose a master's in English education at the University of Minnesota?
In just one year, you’ll earn both your initial teaching license to teach English in Minnesota and a Master of Education (MEd) degree through a program designed for impact, reflection, and purpose. Offered at the graduate level, the English Education program builds on your undergraduate content expertise—allowing you to step confidently into the classroom with a strong foundation in both literature and pedagogy.
You'll be prepared to teach middle and high school students, while exploring the personal and political dimensions of reading, writing, communication, and literacy. Grounded in critical literacy, the program challenges you to examine how race, language, culture, identity, and power shape educational experiences—and to reflect on these issues alongside your students through literature, discussion, and digital media. Guided by faculty committed to equity, social justice, and community engagement and partnered with a network of diverse schools and educators, you'll graduate ready to create transformative, joyful learning experiences that meet the needs of today’s adolescent learners.
About the program and coursework
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.
Program duration:
12 months (3 semesters)
Modality:
In-person, cohort-based work
Schedule:
Full time, Monday thru Friday
Our program is sequential and each required course is offered once per academic year, beginning in the summer term. The program can be completed in 12 months. Summer term courses meet in both the mornings and afternoons. Fall courses meet in the afternoons and evenings. Spring courses meet in the evenings. Candidates will have year-long student teaching placements in middle or high school English classrooms, spending over 100 hours in classrooms during Fall semester and student teaching full time during Spring semester.
In order to be recommended for your English education license, 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.edu, 612-625-5060.
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.
Quote from Madeleine Wolfe, MEd 2020
I was surprised at the wide variety of subjects we studied as part of the program. We learned about pedagogy, educational theory, child psychology with an educational lens, how to teach literature, reading, and so much more! So much goes into being an educator, and faculty at the U of M understand that.
