Master of Education (Certification) Elementary Education (K-6)

Program Admission Requirements

To be admitted to this program, the prospective educator candidate must meet all requirements for admission to the School of Graduate Studies, including fingerprints/verification of background clearance, and hold a valid bachelor's level Professional Educator Certificate in the same teaching field(s) in which the Class A Professional Educator Certificate is sought.

Program Options: At the Class A level, the teacher may complete either of two types of programs, each of which requires at least 30 semester hours of graduate credit not used for prior level certification or degree in any teaching field or area of instructional support. In addition, both traditional and Alternative Class A programs require extensive clinical experiences.

I. Professional Courses: 18 hours

CO 547. Counseling Multicultural Populations Credits: 3 *
ED 500. Foundations of Education Credits: 3
OR
ED 501. Educational Planning Credits: 3
ED 504. Techniques of Educational Research Credits: 3
ED 505. Technology and Education Credits: 3
EE 500. Teaching Reading Credits: 3
EP 500. Advanced Educational Psychology Credits: 3
OR
EP 506. Life-Span Development and Learning Credits: 3

II. Teaching Field Courses: 15 hours

EE 520. Current Trends in Elementary Education Credits: 3
500-level electives in Early Childhood (CE) AND/OR Elementary Education (EE) (12)

Total Required: 33 hours

Note(s):

*Educator candidates who have not previously met the special education requirement must take a general survey course in special education SE 500 or if they have credit for a previous general special education course they will need to take CO 547 .
This program is also offered online.

Program Completion Requirements

The educator candidate shall:

Maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.25 or better in all courses in the approved program as verified on an official transcript with no grade below "C."
Make a satisfactory score on a written comprehensive examination documenting mastery of the curriculum of the program.

Requirements for Alabama Class A Certification

Meet all program requirements.
Hold a valid bachelor's level professional educator certificate in the same teaching field(s) in which the Class A Professional Educator Certificate is sought.
Have an official transcript from a regionally accredited institution documenting an earned master's degree.
Successful completion of a practicum for initial certification in a special education teaching field, for programs that meet rules for Grades K-6 and 6-12 and Grades P-12, the practicum must include both elementary and secondary placements.

Governance

The Educator Preparation Program and the Educator Certification Program are governed by the Alabama State Department of Education, and the College of Education reserves the right to change requirements in these programs at any time when such changes are mandated by the State Department.