Elementary Education

Master of Science in Education (Initial Certification)

College of Education and Professional Studies

Who Should Enroll

• Individuals with an undergraduate degree in an area other than education who want to become certified to teach in an elementary or middle school.
• Individuals who want to add elementary certification to a current teaching license.

Key Features

• Completion of WI certification requirements for Middle Childhood through Early Adolescence (grades 1-8) while pursuing the Master’s degree.
• Evening graduate classes, with part-time and full-time options.
• Field experiences in elementary and middle schools integrated throughout the program.

Program Curriculum

The graduate professional education courses needed for elementary certification:
TED 700 Curriculum in the Elementary School, 3 credits
TED 705 Language Arts in the Elementary School, 3 credits
TED 710 Social Studies in the Elementary School, 3 credits
TED 715 Science in the Elementary School, 3 credits
TED 720 Mathematics in the Elementary School, 3 credits
TED 740 Historical/Philosophical/Multicultural Foundations of American Education, 4 credits
TED 745 Psychology of Teaching, 6 credits
READ 661 Psychology & Pedagogy of Literacy, 3 credits
READ 760 Literacy Instruction in the Elementary School, 3 credits
SPED 530 The Exceptional Child, 3 credits
TED 472 Student Teaching: Elementary School, 12 credits

Undergraduate coursework required for elementary certification:

Written Communication
Oral Communication
Math for Elementary Teachers
Social Studies
Environmental Education
Physical Science
Humanities/Literature
Non-western History or Culture
Music course
Art course

Coursework equivalents from your undergraduate work may be counted for the above credits. Any courses needed from the list can be completed at any time in the program, but must be finished to receive a license.

Certification requires successful completion of all coursework, with an overall GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the advanced program, student teaching and a certification portfolio.

Admission Requirements

• Completed application for graduate study at UWRF with application processing fee.
• An earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution.
• Official transcripts from all institutions attended as an undergraduate student, sent directly to Graduate Studies from the institution.
• An overall undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.75 (on a four-point scale) is required for certification so this will be considered in your admission.
• Satisfactory scores on the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) (external link) completed before or within the first semester of enrollment.
  Praxis II: Middle School Content (Test Code: 0146) passing score = 146
  Praxis I (PPST) test scores in Reading (=175); Writing (=174); and Math (=173)

For More Information

Dr. Tim Holleran, Program Coordinator
Teacher Education Department
Email: tim.k.holleran@uwrf.edu
Phone: (715) 425-3752
Web Site: http://www.uwrf.edu/college-of-education/

Please contact your adviser for information regarding Wisconsin DPI portfolio requirements.