School of Education
Elementary and Middle School Education
What makes our education program unique?
Our teacher candidates can prepare for teacher certification in two specialty areas without any additional years of study: Elementary and Middle School Education and one of six concentration areas, including multilingual learner education, middle school English, middle school math, middle school science, middle school social studies, and special education.
Our teacher candidates engage in field experiences—teaching, tutoring, and mentoring in local schools and community centers—beginning in their freshman year. Diverse field experiences continue throughout their four years, culminating in student teaching.
Our graduates get jobs! 100% of our graduates are employed as elementary, middle school, or special education teachers or enrolled in graduate school after graduation. Others accept other positions in community education and educational technology.
Program coordinator: Dr. Krissy Najera
"I was able to take courses for my major while exploring new countries and cultures. I am very grateful to be able to pursue an education at the University of Delaware and I am thankful for all of the incredible opportunities I have been able to participate in." —Nicole Mejia, current student.
“I am thankful that UD gave us the opportunity to be dual-certified and to participate in field experiences in schools starting freshman year. I had two very supportive supervisors along the way who went above and beyond to provide us with feedback to strengthen our teaching." —Kelly Krajewski, first-grade teacher at Odyssey Charter School and 2014 alumna.
“The great mentors in the School of Education, especially the coaching during my student teaching, were really integral in helping me think about what my career trajectory would look like if I left the classroom. My time at UD helped me think through a variety of roles that an elementary educator can take on." —Monica Burns, Apple Distinguished Educator and 2007 alumna.
Coursework
To prepare for the classroom, our students take general studies, professional studies, and concentration courses.
General Studies courses develop students’ content knowledge in the areas of English, mathematics, science, social sciences, and fine arts.
Professional Studies courses address cultural diversity, human development, literacy, special education, lesson planning, and other areas in education.
Concentration courses allow students to develop additional expertise in one of our six concentration areas. Students pursuing single certification in elementary education will choose a UD minor.
As part of their program requirements, students will also take Praxis Tests and prepare for certification.
Concentrations
In addition to elementary and middle school education, our students can choose a concentration, which allows them to prepare for certification in a second area without any additional years of study.
Students can choose multilingual learner education, middle school English, middle school math, middle school science, middle school social studies, and special education.
These concentrations allow our students to tailor the program to their interests and prepare them to be attractive job candidates. Assistant principals, principals, and superintendents are often looking for teachers who can lead more than one type of classroom.
Field Experiences
Our program is defined by extensive field experiences in real-world educational settings that prepare our students to lead their own classrooms once they graduate.
Our students learn, mentor, and teach in local community centers, boys’ and girls’ clubs, and classrooms with the guidance of UD professors, field instructors, and clinical educators.
These field experiences begin as early as freshman year so that students can connect what they learn from their university coursework to the community center or K-8 classroom and vice versa.
They continue throughout their degree program, culminating in two semesters of student teaching their senior year.
For those interested in studying abroad, we provide a full semester student teaching in Greece or Spain.