Overview
The Master of Arts in Teaching for Elementary Education is a 37-credit hour non-thesis degree program that includes a 9-credit hour student teaching experience in elementary education that will prepare students for licensure from the Virginia Department of Education. The program will prepare highly qualified professionals to teach in schools through a systematic approach to teacher preparation highlighting the intersections between contemporary research based teaching practices and learning, alongside supportive field experiences. This program focuses on teacher preparation for PreK-6 classrooms, which requires foundational knowledge in history, mathematics, English, and science.
Admission Criteria
Applicants for the Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education are required to submit credentials to ODU for consideration. The documentation/criteria for acceptance include:
- A bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college/university or equivalent institution in the United States;
- A minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.8 on a 4.0 scale;
- Official copies of transcripts from all regionally accredited institutions attended or equivalent institutions outside of the U.S.;
- Three academic and/or professional reference letters for the program of study; and
Non-native English speakers will also be required to provide current scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) of at least 550 (or 79 on the TOEFL iBT).
Continuance
1. A clearance background check process must be completed when registering for a course that requires a field experience. The clearance background check search results must be on file prior to placement in the field experience. For more information, please review the policy in the Office of Clinical Experiences website: http://www.odu.edu/oce.
2. Students must maintain GOOD ACADEMIC standing as noted on the academic transcript.
3. A grade of B- or higher is required in all graduate professional education coursework.
4. Students must complete the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Social and Behavioral modules during the first twelve graduate credit hours at Old Dominion University. For more information review the instructions at: https://www.odu.edu/impact/responsible-conduct-of-training.
5. Students must take and pass all Virginia Board of Education prescribed assessments for licensure, prior to or while enrolled in TLED 583 Seminar in Teacher Education
.
6. Submit the Teacher Candidate Internship application for placement by the established deadline.
7. All course work, content knowledge and professional education, must be completed with appropriate grades prior to the Teacher Candidate Internship Orientation.
8. All assessments must be passed prior to the Teacher Candidate Internship Orientation. For more information on the Virginia Board of Education prescribed professional assessments, visit the Office of Clinical Experiences website, http://www.odu.edu/oce.
9. Certificate of completion in First Aid/AED/CPR, Dyslexia Awareness Training, Child Abuse and Neglect Recognition and Intervention Training, Regulations Governing the Use of Restraint and Seclusion in Elementary and Secondary Schools, and Cultural Competence Training.
Exit
Requirements for graduation include:
1. Submit an application for graduation;
2. Passage of the teaching portfolio comprehensive exam;
3. Completion of the Graduate Assessment;
4. A minimum cumulative 3.00 graduate GPA;
5. Successful completion of the Teacher Candidate Internship;
6. Completion of all course requirements; and
7. No courses in the professional education area with a grade below "B-" will be accepted toward licensure requirements in the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies.
Program Requirements
Students seeking a master’s degree in elementary education (grades Pre-K-6) with initial licensure must meet the academic content requirements with a minimum grade of "C" in addition to the professional education course work listed below. Transcripts will be evaluated by the teacher education advisor to determine whether academic content requirements have been met by previous course work. Subject area specific course work that was not met with previous course work must be completed prior to the Teacher Candidate Internship (student teaching) orientation session.
