Degrees and Licensure - Elon Teacher Education

Teacher Education Degrees and Licensure Programs

Undergraduate programs | Graduate programs| Alternative licensure programs

Elon offers undergraduate majors leading to North Carolina licensure in Elementary Education, Middle Grades Education, and Special Education (General Curriculum) through the Education Department.

Additional programs leading to North Carolina licensure in high school subject areas of English, History/Social Studies, Math and Science and in K-12 subject areas of French, Physical Education, Music, and Spanish require completion of a major through the appropriate department in addition to the necessary professional studies courses for teacher licensure.

See contact information for program coordinator of each licensure program. Visit the appropriate departmental website listed below for more information about the departmental program and courses in the subject area. Visit Academic Advising for printer-friendly checksheets of degree requirements for earlier years.

Licensure Area	Departmental Website	Degree Requirements (pdf)
Elementary (K-6)	Education	Elementary Education
Middle Grades (6-9)	Education	Middle Grades Education
Special Education (K-12)	Education	Special Education with dual licensure in: Elementary Ed Middle Grades High School English High School History High School Math High School Science
English (9-12)	English	English Requirements
French (K-12)	Foreign Languages	French Requirements
History (9-12)	History and Geography	History Requirements
Math (9-12)	Mathematics	Math Requirements B.A. Math Requirements B.S.
Music Education (K-12)	Music	Music Education Requirements
Physical Education (K-12)	Health and Human Performance	Physical Education Requirements
Science (9-12) Comprehensive with focus area in Biology, Chemistry, or Physics	Biology Chemistry Physics	Science Education/Biology Science Education/Chemistry Science Education/Physics
Spanish (K-12)	Foreign Languages	Spanish Requirements

Graduate Programs

Elon offers a Master of Education degree leading to Advanced Licensure in a three-summer course of study. Students take the majority of their coursework during the summer sessions and the remainder online during the two intervening academic years. Degree specialty areas include elementary education, gifted education, and special education. Visit the M.Ed. website for additional information.

Alternative Routes to Licensure and Special Student Admission

Lateral Entry

A Lateral Entry teacher candidate must be qualified and employed as a lateral entry teacher on a provisional license by a school district. Elon University cannot do the lateral entry qualification.
A program of study is provided to the Lateral Entry candidate by the School of Education.

For additional information, contact Judith Howard, Lateral Entry Coordinator

Licensure-Only for Middle and Secondary Education

Students with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.50 and a degree in the desired teaching area may apply for admission to the teacher education program as a licensure-only student.
Students with a degree in a related discipline (as defined by the North Carolina State Board of Education), a minimum overall GPA of 2.50, and a minimum of 24 semester hours in the teaching area with a GPA of 2.50 in those 24 hours may apply for admission to the teacher education program as a licensure-only student.
A program of study is provided to the licensure-only student by the School of Education. Note that a full semester of student teaching will be required.

Advanced Track in Elementary or Special Education

Advanced Track is designed for those students with a bachelor’s degree wishing to become licensed in either elementary education or special education.
Applicants must meet academic standards for admission to the M.Ed. program and apply through the Office of Graduate Admissions
Applicants complete requirements for initial teaching license (including a semester of student teaching), teach for a minimum of one year, and then may enter the M.Ed. program to complete the M.Ed. degree.

Add-on License in AIG (Academically Intellectually Gifted)

Students who currently have a NC teaching license and are only seeking add-on licensure in AIG without the master's degree may enroll as special students and take the sequence of four graduate-level courses shown below without enrolling in the Master of Education program.

MED 565 Instructional Methods for Gifted Students (Summer I)
MED 562 Foundations of Education of Gifted Students (Fall online)
MED 567 Social and Emotional Needs of Gifted Students (Spring online)
MED 564 Curriculum Development and Differentiation for Gifted Students (Summer II)

If students subsequently decide to enter the M.Ed. program, they may apply the coursework they have taken in the Elon licensure-only program toward the degree, but they must make application to the M.Ed. program and be fully admitted before continuing to take graduate-level coursework.

Application for Alternative Licensure Programs

Special Student Status

Students may be admitted to Elon University for teacher education courses under several categories, if there is space available in the desired course(s).

Candidates with Regional Alternative Licensure Center (RALC) programs of study. Candidates with programs of study from a RALC may take appropriate courses as approved by the Dean, School of Education. The RALC is responsible for advising and licensure recommendations.
Teachers seeking renewal credits. Teachers may take courses, as approved by the Dean, School of Education, to satisfy teacher license renewal requirements.
Students seeking courses to transfer to other institutions. Students admitted to teacher education programs at other institutions may take courses as approved by the Dean, School of Education. It is the responsibility of the student to furnish documentation of teacher education admission status at his/her home institution. Further, the student is responsible for ensuring that the home institution will accept the Elon University course.

Other

Students teaching on an emergency permit or having less than an overall 2.50 grade point average (GPA) from their undergraduate degree may be admitted to Elon University as a special student if the following conditions are met:

Have a 3.0 GPA in their senior year (30 semester hours minimum), OR
Have a 3.0 GPA in their major, OR
Have a 3.0 GPA on a minimum of 15 semester hours of coursework after the bachelor’s degree, related to the desired teaching area, taken in the last 5 years

AND

Present the required passing test scores on PRAXIS I

Students not able to meet the above GPA and PRAXIS I criteria may enroll at Elon University and take non-education courses to meet the above criteria and apply for admission to the teacher education program.