Program Overview

Elementary Education Program

The Elementary Education program is designed to provide students with the necessary skills and knowledge to become successful teachers in elementary education. The program offers an Alternative Route to Licensure (ARL) for students who have completed a bachelor's degree in a field other than education.

Admission Criteria

To be eligible for the Elementary Education program, students must meet the following criteria:

• Completed Bachelor's degree. If degree is in Education, students are only eligible for this program if the education degree does not lead to a standard teacher license.
• Must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, or at least a 3.0 within their last 60 credits completed.
• Pass the Praxis Core or the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST). Test scores need to be no older than 5 years.
• Be accepted to the UNLV Graduate College.

Program Requirements

Every student completes the program requirements at a different pace, with a wide variety of face-to-face and online classes offered throughout the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Students have the luxury to design their own personalized M.Ed. program pace and sequence based upon their lifestyle. Continuous enrollment must be maintained unless a student submits a Leave of Absence (LOA) form. Students have up to six years to complete their degree requirements.

Field Experiences

The Department of Teaching and Learning offers high-quality field experiences that are supervised by experienced clinical faculty and mentor teachers. These experiences integrate applications of theory from coursework and are aligned with the school-based curriculum. Field experiences allow teacher candidates to observe, assist, tutor, and instruct in varied classroom contexts, developing, practicing, demonstrating, and reflecting upon the academic components of their preparation. If a student is the Teacher of Record in an elementary education classroom in the same semester that they are registered for a field experience, they will be able to apply their work experience in lieu of a traditional practicum or student teaching placement. Practicum and student teaching credits will not only assist in obtaining a standard Nevada teaching license but will also ensure license reciprocity in states outside of Nevada. Field experience deadlines for current students are as follows: apply by November 15 for a Spring field experience and by May 1 for a Fall field experience. Students must also submit an online application the semester prior to starting their field experience. Field experiences will provide students with real responsibilities, the opportunity to make decisions, and develop skills to analyze student needs and adjust practices using student performance data, all while receiving continuous monitoring and feedback from mentors and clinical faculty.

Admission Deadlines

The admission deadlines for the Elementary Education program are as follows:

• Summer - March 15
• Fall - July 15
• Spring - November 1

Application Requirements

Candidates must submit the following to be considered for admission:

• Graduate College Application
• Department Supplemental Application
• Passing Praxis Core or CBEST scores, with test scores no older than 5 years
• Letter of Intent
• Unofficial transcripts for every institution attended, with official transcripts required upon admission into the program
• Contact information for two professional references to submit a letter of recommendation on behalf of the candidate

Alternative Route to Licensure

After successful completion of the first 9 credits and a 90-hour practicum, students will be eligible for their ARL certificate and may apply for a conditional license through the Nevada Department of Education. The 9 credits required for the conditional license will only be offered in the Fall and Spring semesters. Students will then be eligible for hire in Nevada schools once meeting these as well as state and school district requirements. They will continue courses to complete the criteria for a standard teaching license and MATEE.