A teacher working with a student at a laptop
  1. Academics
  2. All Programs
  3. Elementary Education: M.T. - Master of Teaching

Elementary Education: M.T. - Master of Teaching

Do you want to be an elementary school teacher working with students grades preK-6? Our top-ranked program for elementary education prepares teachers to support the academic and social-emotional growth of young learners.

At a Glance

Program Results

M.T. - Master of Teaching

—Elementary Education

Initial licensure in Virginia with an endorsement in Elementary preK-6.

Program Type

  • Full Time

Location

  • In-Person

Application Deadline

Summer entry:

  • February 1 (early notification deadline)
  • April 1 (final deadline)

About This Program

Our programs reflect the depth of our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion as we work together with our students toward actualizing a more just society. By drawing upon the expertise of experienced educators and community partners, we prepare teacher candidates to honor and grow the assets and resources that students bring to classrooms and schools. We lead with integrity, committed to student, family, and community success and well-being. We are equity-oriented teacher educators, collaborators, and innovators.
 

  • Our top-ranked program blends in-depth instruction on principles of teaching and learning with clinical experiences that prepare candidates to be responsive to students’ diverse needs. 
  • The Master of Teaching program is a one-year, cohort-based program that runs from June through the following May each year.
  • Candidates complete internships under the guidance of highly qualified mentor teachers and clinical coaches. These internships are completed in different schools to give candidates diverse experiences as they prepare for their teaching career. 
  • This is a post-graduate program for applicants who have already completed an undergraduate degree. 

Program Overview

Admission Requirements

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores are NOT required as part of the application process. International students must submit TOEFL or IELTS scores. Scores must not be more than 2 years old. Applicants who have or will have earned an undergraduate degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction do not need to provide TOEFL or IELTS scores. 
 

Additional admission requirements that apply specifically to this program are listed below:

Applicants must possess an undergraduate degree prior to matriculation. Applicants are expected to have a minimum GPA of 2.7 with a 3.0 GPA in the major, though applicants not meeting this requirement will be considered. Faculty review applications holistically and will consider academic record, goals, relevant experience, and letters of recommendation.

Applicants must meet or be prepared to meet the following content studies requirements:

  • 6 credits of English
  • 6 credits of history and social sciences to include:
    • World history
    • US history OR US government
  • 6 credits of mathematics
  • 6 credits of laboratory sciences in two science disciplines

Reach out to the contact at the bottom of this page with questions about these requirements and to request a transcript review. 
 

Visit our Graduate Admission page for the full admission process.

Information for Current UVA Undergraduates
If you are a current UVA undergraduate, view our Information for Current UVA Undergraduates page for info on admission into this program.

Graduate Admission

Application for admission is made to the School of Education and Human Development Office of Admission & Enrollment. For more information about the graduate admission process, please visit our Graduate Admission page.

Graduate Admission

Summer Coursework

To learn more about specific courses taken as part of the completion of this degree, visit the Graduate Record website. These webpages represent the official repository for academic program requirements.

Required Coursework:

  • EDLF 5010: Childhood Learning and Development*
  • EDIS 5000: Exceptional Learner*
  • EDIS 5010: Curriculum and Instruction for Elementary Education
  • EDIS 5221: Reading Foundations
  • EDIS 5800: Understanding Educational Contexts

*With prior approval, students may transfer coursework to meet the child development and exceptional learner requirements. Students who meet these requirements prior to the program will not be required to retake the corresponding classes. 

By August 15, complete licensure training modules and take the following exam: Praxis Elementary: Multiple Subjects (5001).

Elementary Education Course Descriptions

Information on courses that are part of the M.T. in Elementary Education curriculum can be found on the UVA Graduate Record website.

Curriculum

Fall Coursework

To learn more about specific courses taken as part of the completion of this degree, visit the Graduate Record website. These webpages represent the official repository for academic program requirements.

Required Coursework:

  • EDIS 5011: Classroom Management and Behavioral Assessment
  • EDIS 5310: Differentiating Reading Instruction
  • EDIS 5320: Mathematics in the Elementary School
  • EDIS 5330: Science in the Elementary School
  • EDIS 5851: Content Area Seminar - Elementary Language Arts
  • EDIS 5861: Clinical Experience in Elementary Education

For Internship I, students are placed in a local elementary classroom, working alongside a mentor teacher three days per week. Placements begin in mid-August and continue through the end of November. 

By December 15, take the Praxis Teaching Reading: Elementary (5205). 
 

Elementary Education Course Descriptions

Information on courses that are part of the M.T. in Elementary Education curriculum can be found on the UVA Graduate Record website.

Curriculum

Spring Coursework

To learn more about specific courses taken as part of the completion of this degree, visit the Graduate Record website. These webpages represent the official repository for academic program requirements.

Required Coursework:

  • EDIS 5340: Social Studies in the Elementary School
  • EDIS 6990: Professional Capstone
  • EDIS 5871: Internship Seminar - Elementary
  • EDIS 5881: Teaching Internship - Elementary

In Internship II, also known as “student teaching,” students are placed in a new elementary classroom. Students attend during contract hours every day from the first week of January to the end of April. 
 

Elementary Education Course Descriptions

Information on courses that are part of the M.T. in Elementary Education curriculum can be found on the UVA Graduate Record website.

Curriculum

African American Teaching Fellows

African American Teaching Fellows (AATF) works to recruit, support, and retain African American teachers to serve the public schools of Charlottesville City and Albemarle County. Fellows become part of a network of African-American educators in the region, participate in a teacher-leader summer institute, receive mentorship and support from local teachers and administrators, and receive $5,000 toward the cost of tuition. Fellows commit to teaching in the Charlottesville/Albemarle area for several years after graduation.

Read more about AATF on their website; applications are typically due in January
Learn more about Executive Director Tamara Wilkerson
Hear from AATF's Program Director, Jaime Duke-Hawkins, and two AATF fellows

Additional Program Details

In 2024, the UVA School of Education & Human Development is ranked #8 for best graduate schools of education in the country by U.S. News and World Report.

The school is ranked #10 in elementary teacher education for graduate schools of education.

Program Faculty

All Program Faculty
Julia Jackson Cohen

Julie Jackson Cohen

  • Charles S. Robb Associate Professor
Lysandra Cook

Lysandra Cook

  • Professor
Tisha Hayes

Tisha Hayes

  • Professor of Education
  • Director, McGuffey Reading Services
Wintre Foxworth Johnson

Wintre Foxworth Johnson

  • Assistant Professor
Judy Paulick headshot

Judy Paulick

  • Assistant Professor
Jonee Wilson

Jonee Wilson

  • Associate Professor

Contact Us

Reach out to us with questions about the requirements for this program and to request a transcript review. 

Elementary Education News

Disclosures

As a member of the State Authorizations Reciprocity Agreement (SARA), the University of Virginia (UVA) is authorized to provide curriculum in a distance learning environment to students located in all states in the United States except for California. (34 CFR 668.43(a)(6)& 34 CFR 668.72(n)). Although California does not participate in SARA, it allows students to enroll in out-of-state programs.

Upon completion of the Master of Teaching program at the UVA School of Education and Human Development, graduates may be eligible for initial professional licensure in another U.S. state by applying to the licensing board or agency in that state. Please visit the University’s state authorization web pages to make an informed decision regarding which states’ educational requirements for initial licensure are met by this program. (668.43(a)(5) (v)(A) - (C))

Enrolled students who change their current (or mailing) address to a state other than Virginia should update this information immediately in the Student Information System as it may impact their ability to complete internship, practicum, or clinical hours, use Title IV funds, or meet licensure or certification requirements in the new state. (34 CFR 668.402).