Teaching License: Elementary Education
Are you passionate about working with young children, grades kindergarten through 6th grade? Do you want to help shape the minds of the next generation? Then this could be the path for you.
Preparing Elementary teachers is a highly collaborative process between the School of Education & Human Development at UC Denver as well as our highly experienced K-12 partner educators in the metro area. In this program, you will immediately begin "living the life of a teacher" as you quickly become a vital member of the teaching staff at one of our metro area urban professional development schools as a teacher candidate intern. At the same time you'll be simultaneously taking teacher education classes so that you can immediately apply what you learn in your internship classroom. Our program is nationally recognized for having one of the most innovative, collaborative teacher preparation models where top faculty work side by side with experienced K-12 partner educators to prepare you to have a profound impact on the lives of students in our most urban and diverse schools. In fact, our candidates enter their first year of teaching with the knowledge, skills, and confidence of 2nd and 3rd year teachers!
Earning your license through the Graduate Teacher Education program at UC Denver also provides a direct pathway to completing your master's degree in education. Licensure courses count towards an MA degree in many areas. Most teacher candidates complete their licensure courses first in 12 or 18 months, secure their first teaching job, and then continue with us on a part-time basis while teaching to complete the few remaining MA courses.
For more information, select from the above tabs and/or contact Meredith Lopez at meredith.lopez@ucdenver.edu or 303-315-4980.
We select our Teacher Education students very carefully. After you apply to the Teacher Education program, we will contact you via e-mail about an in-person group interview. This interview process allows university faculty, as well as professors in our professional development schools, an important opportunity to assess the holistic potential of our applicants.
If you are admitted to the School after the group interview, we will require you to attend a new student orientation prior to registration. You will receive notification of the orientation by e-mail.
If you have questions about admission requirements, contact Meredith Lopez at meredith.lopez@ucdenver.edu or 303-315-4980.
Please review the course sequence for both the 12 and 15 month full-time tracks for this 40 credit hour licensure program. For 2010, the 12 month track begins in Summer, and the 15th month track starts in the Fall term. An 18 month part-time option will be offered in Spring 2011. Due to program redesign, this course sequence is subject to change.
To qualify for licensure in Colorado, you take the Colorado PLACE or PRAXIS II exam. These examinations test your content knowledge and are taken during your course of study. Please see your advisor for more details or visit the Colorado Department of Education website.
For more information on program requirements, please attend an information session.
You may also contact the academic advisor Meredith Lopez at 303-315-4980 or meredith.lopez@ucdenver.edu
Our teacher candidates are highly sought out by districts as our teacher preparation program has a strong reputation in the Denver Metro area and beyond. School administrators describe our teacher candidates as looking like "2nd and 3rd year teachers" coming right out of this program. We prepare to be a highly effective and compassionate teacher, especially for urban and diverse elementary, middle or high school classrooms or wherever you choose to begin your career. We also prepare you to be a teacher leader, as many of our graduates have gone on to unique positions of educational leadership as their careers have progressed, making a difference for students in multiple ways!
A sampling of teaching jobs accepted by recent graduates of this program include:
Kindergarten teacher in a Denver Public School.
Third and fourth grade teachers in an Aurora Public School
A member of the Peace Corps following graduation.
Colorado Education Job Opportunities
UCD Career Center