Master of Education in Elementary Education (MEd)

The Elementary Education M.Ed. program is designed to meet the needs of educators focused on Grades K-6. It provides experiences in the foundations of education, an update of the student's skills and understanding related to current research and instructional trends in basic subject matter areas, and elective choices in specific areas.

Teachers with a temporary teaching certificate, who have obtained a statement of eligibility, may be accepted into the program and may have the opportunity to include coursework required by the state of Florida to move to professional certification. However, the Elementary Education MA program is specifically designed for elementary education teaching certification. Therefore, contact the program advisor to determine which is appropriate for your circumstances.

The MEd in Elementary Education requires a minimum of 30 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree and offers a thesis and nonthesis option. The nonthesis option requires a research study in one or more courses. The research study and final report will focus on reviewing and analyzing contemporary research in a student's particular specialization within the education profession in order to help students acquire knowledge and skills pertaining to research-based best practices in that specialization area. Both options require 6 credit hours of core courses and a minimum of 15 credit hours of elective specialization courses, in addition to the 9 credit hours required in the thesis or nonthesis options. At minimum, 50 percent of the program coursework completed for the MEd must be at the 6000 level.

Total Credit Hours Required: 30 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree

Please note: Elementary Education MEd may be completed fully online, although not all elective options or program prerequisites may be offered online. Newly admitted students choosing to complete this program exclusively via UCF online classes may enroll with a reduction in campus-based fees.

International students (F or J visa) are required to enroll in a full-time course load of 9 credit hours during the fall and spring semesters. Only 3 of the 9 credit hours may be taken in a completely online format. For a detailed listing of enrollment requirements for international students, please visit http://global.ucf.edu/. If you have questions, please consult UCF Global at 407-823-2337.

UCF is not authorized to provide online courses or instruction to students in some states. Refer to State Restrictions for current information.

Program Prerequisites

A current Florida Professional Teaching Certificate in the program's subject area. Applicants who have graduated from an accredited university or college teacher certification program in another state or country, in the appropriate subject and/or grade range, may also be admitted to the MEd program at the discretion of the program director.

OR

A Temporary Teaching Certificate, a passing score on the SAE section of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE), and at least 1 year of successful teaching experience.

Application Requirements

For information on general UCF graduate admissions requirements that apply to all prospective students, please visit the Admissions section of the Graduate Catalog. Applicants must apply online. All requested materials must be submitted by the established deadline.

In addition to the general UCF graduate application requirements, applicants to this program must provide:

• One official transcript (in a sealed envelope) from each college/university attended.
• The GRE is not required for admission to this program.
• Résumé or CV
• Goal Statement
• Applicants applying to this program who have attended a college/university outside the United States must provide a course-by-course credential evaluation with GPA calculation. Credential evaluations are accepted from World Education Services (WES) or Josef Silny and Associates, Inc. only.

Additionally, applicants must provide:

• A current Florida Professional Teaching Certificate in the program's subject area. Applicants who have graduated from an accredited university or college teacher certification program in another state or country, in the appropriate subject and/or grade range, may also be admitted to the MEd program at the discretion of the program director.

OR

• A Temporary Teaching Certificate, a passing score on the SAE section of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE), and at least 1 year of successful teaching experience.

Application Deadlines

*Applicants who plan to enroll full time in a degree program and who wish to be considered for university fellowships or assistantships should apply by the Fall Priority date.

Financial Information

Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource.

Fellowship Information

Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.