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 from the Florida Department of Education, 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 alternatively certified individuals to complete an 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 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 specialization courses 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.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
6 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- Students should plan to take EDE 6933 Introductory Seminar in Elementary Education during the first semester of enrollment. Students should take EDE 6935, which includes a program culminating experience, during the final semester in the program. Note: All three courses require an independent learning experience in the form of research studies.
- Complete the following:
- EDE6933 - Introductory Seminar in Elementary Education (1)
- EDE6935 - Capstone Seminar in Elementary Education (2)
- EDF6237 - Principles of Learning and Introduction to Classroom Assessment (3)
Specialization and Electives:
15 - 18 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
- Consult with your advisor to determine the coursework that will best meet your professional goals. Choose from the following specializations: - ESOL Endorsement - Reading Endorsement - Gifted Endorsement - Exceptional Education Certificate - General Elementary Education - Dual Language - Early Childhood Education - K-8 Mathematics and Science. The adviser may approve courses taken as part of a UCF graduate certificate program for this area of the MEd (up to 18 credit hours). Note: An 18 credit hour specialization will satisfy 15 hours of Specialization/Electives AND three credit hours of an nonthesis elective). - EDS 5356 Mentoring and Clinical Supervision of Pre- Professional Educators-highly recommended. (This course prepares you to supervise interns. For each senior intern and two junior interns you supervise, you will earn a Certificate of Participation which covers the cost of 6 credit hours of tuition.)
Reading Endorsement- Complete all of the following
- Must take all 18 hours after applying for the reading endorsement certification program. These classes must be completed within 3 years.
- Complete the following:
- RED5147 - Developmental Reading (3)
- RED5517 - Classroom Diagnosis and Development of Reading Proficiencies (3)
- RED6845 - Advanced Evaluation and Instruction in Reading (3)
- TSL5085 - Teaching Language Minority Students in K-12 Classrooms (3)
- RED6846 - Reading Practicum (6)
ESOL Endorsement K-12 Graduate Certificate- Complete all of the following
- Must take all 15 hours after applying for the ESOL endorsement certification program. Upon successful completion, students will need to complete separate paperwork with the state of Florida for official recognition of this endorsement.
- Complete the following:
- TSL5085 - Teaching Language Minority Students in K-12 Classrooms (3)
- TSL5525 - ESOL Cultural Diversity (3)
- TSL6142 - Critical Approaches to ESOL (3)
- TSL6250 - Applied Linguistics in ESOL (3)
- TSL6440 - Assessment Issues in TESOL (3)
Gifted Education Specialization- Complete all of the following
- Take all 15 credits after applying for the Gifted Certification Program. These courses are offered online.
- Complete the following:
- EGI6051 - Understanding the Gifted/Talented Student (3)
- EGI6245 - Curriculum and Instruction for Teaching Advanced, Gifted, and Talented Learners (3)
- EGI6246 - Education of Special Populations of Gifted Students (3)
- EGI6305 - Theory and Development of Creativity (3)
- EGI6417 - Guidance and Counseling Strategies for Teachers of Gifted and Talented Individuals (3)
Exceptional Education Specialization- Complete all of the following
- Must take all 18 hours after applying for the Special Education Graduate Certificate Program. These courses are offered online.
- Complete the following:
- EEX5051 - Exceptional Children in the Schools (3)
- EEX6061 - Instructional Strategies Pre-K-6 (3)
- EEX6065 - Programming for Students with Disabilities at the Secondary Level (3)
- EEX6107 - Teaching Spoken and Written Language (3)
- EEX6295 - Assessment and Curriculum Prescriptions for the Exceptional Population (3)
- EEX6612 - Methods of Behavioral Management (3)
Dual Languages Graduate Certificate- Complete all of the following
- Select six of the following seven courses after applying for the dual languages certificate program. Please consult with your adviser to help you choose the courses that best fit the needs for your future career.
- Complete at least 6 of the following:
- SPN6940 - Teaching Methods for the Spanish Classroom (3)
- TSL5085 - Teaching Language Minority Students in K-12 Classrooms (3)
- TSL6143 - Curriculum and Instruction in Dual Language Programs (3)
- TSL6250 - Applied Linguistics in ESOL (3)
- TSL6377 - Bilingualism, Multiculturalism, and Biliteracy in the Dual Language Classroom (3)
- TSL6443 - Assessment in Dual Language Programs (3)
- TSL6526 - Interdependencies of Language, Culture, and Education for Dual Language Learners (3)
Early Childhood Education- Complete the following:
- EEC5205 - Programs and Trends in Early Childhood Education (3)
- EEC6216 - Communicative Arts in Early Childhood Education (3)
- EEC6405 - Home-School-Community Interaction in Early Childhood Education (3)
- EEC6406 - Guiding and Facilitating Social Competence (3)
- EEC6606 - Global Issues in Early Childhood (3)
- EEC6269 - Play Development, Intervention, and Assessment (3)
Mathematics and/or Science Specialization- Complete the following:
- IDS6937 - Teaching Mathematics and Science Using Reform-Based Practices (3)
- MAE6318 - Current Methods in Elementary School Mathematics (3)
- MAE6517 - Diagnosis/Remediation of Difficulties in Mathematics for the Classroom Teacher (3)
- MAE6641 - Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Skills (3)
- MAE6899 - Seminar in Teaching Mathematics (3)
- SCE5836 - Space and Physical Science for Educators (3)
General Elementary Education Specialization- Earn at least 15 credits from the following:
- ISC6146 - Environmental Education for Educators (3)
- LAE5295 - Writing Workshop (1 - 3)
- LAE5319 - Methods of Elementary School Language Arts (3)
- LAE5415 - Children's Literature in Elementary Education (3)
- LAE5495 - Assessing Writing (3)
- LAE6296 - Advanced Writing Workshop (1 - 3)
- LAE6417 - Investigation in Children's Literature (3)
- LAE6616 - Trends in Language Arts Education (3)
- LAE6936 - Seminar in Language Arts Education (3)
- MAE6318 - Current Methods in Elementary School Mathematics (3)
- MAE6517 - Diagnosis/Remediation of Difficulties in Mathematics for the Classroom Teacher (3)
- MAE6641 - Problem Solving and Critical Thinking Skills (3)
- RED5517 - Classroom Diagnosis and Development of Reading Proficiencies (3)
- RED6116 - Advanced Study in Foundations of Reading (3)
- SCE5836 - Space and Physical Science for Educators (3)
- TSL5345 - Methods of ESOL Teaching (3)
- TSL6142 - Critical Approaches to ESOL (3)
- TSL6440 - Assessment Issues in TESOL (3)
- EME6053 - Teaching and Learning with Emerging Technologies (3)
- EME6507 - Multimedia for Education and Training (3)
Professional Teaching Certificate- Complete all of the following
- Refer to your statement of eligibility. Upon successful completion, students will need to pass all sections of FTCE and complete separate paperwork with the state of Florida for official recognition.
- Complete the following:
- EDF6727 - Critical Analysis of Social, Ethical, Legal, and Safety Issues Related to Education (3)
- EDG6415 - Principles of Instruction and Classroom Management (3)
- EEX5051 - Exceptional Children in the Schools (3)
- RED5147 - Developmental Reading (3)
- TSL5085 - Teaching Language Minority Students in K-12 Classrooms (3)
- TSL6250 - Applied Linguistics in ESOL (3)
Thesis/Nonthesis Option
9 Total Credits
- Complete 1 of the following
Thesis Option- Complete all of the following
- Complete 1 of the following
- Earn at least 3 credits from the following:
- LAE6971 - Thesis (1 - 99)
- Complete the following:
- EDF6481 - Fundamentals of Graduate Research in Education (3)
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following types of courses: EDE 6971 - Thesis
Nonthesis Option- Earn at least 9 credits from the following types of courses: Electives (with permission of advisor). A culminating experience is required in this option.
Grand Total Credits: 30 - 33
Application Requirements
Application Deadlines
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.
Admission Requirements
