北卡罗拉娜州立大学

NC State’s master’s program in elementary education has an emphasis on either elementary mathematics education or elementary science education. The program is designed for those who hold a current teaching license and is offered through a cohort model, in which students start the program at the same time and progress together through the courses. This cohort model supports the development of a strong professional community among participants.

The program develops teacher-leaders who possess strong specialized content knowledge including a deep understanding of how elementary students learn and can apply such knowledge and understanding to their leadership and instructional practices. Offered off campus at school sites in the Raleigh region, the program is considered Distance Education (DE), but it is not online. Most courses are taught through face-to-face instruction with professors that are experts in their fields and who bring experience teaching elementary school students using theoretical and research-based methods for student learning and engagement.

There are two options for completion. The Master of Education (M.Ed.) program in Elementary Education requires 30 credit hours and the Master of Science (M.S.) option requires 33 credit hours. M.S. students are required to complete three additional hours of master’s thesis preparation beyond the M.Ed. requirements and need to secure an advisor in advance to supervise their thesis work and research.

Mathematics specialist cohorts initiate each summer in even years; in addition to their master’s degree, students graduating from this program earn a MATHEMATICS SPECIALIST ADD-ON DESIGNATION TO THEIR K-6 NORTH CAROLINA TEACHING LICENSE. The science-focused cohorts initiate each summer in odd years, prepare teachers to become leaders in elementary science, and will earn a SCIENCE SPECIALIST ADD-ON DESIGNATION TO THEIR K-6 NORTH CAROLINA TEACHING LICENSE. Graduates from the program report that the master’s experience invigorated their teaching experience and increased their effectiveness as practitioners. Many recent graduates have also furthered their careers through attaining positions as coaches or content specialists.