Elementary Education (M.Ed.)

The Elementary Education program provides an M.Ed. degree and leads to certification for those who plan to teach in elementary schools.

• UNH students can begin preparation for teaching at the undergraduate level  and apply to a fifth year* of graduate studies. 
• During the fifth year, students complete a full year of internship with professional course work in education.
• Students enrolled in an undergraduate degree program outside of the education department can also apply to the fifth year* graduate program. 

* With no prior course work in education, these programs will normally require two years to achieve licensure and a degree.

Students who have previously completed a baccalaureate degree may also enter the teacher preparation program at the graduate level.

Admission Criteria

In determining admission of students to teacher education graduate programs, several criteria are used:

1. The undergraduate record. The undergraduate overall minimum grade point average for admission is 3.0.  The undergraduate grade point average of students admitted to the graduate programs in teacher education is approximately 3.55 (based on 2020 admissions).
2. Positive recommendations from EDUC 500 Exploring Teaching, EDUC 935A Seminar and Practicum in Teaching or the equivalent and from those able to relay information about a candidate's performance in teaching situations or related areas.
3. Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (Core) exam scores are required. Applicants must obtain, at a minimum, a qualifying score (as set by the state of New Hampshire at the time of testing) on all three (Reading, Writing, and Mathematics) Core exams in order to be considered for admission. Current NH qualifying scores may be found at the ETS Praxis Website on the “Tests required for all licensure areas” page.
4. Additional required application materials can be found at the Graduate School website under Programs.

Degree Requirements

The M.Ed. degree requires a minimum of 32 graduate credits. Some students will require more than 32 credits, depending on the coursework they have completed prior to entering the program.

Any Education course taken for a teacher licensure requirement must be completed with a grade of B- or better.  This applies to any courses from other departments that have been designated as equivalent to an Education course. 

Core Requirements (may be taken at the undergraduate or graduate level).

¹

At the undergraduate level, students who take both HDFS 525 Human Development and HDFS 623 Developmental Perspectives on Infancy and Early Childhood meet the requirement for EDUC 701.

²

A Master's Inquiry Project is required during the internship year.

³

ENGL 815 & ENGL 816 are to be taken during the internship year as an alternative sequence to EDUC 808 & EDUC 809.  If one or both of these courses is taken prior to the internship year, students must take the EDUC 808/EDUC 809 sequence during the internship. 

This graduate program is approved to be taken on an accelerated basis in articulation with certain undergraduate degree programs.

General Accelerated Master's policy, note that some programs have additional requirements (e.g. higher grade expectations) compared to the policy.

Please see the Graduate School website and contact the department directly for more information.

GOAL ONE: OUR GRADUATES ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THE SUBJECTS THEY TEACH. Our graduates:

• demonstrate depth of knowledge in their subjects.
• recognize how knowledge in their subjects is created, organized, and linked to other disciplines.
• identify the organizing themes and central concepts necessary for understanding a subject.
• identify associated content necessary for students to understand these themes and concepts.

GOAL TWO: OUR GRADUATES ARE COMMITTED TO KNOWING THEIR STUDENTS AND CULTIVATING A COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS. Our graduates:

• understand how students develop and learn.
• treat students equitably and work diligently to help each student reach his or her potential.
• create and maintain an atmosphere conducive to learning.
• recognize diversity among their students and adjust their practice accordingly.
• create and maintain an atmosphere fostering mutual respect and caring.
• cultivate within their own students a recognition and valuing of diversity.

GOAL THREE: OUR GRADUATES KNOW HOW TO TEACH SUBJECT MATTER TO STUDENTS. Our graduates:

• demonstrate specialized knowledge of how to teach subject matter to their students.
• use multiple approaches to facilitate student learning.
• create lessons that are engaging and motivating for students.
• create learning experiences that are appropriately challenging for all students.
• involve students in thoughtful inquiry and reflection.
• ensure that students understand the purpose of activities within and across lessons and units.

GOAL FOUR:  OUR GRADUATES EFFECTIVELY MONITOR STUDENT LEARNING. Our graduates:

• use multiple strategies to assess students.
• regularly assess student progress using appropriate measures.
• demonstrate the ability to make informed decisions about students and their learning based on classroom, district, and state assessments.

GOAL FIVE: OUR GRADUATES ARE THOUGHTFUL AND REFLECTIVE PRACTITIONERS WHO LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE.Our graduates:

• make well-reasoned choices and decisions within the complex and demanding conditions of teaching.
• analyze the effects of their actions and make appropriate changes.
• take into account the moral and philosophical implications of educational decisions.
• improve their practice by reflecting on their own experience, observing others, seeking advice, and drawing upon educational research and scholarship.

GOAL SIX: OUR GRADUATES UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF SCHOOL REFORM AND THEIR ROLES AS AGENTS OF CHANGE. Our graduates:

• assess the relative merits of educational reform efforts and determine their appropriateness to the classroom, school, and broader societal contexts in which teaching and learning occur.
• develop and articulate their own conceptual and philosophical perspective on teaching and learning based on professional experience and current theories and research in education.
• develop an understanding of how leadership is informed by varied perspectives on the structure of public education, the nature of educational change, and the teacher's role in the change process.
• are willing to take risks as advocates for the benefit of students, teachers, and the profession.

GOAL SEVEN: OUR GRADUATES ARE ACTIVE MEMBERS OF LEARNING AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITIES. Our graduates:

• work with colleagues to enhance their own teaching, learning, and professional development.
• work collaboratively with students, peers, and community members to create and contribute to effective learning environments.
• participate in professional organizations.
• continue to pursue avenues of inquiry into the teaching and learning process through study, research, and dialogue.

Apply now

Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

• Fall: April 15
• Spring: November 1
• Summer: April 15
• Special: Students who plan to begin their internship Fall semester, must have a completed Graduate School application by March 1st and have taken all prerequisite coursework.

Application fee: $65

Campus: Durham

New England Regional: No

Accelerated Masters: Yes (for more details see the accelerated masters information page)

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH or Granite State College (GSC) after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester, UNH Non-Degree work and GSC. 

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

• Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
• Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted. At least one letter should be from a university/college level instructor.

Test Scores: Praxis Required

Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (Core) exam scores are required of all applicants to Master’s level (M.Ed. and M.A.T. ) programs leading to initial certification in Teacher Education, Special Education, and Early Childhood Education. Applicants must obtain, at a minimum, a qualifying score (as set by the state of New Hampshire at the time of testing) on all three (Reading, Writing, and Mathematics) Core exams in order to be considered for admission. Current NH qualifying scores may be found at the ETS Praxis Website under the “Tests required for all licensure areas” page. To have scores sent to our office please use our recipient code which is 3922.

For general information about test scores required for admission into our programs please visit our Test Scores webpage.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

In no more than two pages, describe the reasons you wish to pursue the degree program you have chosen, including relevant personal qualities and life experiences that have shaped your beliefs about learning, development and teaching, counseling, or administration (depending on the program to which you are applying).

Statements must be included with your submitted application.

State and Federal Background Check

A background check is a requirement before an application can be reviewed by the Education department. Here is the document and instructions Department of Education Background Check and Criminal History Release form.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

International Applicants

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.