# 2026-2027 Course Catalog

**Source**: https://catalog.illinois.edu/graduate/education/elementary-education-edm/
**Parent**: https://catalog.illinois.edu/graduate/

*for the degree of Master of Education in Elementary Education with teaching licensure*

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Through the Master of Education and the Certificate of Advanced Study, experienced teachers are prepared to become more competent and better informed practitioners who serve as leaders for educational reform in local schools and school districts.

Master's degree programs leading to teacher licensure are offered for individuals who have a degree in a field other than education and wish to become teachers. The three majors leading to licensure are Early Childhood Education (Birth - Grade 2), Elementary Education (Grades 1 - 6), and Secondary Education (Grades 9 - 12). In addition to completing the courses required for an Ed.M. degree, students in these programs follow the same sequence of professional education courses as do undergraduate students in the programs.

Only master’s degree students who wish to become licensed teachers in one of these three areas should apply to the Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, or Secondary Education majors. Master’s candidates who do not wish to become teachers, or who are already teachers, should apply to the major in Curriculum and Instruction.

Length of time for a degree: an Ed.M. program can be completed in a calendar year, while the M.S. or M.A. often takes longer. The Ed.M. with licensure typically takes two years to complete.

## **Admission**

Interested applicants should start at the [College of Education Graduate Programs website](http://education.illinois.edu/programs/grad). In addition to the application, the applicant is required to submit the following information: a statement of purpose, updated resume, official transcripts from all colleges attended, and three letters of recommendation. A scholarly writing sample in English (e.g., a master's thesis, article, or academic paper) is required for application to a doctoral program. Note: The master's degree with teacher licensure program only admits students for the fall term.

International applicants must submit TOEFL scores. The Department of Curriculum and Instruction's TOEFL requirement for full status admission is greater than 102; the minimum score for limited status is 550 on the paper-based test, 79 on the internet-based test, and 213 on the computer-based test. International applicants must also submit a Declaration and Certification of Finances. Please note: TOEFL or IELTS scores must be less than two years old from the first day of class at the proposed term of entry in order to be valid. In addition, individual academic programs may require a higher score or evidence of spoken English language proficiency. Contact your proposed [program of study office](http://www.grad.illinois.edu/admissions/depts) for the minimum TOEFL, TSE, or IELTS requirement for admission. For additional details, refer to the Graduate College Handbook [English Proficiency Requirement for Admission](http://www.grad.illinois.edu/admissions/instructions/04c).

## **Faculty Research Interests**

For information about specific faculty research interests, current grants, and publications, please visit the [Faculty Finder](https://education.illinois.edu/faculty-finder).

## **Facilities and Resources**

Departmental resources consist of cooperation with Children's Research Center, Center for Small Urban Communities, as well as other resources in the College. Students who are interested in second language acquisition can become a part of the SLATE program. The department is connected to the University of Illinois Writing Project and the following journals: *International Journal of Education & the Arts, Journal of Curriculum Studies*, and *American Educational Research Journal.* The department also has available resources and some workshops provided during the academic year. Program areas (including CREATE, DELTA, Language & Literacy, and MSE) offer discipline-specific resources.

The College of Education also has many resources to assist graduate students through their academic career. The Bureau of Educational Research works with students to secure research funding. The [Council on Teacher Education](http://cote.illinois.edu/) entitles candidates seeking a Professional Educator License and provides accreditation of professional education programs. Each student completing a degree program is assigned a graduate adviser, who is available to assist the student with planning the program of study and determining degree requirements, courses and timelines for degree completion.

Information on university resources can be found at the [GradMAP pages website](http://www.grad.illinois.edu/current-students).

## **Financial Aid**

Financial aid in the form of assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, and tuition waivers can be found throughout the [college](https://education.illinois.edu/current-students/graduate/financial-aid) and campus. Campus opportunities can be found at the [Graduate College](http://www.grad.illinois.edu/funding-jobs) and the [Office of Student Financial Aid](http://www.osfa.illinois.edu/). **Please note: Graduate students employed as Staff by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are not eligible for a College of Education Award or Scholarship.**

*for the degree of Master of Education in Elementary Education with teaching licensure*

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Students may select a concentration in [Bilingual-Bicultural Education](http://catalog.illinois.edu/graduate/education/concentration/bilingual-bicultural-education/) or [Digital Learning](http://catalog.illinois.edu/graduate/education/concentration/digital-learning/).\
Additional requirements can be found on the [program's website,](https://education.illinois.edu/ci/programs-degrees/ele) the [College of Education Graduate Programs Handbook](https://education.illinois.edu/current-students/graduate/coe-graduate-handbook), the [Graduate College Handbook](http://www.grad.illinois.edu/gradhandbook/), and [Field Placement Information](http://education.illinois.edu/sce).

Course List

     | Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Foundations Hours | | 8 |
| Choose at least two foundation courses from the Course List tab. At least one of these two courses must be a course from outside the degree-granting department. | |  |
| Elective Hours | | 24 |
| Project/Independent Study Hours (min/max applied toward degree): 0-8 | |  |
| Total Hours | | 32 |

**Other Requirements:**

Grad Other Degree Requirements

 | Requirement | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Field Placement information is linked above |  |
| Minimum GPA | 3.0 |
| 500-Level Hours Required in Education | 12 hours |

*for the degree of Master of Education in Elementary Education with teaching licensure*

---

## Foundations Course List

Course List

     | Code | Title | Hours |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [CI 446](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=CI%20446 "CI 446") | Culture in the Classroom |  |
| [CI 501](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=CI%20501 "CI 501") | Curriculum Development for the 21st Century |  |
| [EPOL 401](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=EPOL%20401 "EPOL 401") | History of American Education |  |
| [EPOL 402](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=EPOL%20402 "EPOL 402") | Asian American Education |  |
| [EPOL 403](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=EPOL%20403 "EPOL 403") | Historical and Social Barriers |  |
| [EPOL 405](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=EPOL%20405 "EPOL 405") | School and Society |  |
| [EPOL 406](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=EPOL%20406 "EPOL 406") | Professional Ethics in Education |  |
| [EPOL 407](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=EPOL%20407 "EPOL 407") | Critical Thinking in Education |  |
| [EPOL 409](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=EPOL%20409 "EPOL 409") | Sociology of Education |  |
| [EPOL 410](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=EPOL%20410 "EPOL 410") | Racial and Ethnic Families |  |
| [EPOL 412](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=EPOL%20412 "EPOL 412") | Politics of Education |  |
| [EPOL 413](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=EPOL%20413 "EPOL 413") | Economics of Education |  |
| [EPOL 480](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=EPOL%20480 "EPOL 480") | Technology and Educational Reform |  |
| [EPOL 530](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=EPOL%20530 "EPOL 530") | Educational Politics and Policies |  |
| [EPOL 552](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=EPOL%20552 "EPOL 552") | Foundation of Higher Education |  |
| Any 400 level EPSY course | |  |
| [EPSY 553](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=EPSY%20553 "EPSY 553") | Global Issues in Learning |  |
| [SPED 514](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=SPED%20514 "SPED 514") | Equity Issues in Special Education |  |
| [SPED 517](https://catalog.illinois.edu/search/?P=SPED%20517 "SPED 517") | Disability Issues in Special Education |  |

*for the degree of Master of Education in Elementary Education with teaching licensure*

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1. Students will acquire deep knowledge of content in the field of Education.
2. Students will demonstrate awareness and application of the Illinois Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading (CRTL) standards in their teacher preparation course work and field experiences.
3. Students will display the expectations of professionalism related to success in the field of education and beyond (fairness, commitment to collaboration, community, reflective practice, and attention to 21st century skills and practices).

\

*for the degree of Master of Education in Elementary Education with teaching licensure*

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## [Department of Curriculum & Instruction](http://education.illinois.edu/ci)

Head of the Department: Joshua Danish\
Director of Graduate Studies: Emma Mercier\
Graduate admissions information: Mitzi Koeberlein\
[Curriculum & Instruction faculty](https://education.illinois.edu/faculty-finder/ci)\
142 Education Building, 1310 South Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820\
(217) 244-3542\
[gradservices@education.illinois.edu](https://catalog.illinois.edu/graduate/education/elementary-education-edm/gradservices@education.illinois.edu)

## [**College of Education**](http://education.illinois.edu/)

[College of Education programs](https://education.illinois.edu/faceted-search/programs/)

## **Admissions**

[Graduate College Admissions & Requirements](https://grad.illinois.edu/admissions/apply)\
[College of Education Admissions & Requirements](https://education.illinois.edu/programs/grad/how-to-apply?url=/programs/grad)