Interested in becoming a teacher?
The B.S. in Elementary Education is designed to fulfill the requirements for Kentucky certification grades P-5, which includes Kindergarten. Elementary Education teachers are responsible for teaching a variety of subjects. Therefore, teacher education candidates must be able to demonstrate proficiency in the general areas of English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Sciences as well as the Arts and Humanities. Students are admitted into the program after completing the pre-professional phase. Teacher education candidates should read the "How to Apply" section for more information about admission to the professional phase of the program.
Teacher education candidates are required to choose one of the tracks below. Completion of one of the content areas (English, French, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies or Spanish) may lead to an additional certification/extension. Dual certification programs in Early Childhood Education or Special Education are also available:
CEHD Conceptual Framework: The conceptual framework focuses on three guiding principles – inquiry, action, and advocacy – as these are learned in the classroom, applied through habitual and skillful practice, and internalized as a means of solving problems and improving the lives of children, families, and communities. The teacher education program develops teacher education candidates who go on to enhance the lives of others by becoming critical thinkers, problem solvers and professional leaders who advocate for the principles of social justice and equity.
Accreditation: CEHD teacher education programs are fully accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), and approved by the Kentucky Education Professional Standards Board.
For information on program accreditation click here.
For more details about program curriculum, visit the Undergraduate Catalog.
The professional phase of the undergraduate Elementary Education program is offered as a cohort model. Teacher education candidates begin the program as a cohort each Fall or Spring semester. The cohort model is valuable for teacher education candidates because they will share the same courses, get to know each other and their faculty members well, and will be able to support each other as they pursue a rigorous, full-time program spanning a two year period. Teacher Education candidates typically enroll in 17-18 credit hours per semester (excluding summers).
Most courses are offered during the day, with a few evening options – particularly for courses in the Early Childhood Education track. There are currently no on-line courses available. Most courses are accompanied by an intensive field placement experience, in which teacher education candidates are immersed in the Elementary classroom – practicing what they are learning and receiving feedback for continuous improvement.
Undergraduate teacher education candidates who meet the following criteria may be eligible to apply to the professional phase of the teacher education program, and are encouraged to meet with their assigned, academic counselor to evaluate their readiness to apply. Admission is competitive to this rigorous program. Candidates who meet minimum academic requirements are not guaranteed admission to the program.
Teacher education candidates provide support and evidence of positive experiences as explained in 7-8 (above) through professional writing requirements, letters of recommendation, and faculty interview.
This program is open to all eligible candidates regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age.
Teacher education candidates should review the following which outline the expectations of the teaching profession:
Please submit the online application at least four weeks prior to the application deadline. Recommendation requests are automatically sent to the recommenders upon selecting the “Send to Recommender” button. (Applicants may check their application account to check the status of their recommendation requests.) Adequate time should be given to recommenders to respond to the request by the application deadline!
Official test scores and transcripts (from other institutions) should be submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Admission prior to the application deadline!
Questions about the online application should be directed to teacher@louisville.edu.
Please note: If the application deadline falls on a weekend, applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on the Monday immediately following the deadline.
Applicants will be notified via e-mail regarding the admission decision no later than six weeks after the application deadline. Applicants who are selected for admission will receive information about a mandatory orientation session for the program.
Education Advising and Student Services
College of Education and Human Development
Room 140
University of Louisville
Louisville, KY 40292
Office: 502-852-5597
Graduates of the B.S. in Elementary Education are eligible to take the PRAXIS II exams for certification in Elementary Education (grades P-5).
In addition, the program offers options for dual certification in such areas as Learning and Behavior Disorders (grades P-12), Early Childhood Education (Birth-Age 5) and Moderate and Severe Disabilities (grades P-12).
Read this College Board article on being a Special Education teacher which provides a brief insight into being a special education teacher.
In addition to the financial aid opportunities offered by the University of Louisville's Financial Aid office, the College of Education & Human Development also has information about financial aid.
The CEHD has a long history of offering scholarships to prospective and current students pursuing an education degree program. The CEHD provides over $225,000 annually and selects recipients three times per year. Scholarship selection is competitive and applies to tuition only. Apply online for a CEHD Scholarship before the deadline (April 15th, June 1st and/or October 15th). Applicants should expect notification in four to five weeks after the posted deadline.