Program Overview               
Area of Concentration Requirement
Admission to the Teacher Education Program
Contact Information

Program Overview
Students preparing to teach in elementary school are licensed for grades K through 8 and complete a major in elementary education. The undergraduate elementary education program embeds content coursework, general education coursework, and professional licensure coursework into a 128-credit bachelor's degree. Candidates must complete all specific requirements listed with a grade of "C-" or better. None of these courses may be taken as credit/no credit except where that is the only option.

Click here for a printable PDF version of the elementary education major requirements.

Click here for a printable PDF demonstrating how the elementary education major requirements fulfill UM's General Education Requirements.

Prior to admission to the Teacher Education Program, which is usually at the end of the sophomore year, students are considered Pre-Education majors and are advised by the Pre-Education Academic Advisor in the College of Education and Human Sciences. Upon admission, majors are advised by faculty within the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

Individuals who have already earned a bachelor degree and are interested in obtaining an elementary teaching license have two options for doing so. They can enroll as post-baccalaureate students and complete the program described above for undergraduate credit, or they can apply for the master of education degree (M.Ed.) program in Curriculum and Instruction with initial licensure. Please visit the master of education program website for more information.

Transfer students, post-baccalaureate students, and graduate students should consult  the Pre-Education Advisor for transcript evaluation. (See below for contact information.)

Please visit the UM Mathematics Education blog to learn more about M 135 and M 136. You may also find contact information for all individuals involved with mathematics education on the UM campus.

Area of Concentration Requirement
Twelve of the 128 credits required for the baccalaureate degree in elementary education must consist of an area of concentration. Areas of concentration are selected from one of the following six categories: (1) English/language arts; (2) fine arts; (3) health and human performance; (4) mathematics; (5) science; and (6) social science. See the elementary education major course requirements above for a complete list of areas of concentration.

Students should keep in mind that completing a second teaching major, a teaching minor or K-12 endorsement can take the place of a general area of concentration. These options, unlike an area of concentration, lead to a separate endorsement on the teaching license, which could increase an individual’s future employment options.

The K-12 minor endorsement areas include special education, library media, or reading/literacy. Students must have full admission to the Teacher Education Program or be a licensed teacher before applying to one of these specialized programs. Please click here for a brief overview of course requirements for each of these endorsements.

Teaching minors and K-12 endorsements do require a greater number of credits than the twelve necessary for an area of concentration. This should not deter students from pursuing these options, however. Students are urged to consult their advisor to discuss their options and develop an appropriate long-range course plan.

Admission to the Teacher Education Program
All students seeking licensure to teach must apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP). Admission to the TEP is required before students can enroll in licensure (EDU) courses. Admission is limited to approximately 125 elementary and 125 secondary candidates per year. Incomplete applications will not be considered for admission.  Undergraduate deadlines for applications are September 15th and February 15th. Students are eligible for consideration for admission if they have:

• been admitted to The University of Montana
• completed at least 30 semester credits (not including developmental or technical courses)
• achieved a minimum cumulative GPA (including all transfer credits) of 2.75
• completed an introductory psychology course (PSYX 100S) and an English composition course (WRIT 101), with a grade of C- or better in each
• evidence of competent writing ability as provided in an application writing sample
• appropriate experience working with children or youth
• supportive recommendations from two faculty members who know their college-level academic work
• results from a national fingerprint-based background check (Background check packets are available in the Phyllis J. Washington College of Education and Human Sciences in Teacher Education Services.)

Please click here to read a handout that contains TEP application information and suggestions for successful preparation.

The Teacher Education Program application can be downloaded here. (NOTE: Adobe Reader is required in order to access and complete the application. If your computer does not have Reader, you may download the program for free here.)

TEP applications for licensed teachers or those seeking TEP readmission must complete different applications. They are available on the forms page under the "T" section.

Contact Information