Education — Educational Leadership

The most popular certification program in the Graduate School of Education (GSE) offers the courses and classroom experience you need to successfully teach in elementary classrooms.

As a student in the M.S. in Elementary Education program, you will gain extensive knowledge about teaching elementary subjects including literacy, mathematics, social studies, and science. UB also gives you the opportunity to put these skills to work through our tuition-paid internship or hands-on field experience. We work with more than 60 districts throughout Connecticut and New York to provide you with practical experiences in a local school.

Advisers will assist you with your M.S. in Elementary Education class selection and the state teacher certification process

Learning Outcomes

The candidates will be able to:

Plan lessons and units according to State guidelines

Exhibit appropriate content knowledge of mathematics, language art, social studies and science commiserate with Praxis II Exam for elementary school teachers

Demonstrate thorough background in concepts of reading and ability to teach reading and evaluate student performance in reading.

Pass Praxis II exam for elementary school teachers

Pass CT Reading Assessment exam

Differentiate curriculum for various special needs students

Course Requirements

• Nine credit hours in foundations of education coursework
• differentiated instruction
• educational psychology
• special education
• Twenty-four hours of professional education requirements
• content subject areas
• curriculum and methods of teaching
• statutory state requirements
• field experiences
• Sixty-day (twelve-week) residency (student) teaching experience (six credit hours)

Certification Requirements

Fieldwork

You have the option to complete the program through a tuition-paid internship or as a traditional student. Both will provide you hands-on experience in the classroom.

Interns will:

• Work closely with faculty and staff at your participating school
• Act as a substitute teacher
• Assist in school projects
• Mentor small groups of students

In return, your cooperating school will fund 33 credits of your tuition.

Traditional students will:

• Complete fieldwork in a school of your choice
• Be a classroom observer
• Assist a teacher
• Participate in instructional related activity

Resident Teaching

The Resident Teaching experience is a full 60 days of teaching in a school under the direction of a trained Cooperating Teacher. The arrangement for the placements is made through the School of Education and are also supervised by University staff.

If you already have a Master's degree in any subject, you can complete the program as a Sixth Year candidate.

Bachelor’s degree , or its equivalent , from a regionally accredited university or recognized international institution ; a m aster’s d egree from a regionally accredited university is required for the 6 th y ear program U ndergraduate cumulative grade point average of 2. 6 7 or higher (A GPA of 3.0 or higher will likely be required beginning for Fall 2013 applicants). All students must complete the following undergraduate coursework to be eligible for entry into the Certification Track option: EnglishMath (College Algebra, Pre-Calculus or higher)Natural ScienceSocial ScienceFine Arts or World LanguageLifespan DevelopmentU.S. History (survey course covering at least 50 years)

The Lauren Rousseau Elementary Education Memorial Scholarship was established to honor the memory of Lauren Gabrielle Rousseau, a 30 year old teacher, who was one of the 26 individuals who lost their lives in the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. Lauren was born June 8, 1982, in Danbury, where she lived for most of her life. She was a graduate of Danbury High School and received her bachelor's degree from the University of Connecticut and was a 2005 graduate of the University of Bridgeport, School of Education.
The $1000 scholarship will be awarded to an applicant seeking certification in elementary education. The scholarship will be distributed over two semesters in two $500 awards. Recipients may use the scholarship for tuition, books or living expenses. Lauren was a highly motivated, passionate, strong individual with a desire to make a meaningful contribution to the lives of young children through her teaching. The scholarship applicant should demonstrate the same significant character traits.

Interested applicants may access the application in Microsoft Word or PDF formats:

• The Lauren Rousseau Elementary Education Memorial Scholarship Application (PDF)
• The Lauren Rousseau Elementary Education Memorial Scholarship Application (MS Word)

Individuals wishing to contribute to the scholarship fund may send donations payable to the University of Bridgeport, Lauren Rousseau Memorial Scholarship, c/o Mary-Jane Foster, Vice-President University Relations, 126 Park Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06604. You may also donate online.