Great teachers start at PSU.
The master’s degree in education prepares you to be a part of a new wave of progressive K-12 teachers. As America’s schools become more racially and ethnically diverse, serving students with different cultures, languages, and abilities, our teachers need to adapt. The College of Education will equip you to teach in an inclusive and equitable environment, utilizing the latest technology to help you succeed. You will be a teacher who helps each student succeed on their unique terms.
The new Licensure in Elementary Education Program will prepare you to become an elementary classroom teacher with special expertise in social emotional learning, the science of reading, anti-bias/anti-racist practice, and teaching multilingual learners. The all-new graduate program of study leads to a master’s degree and a recommendation for an Oregon teaching license with endorsements in elementary teaching and teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).
Program values
Throughout this program, you will have the opportunity to:
- Engage in critical self-reflection based in knowledge about colonial histories and systems of oppression;
- Learn practices to build family and community partnerships;
- Collaborate to engage in assets-based teaching and assessment rooted in the perspectives, values, and experiences of the community around the school; and
- Engage in courageous anti-oppressive and culturally sustaining action in the classroom.
Accreditation
The Graduate Teacher Education Program is accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).
Commitment to Equity and Social Justice: Our program nurtures confidence in students to build skills to interrupt oppression and injustice and to see quality, culturally sustaining, education as an important avenue toward a just society. We strive to embody these principles in our program and practices and continually seek to improve our efforts to address inequities.
Courses Taught by Scholar-Practitioners: Learn from experienced instructors who also have scholarly expertise and advanced degrees in their fields. Gain practical tools and strategies based on sound research and theory.
High-Quality Teacher Preparation: We've built an extensive network of partnerships with schools and school districts in the Portland metro area. PSU teacher candidates are sought after by principals both for student teaching field placements and for hiring.
Intentional Community Building and Convenience: Meet your faculty and fellow students face-to-face at the start of each term and experience the benefits of a purposefully designed hybrid format. Most class sessions will take place online via Zoom, with online asynchronous components and occasional face-to-face sessions.
Accessible Schedule: Courses offered evenings and weekends
LEEP will prepare you to promote the academic, career, personal, and social-emotional development of students and will be eligible for a position as an elementary classroom teacher. Others move into specialist and administrative roles. PSU teacher candidates are sought after by principals both for student teaching field placements and for hiring.
After completing your master’s degree and obtaining your teaching license, you may want to consider adding additional endorsements or specializations to further your professional development. An endorsement helps teachers focus in an educational area, and can be added for any grade level or teaching subject. You can add one of the following endorsements to your program:
- Reading
- Special Education Endorsement
- Mathematics Instructional Leader Specialization
Technology Requirements
You will need access to a computer with a stable high-speed internet connection. Be prepared to have your camera on in Zoom for full class sessions.
Accreditation
The Licensure in Elementary Education Program master's degree is accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP).