MEd in Elementary Education

• Candidates will apply understanding of content and pedagogy to provide engaging and developmentally appropriate instruction to all students. 
• Candidates will hold high expectations and build on the assets of diverse students. 
• Candidates will use meaningful student data to inform instructional design and assess teaching and learning effectiveness.
• Candidates will prioritize students’ rich cultural and linguistic backgrounds to design rigorous and responsive instruction.
• Candidates will foster students’ language and literacy development across the school day.
• Candidates will promote students’ inquiry, critical thinking, and deep learning across the content areas.
• Candidates will design classrooms as safe and welcoming learning environments that promote positive behavior, identity development, and social-emotional well-being.

At Loyola, we value the interdependence and emerging relationships among educational and social communities, and are always guided by principles of equity and social justice in these interactions. In this teaching degree program, you'll foster your own individuality, cultural awareness, social responsibility, and creative inquiry - all in pursuit of a degree that will help you break down barriers to equity in elementary education.

Our dedicated Teaching and Learning Faculty are experts in their fields who will support students throughout each stage of the program.

This is a 2-year program beginning in the summer, designed for flexible options for you to complete your coursework and fieldwork in a variety of ways. With a blend of in-person and online options, as well as evening and weekend courses, the program allows working professionals to seek out their degree and teaching licensure while remaining in current positions. Full-time graduate students are also welcome and will receive placement in school settings for fieldwork alongside related coursework. Students have five years from acceptance to complete the program.

Continuous Enrollment

Master's students in Elementary Education are required to maintain continuous enrollment during their program of studies. This means that during each semester of each academic year (excluding Summer Sessions), each student must enroll in at least one course. A formal leave of absence may be granted upon request and the approval of the School of Education’s Assistant Dean of Student Academic Affiars.

Coursework listed in order taken in program of study (38 credit hours)

All courses are hybrid, meaning they meet for half of the contact hours in-person and half online. Cohorts will either meet one evening per week across the semester or various Saturdays; this will agreed upon and established prior to the start of the cohort.

Summer (8 credit hours)

• TLSC 403: Teaching, Learning and Leading for Social Justice
• TLSC 401: Bringing Language, Learning and Developmental Theory into Practice
• TLSC 406: Educational Policy for Diverse Students

Fall (6 credit hours)

• TLSC 440: Language and Literacy for Diverse Students
• TLSC 442: Discipline-Specific Literacy for Diverse Students

Spring (6 credit hours)

• TLSC 420: Teaching Mathematics in Elementary Grade Classrooms
• TLSC 421: Teaching Science in Elementary Grade Classrooms
• TLSC 422: Teaching Social Studies in Elementary Grade Classrooms

Summer (3 credit hours with various options for added endorsements)

• TLSC 450: Teaching and Learning in an Area of Specialization (required)
• Additional coursework for endorsements in bilingual, special education, and middle grades can be taken across the summer sessions

Fall (6 credit hours)

• TLSC 404: Constructive Learning Environments for Diverse Students
• TLSC 407: Individualized Assessment and Instruction for Diverse Students

Spring (9 credit hours; beginning of student teaching experience)

• TLSC 460: Developing Rigorous and Relevant Instruction and Assessment
• TLSC 461: Developing and Implementing Rigorous and Relevant Instruction and Assessment
• TLSC 470A: Student Teaching for Change

Summer (4 credit hours; ending with close of K-12 school year in June)

• TLSC 470B: Student Teaching for Change

Additional coursework for endorsements in bilingual, special education, and middle grades can be taken across the summer sessions (see list above)

All teacher candidates complete a Professional Practice Profile during student teaching. The Professional Practice Profile consists of two components. This includes an essay on the conceptual framework in the School of Education, Professionalism in Service of Social Justice, and a reflection on collaborative relationships in education.

• Maintain overall GPA of 3.0 for graduation
• Complete student teaching experience
• Complete all degree requirements
• Complete comprehensive assessments

• Complete coursework with related fieldwork
• Complete student teaching experience
• Complete required assessments