Department of Elementary Education and Literacy

The Department of Elementary Education and Literacy offers programs leading to initial Colorado licensure in elementary education. The licensure programs prepare teacher candidates to successfully teach our diverse elementary student population. Consequently, teacher candidates must understand the commonalities and differences in how Elementary children develop their social-emotional and cognitive thinking so they will become successful learners. It is also important that teacher candidates understand the concepts and processes that they will teach to meet district and state learning outcomes. Therefore, MSU Denver teacher candidates take classes across the content areas.

MSU Denver’s Elementary licensure program is structured on the premise that future teachers learn best by practicing with feedback and reflection. As a result, our licensure program requires three field experiences prior to the final full semester of student teaching. Teacher candidates are placed in Elementary schools in the Denver metro area and are required to practice, plan and teach lessons which correspond to their concurrent methods classes. Professors of the classes observe and give constructive feedback to help the licensure candidates further develop the skills and knowledge needed to become successful teachers. Licensure candidates are monitored throughout the program to verify that expectations for licensure standards are being met.

There are multiple options for students seeking to earn an elementary teaching license at MSU Denver.

Undergraduate elementary education students have the option to major in Elementary Education or Human Development with elementary licensure.

Post-baccalaureate teacher candidates complete the licensure portion of the program only.

Our Master of Arts in Teaching allows teacher candidates to earn both their licensure and a master’s degree simultaneously.

The Department of Elementary Education and Literacy also offers a Master of Arts in Teaching: Elementary Education. Please refer to the current graduate catalog for program requirements.