Licence ès Arts de la Maternelle à la 4e Année, Éducation Élémentaire

Our elementary education degree program prepares students to teach children from Pre-Kindergarten through fourth grade in Pennsylvania's public school systems — and beyond.

Students become eligible to apply for the Instructional I Certificate, issued by the Department of Education of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania if they have:

Successfully completed the program leading to certification;

Passed the required PRAXIS exams; and

Demonstrated competence in student teaching.

In addition to the initial certification program, our elementary education students can simultaneously complete the Pennsylvania Department of Education's special education certification requirements. Learn about the degree requirements required to obtain dual certification.

You will receive a well-rounded education through our core curriculum and classes in the elementary education major. Courses in the program include:

Family and Community Diversity

Reading Methods I and II

Methods of Language Arts

Educational Theories and Practices

Integrating Curriculum and Instruction

High Incidence Disabilities/Autism Spectrum Disorders (dual certification only)

Courses are taught by faculty who have years of real-world experience both as teachers and administrators in the education field.

Our School of Education's Downtown Pittsburgh location brings real advantages. Our students can conduct observations at local schools that are within walking distance of campus. We also place student teachers in local schools.

Throughout its history, Point Park University has taken pride in its urban roots and contributions to the vitality of Downtown Pittsburgh.

It takes a special person to be an educator. You're committed to learning, and you want to make a difference. Point Park University School of Education offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs, including many fully online.

In our undergraduate education programs, you'll set foot in the classroom in your freshman year. We offer degree programs in elementary and secondary education — with the option for special education dual certification and our programs in instructional studies and early childhood education, to see where you want to take your career in the field.

Our fully online graduate education cohort programs are for teachers who want to become principals, curriculum specialists, and leaders in their schools and communities — and for those seeking teaching certification for the first time. You can get certified in a new area or become an expert teacher in your field.

At Point Park University, more students come back to college for second bachelor's degrees and graduate certificates in education than in any other field.

The realization that you belong in front of a classroom can come early or late in your career, but we are ready for you whenever it comes.

Our post-baccalaureate education programs include bachelor's degrees, graduate certificates, and an ABCTE program, all designed with flexible schedules and sensitivity to working students' needs. Even with your busy schedule, we'll get you the classes and the student teaching time you need to become a certified teacher.

Point Park University is the only Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)-the recognized institution in Pennsylvania that offers an American Board for the Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE) program.