Elementary and Middle Grades Education (B.S.E.)

Nationally Recognized Programs

The University of Dayton is the only institution in Ohio that has an A+ rating from National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) in both reading and math, one of just 10 across the entire country. Our program is also rated as "Accredited Plus" by the International Dyslexia Association. The Bombeck Family Learning Center serves as a gold-star demonstration school for students to observe childhood theory and development and is "Accredited Plus" by the National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Educating the Whole Person

The elementary and middle grades education program at UD prepares future teachers through a blend of common academic programming and pedagogical coursework rooted in the Marianist educational philosophy. Marianist institutions emphasize educating the whole person, learning in community, service to others, adaptation and change and a commitment to social justice.

Two Tracks

You can choose the elementary education concentration or middle grades concentration track to prepare for the license you want to acquire.

Elementary Education

Students who choose to study elementary education are passionate about educating the youngest school learners in all content areas.

Middle Grade Education

When you choose the middle grade track, you'll learn the knowledge and skills necessary to educate and support children in their transition from childhood to early adolescence. Candidates in this track select content foci for depth in pedagogy and content teaching.

Teaching Experience

By the time you graduate, you'll have 800+ hours of experience in local schools — double the State of Ohio's minimum requirement.

Classroom observation and field experience begin during year one and continue during years two and three. During year four, you'll participate in student teaching. This full-time teaching experience includes supervision and evaluation to assist you in your continued growth and development as an educator.

Certificates

You will have the option to add a variety of certificates to enhance your professional credentials. Examples might include dyslexia, TESOL, STEM, Urban Teacher Academy and more.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Explore admission options or schedule an academic visit to learn more about elementary and middle grade education at UD.

The elementary and middle grades education program at the University of Dayton prepares future teachers to serve and lead in diverse learning environments. Through a dual-track design, candidates develop strong pedagogical foundations and content knowledge for teaching at elementary and middle grade levels.

Coursework emphasizes a Marianist teacher education foundation, the Common Academic Program curriculum, which supports individual interests and goals while developing foundational habits of inquiry and reflection and teacher education classes in pedagogy and classroom practices.

Students engage in early and sustained field experiences that connect theory to practice and culminate in a semester of student teaching. Completion of the program leads to a Bachelor of Science in Education and meets curriculum requirements for a state of Ohio license to teach in the eligible grade band.

Additional Information

At the University of Dayton, our flexible undergraduate curriculum, known as the Common Academic Program (CAP), encourages you to integrate knowledge — and put it to use.

Wondering how college credits you've already earned (e.g., transfer credit, CCP, AP/IB/CLEP exams) will apply to your undergraduate degree? Use our online Transfer Credit Evaluation tool to find out.

Visit the Academic Catalog for course descriptions, prerequisite(s) and more. Please note this is a new program and major requirements are not yet in the Academic Catalog.

Additional Teacher Education Programs

• Adolescence to Young Adult Education (B.S.E.)
• Intervention Specialist (Special Education) (B.S.E.)
• Secondary Catholic Religion Education (B.S.E.)
• World Language Education - Multi-Age P-12 (B.S.E.)
• Catholic Education (Undergraduate Certificate)
• Dyslexia (Undergraduate Certificate)
• Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (Undergraduate Certificate)
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Undergraduate Certificate)
• Urban Teacher Academy (Undergraduate Certificate)
• Adolescence to Young Adult Education (Graduate Certificate)
• Dyslexia (Graduate Certificate)
• Reading Preparation (Graduate Certificate)
• Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Graduate Certificate)
• Early Childhood Generalist Preparation (Graduate Endorsement)
• P-12 Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Graduate Endorsement)

Related Programs

• Educational Leadership: Literacy (M.S.E.)
• Human Services (M.S.E.)
• School Counseling (M.S.E.)
• School Psychology (M.S.E., Ed.S.)
• Principal Preparation (Graduate Certificate)
• School Counseling (Graduate Certificate)
• Superintendent Preparation (Graduate Certificate)
• Discover Teacher Education

At the University of Dayton, applying is free and test scores are optional. When you apply, you'll automatically be considered for a merit scholarship.

Learn about our admission process, then apply using UD's application or the Common App.

Rooted in our Catholic, Marianist traditions, the University of Dayton is dedicated to being transparent and ensuring student success. And with high graduation rates and post-placement success rates, UD is an excellent value.

To help you cover your costs, a variety of scholarships, grants, loans and part-time student work are available. The University also accepts transfer credits and credit by exam for undergraduates, giving you more flexibility to add a double major or participate in a transformational experience like study abroad or co-op.