PSU’s Elementary Education bachelor’s degree offers you a direct path to become a teacher in Oregon — and gives you the opportunity to make an impact in the lives of children and their families.
In our immersive program, you’ll learn to work with youth and discover how to take an anti-racist approach to teaching. You’ll develop specialized expertise in social emotional learning, the science of reading, and working with multilingual learners. As you gain the skills and knowledge to enter the education field, you’ll learn to lead in the classroom.
You’ll also:
- Get hands-on experience working with students through a year-long student teaching placement and additional opportunities to observe and help in classrooms.
- Receive valuable instruction and mentorship from faculty who are also experienced elementary school teachers.
- Learn how to design and implement lesson plans that encourage creativity, build community, and help students make meaningful progress toward learning goals.
- Discover practices to build partnerships with families and community members.
- Engage in a teaching style that honors the strengths, culture, and background of your students and their families.
Whether you’re a returning student seeking a career change or a high school student exploring your options, our elementary education program will give you the opportunity to do meaningful work, and stand out in a high-demand field. It will also prepare you to earn your Oregon Teaching License when you receive your undergraduate degree, helping you begin a meaningful career as soon as you graduate.
Our elementary education program is one of many ways you can become a teacher at PSU. The elementary education minor will benefit you if you plan to enter human service careers or are interested in understanding education systems.
In addition to being admitted to PSU, you must also apply separately to the Bachelor's in Elementary Education program. The Elementary Education program only admits students once a year for fall term. We encourage you to start planning your application to the program in your sophomore year. Review the admissions information for more details.
If you have already earned a bachelor’s degree, your path to becoming an elementary teacher is through PSU's Master’s in Elementary Education.
We’re filling the gaps in local schools by preparing the next generation of impact-driven educators. Our dynamic coursework combines collaborative learning with engaging readings and podcasts and opportunities to work directly with children in schools. Program faculty are experts with extensive classroom experience, advanced degrees, and knowledge in equity-based anti-racist professional development.
PSU has a history of educating high-quality teachers who have a deep toolbox of teaching techniques and a strong commitment to equity, inclusion, and social justice.
Our reputation as a standout teacher preparation program has helped us build an extensive network of partnerships with local schools and school districts — and get our graduates jobs. Principals around the region seek out PSU teacher candidates for student teaching placements and teacher positions, particularly in Portland Public Schools, Oregon’s largest school district.
We also offer you:
- A seamless transfer: We provide multiple pathways into the program and make it easy to transfer to PSU. The program is designed to assist transfer students who complete the appropriate prerequisites before enrolling to enter the elementary education program and begin upper division courses immediately.
- Flexible and accessible classes: You’ll enjoy a flexible pace, accommodating class schedule, and mix of on-campus and online class sessions. Our dynamic coursework combines opportunities to build community face-to-face with the convenience of learning from home via Zoom.
- Specialized skills for teaching multilingual learners: Your coursework will prepare you to work with students who are learning English as an additional language. We’ve built this specialization into our program so you earn an endorsement to teach English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) when you graduate, broadening your skills and career prospects.
With an elementary education degree, you’ll earn your Oregon Teaching License and enter the education field from the moment you graduate. You’ll have the skills and qualifications to teach in Oregon, and in all 50 states. (Each state has its own set of requirements for out-of-state applicants.)
And with your ESOL endorsement, you’ll be prepared to support the growing number of students who are learning English, either in the general education classroom or as a specialist in English language development.
Our graduates go on to work in the education field as:
- K-5 teachers in public or private school settings
- English language development teachers in public schools
- After school program directors
- Leaders in education-focused nonprofits
- Instructional coordinators
- Curriculum developers
- Child care center administrators
- Consulting educators
- Camp directors
Students who are interested in careers focused on helping people or in working in elementary schools in a non-teaching capacity would benefit from earning a minor in elementary education. They can pair the minor with majors in other fields to gain the broad knowledge base for supporting students and help understanding education systems.
Whether you want to teach 3rd grade or run an afterschool program, PSU’s elementary education program will help you develop your skills and expand your opportunities in the field.