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Department of Teaching and Learning
Teaching and Learning
News
Peabody becomes first university sponsor of Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program
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Project Lift Off prepares pre-k grads for kindergarten
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Vanderbilt University celebrates 30th anniversary of Peabody merger with six new endowed chairs
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Events
12/03/09
Graduate Admissions Online Chat Session
General admissions Q&A for prospective graduate and professional students
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Master's Degree + Teacher Licensure
If you are seeking a career in education after obtaining a four-year liberal arts degree that did not include teacher licensure, you may complete requirements for teacher licensure in elementary education or secondary education at the same time you are attaining your master of education degree in one of those areas.
One-semester Teaching Internship
This track offers course work and practica in a variety of school settings culminating in a one-semester student teaching experience. Depending on when a student starts the master's program, the course work and one-semester teaching experience may be completed is as few as fourteen months. Check program area options. The one-semester internship is available for students seeking the master of education degree and licensure in elementary or secondary education.
Note: The master of arts in teaching is offered by the Graduate School of Vanderbilt University. It requires a minimum of 36 hours, 18 of which are in the content area for which teacher licensure is offered. Applications are submitted directly to the Vanderbilt Graduate School.
Licensure Requirements
Professional education courses required for licensure will be included in your master's degree. We will conduct an audit of your transcript to determine if you are lacking any liberal arts courses that are necessary for licensure in addition to the master's program requirements. A typical deficiency is the lack of an American history course.
You may seek teacher licensure in the following areas:
- elementary education (grades K-6)
- secondary education (grades 7-12) with endorsement in English, math, French, Spanish, biology, chemistry, physics, earth/space science, history, and political science
The one-semester teaching program provides opportunity for prospective teachers who already have a bachelor's degree without licensure to complete a master of education degree and requirements for initial licensure in early childhood education, elementary education, or secondary education. This track offers course work and practica in a variety of school settings culminating in a one-semester student teaching (internship) experience.
One-semester Student Teaching Program Details
- The program attracts those who change careers to go into teaching and also is available to recent graduates with bachelor's degrees.
- The elementary and secondary programs are ranked within the top ten graduate programs nation-wide.
- In addition to course work, master's students become acquainted with partner schools through a minimum of fifty hours of field experiences prior to student teaching.
- According to the State of Tennessee guidelines, student teaching is a fifteen-week semester experience, with each student teacher working in two different student teaching placements during the semester.
- Students seeking licensure are required to go through a screening process whereby they are recommended for student teaching by their program faculty. The semester prior to the one in which a student plans to student teach, he/she must apply for student teaching (Screening II).
- Students are evaluated on their academic performance in their course work and on their teaching dispositions as evidenced in their fieldwork performance. Teaching candidates must meet grade point requirements and PRAXIS-National Teacher Examinations.
- Students also must pass the departmental comprehensive examination that is required for the master of education degree.
For assistance or answers to questions about licensure, students are invited to use the services of the Office of Teacher Licensure.