The Elementary Education PreK-6 Initial Licensure concentration is designed for individuals who hold a baccalaureate degree in any discipline and wish to become an elementary teacher in grades PreK-6. Passing scores on Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators, or equivalent SAT or ACT scores, or passing VCLA scores plus SAT or ACT or Praxis equivalent math scores are required for admission to the program and passing scores on Praxis II, the Reading for Virginia Educators (RVE) and the Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA) are required prior to enrollment in the Graduate Directed Teaching/Professional Semester. An application for the Graduate Directed Teaching/Professional Semester must be completed and filed with the Office of Professional Services by the required date, September 1 (one year before the fall professional semester) or February 1 (one year before the spring professional semester). Please refer to information on the “Graduate Professional Semester ”.
Students must join a professional education organization prior to the Graduate Directed Teaching/Professional Semester and may choose from a variety of content-specific organizations (e.g., National Council of Teachers of Mathematics or the Virginia affiliate) or broad-based education organizations (e.g., National Education Association or the Virginia Education Association).
In order to complete the program and meet current eligibility requirements for the Virginia Postgraduate Professional Teaching License with an endorsement to teach grades PreK-6, the candidate must submit fifty-seven (57) credits of general studies at the undergraduate or graduate level, which can include credits earned in their Baccalaureate degree. These fifty-seven credits must consist of 12 credits in English (grammar & composition, oral communication, and literature); 15 credits in history and social sciences (US history, world history, economics, geography, and psychology); 6 credits in humanities (philosophy and the arts); 12 credits in mathematics (algebra/calculus, geometry, and probability & statistics); and 12 credits in natural sciences (biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science). In addition, students must meet all current Virginia Department of Education licensure requirements in order to be eligible for licensure.
