Degrees & Licensure

The Department of Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, Literacy, and Special Education offers degrees & licensure as part of their undergraduate and graduate programming.

Undergraduate Degree Programs

• Education of Young Children (B-K)
  • The Education of Young Children (EYC) program offers a Bachelor of Arts degree leading to Birth through Kindergarten (B-K) teacher licensure in North Carolina. Our program has made special efforts to provide access to teacher education for a very diverse paraprofessional and practicing teacher population.
• Elementary Education (K-6)
  • This degree leads to North Carolina teacher licensure in grades Kindergarten through six. This degree is offered in two tracks:
    • Traditional on-campus
    • Online/ Distance Education
• Middle Grades Education (6-9)
  • This degree leads to North Carolina teacher licensure in grades six through nine.
• Special Education (K-12)
  • Special education prepares teachers to serve children with disabilities from kindergarten through grade 12 in public schools and in various other service agencies. This degree leads to North Carolina teacher licensure in one of two areas:
    • General Curriculum
    • Adapted Curriculum

Undergraduate Minors

• Applied Behavioral Analysis Minor

  • In partnership with the Psychology Department in UNCW’s College of Science and Engineering, we offer the Applied Behavioral Analysis and Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities Minor to better prepare educators to serve individuals with special needs.

Graduate Degree Programs

• Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership, Policy, and Advocacy in Early Childhood
  • This specialization is an interdisciplinary program designed for people who work or wish to work as a leader in the field of family and child advocacy. Information in this degree supports the development of leadership skills to serve in positions within the community, state, and national agencies, in both the public and private sectors that focus on supporting the healthy development, growth, and education of families and children. This specialization provides a grounding in social, historical, philosophical, developmental, educational, and international perspectives of family and child advocacy.
• Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Elementary Education
  • This online program is designed for certified K-6 Teachers seeking to expand their knowledge in the field of elementary education at the graduate level.
• Master of Arts (MAT) in Elementary Education
  • This program is designed for students that already hold a bachelor's degree, but have little or no background in education. Successful completion of the program will lead to NC Elementary Education licensure (K-6) and prepare educators to teach as elementary classroom teachers. This program is offered in both traditional and online formats.
• Master of Education in Language and Literacy

  • The M.Ed. with a specialization in Language and Literacy Education is designed for K-12 teachers who hold (or are eligible for) a North Carolina Class "A" teacher license in education and are seeking to deepen their knowledge about literacy teaching, learning and problem-solving. The program addresses the North Carolina Master's/Advanced Competencies and courses are aligned with both the International Literacy Association’s Standards for the Preparation of Literacy Professionals and the National Board Certification of Teaching for Literacy: Reading-Language Arts Early and Middle Childhood (Ages 3-12). Students in the L&L MAEd program will work on the components of National Boards as class assignments, receive feedback, and be prepared to submit specific components at the end of each semester. UNCW will also fund the submission of two of the four components ($1000).

    The program opens doors for individuals interested in becoming literacy leaders in schools, districts, state and national agencies. Graduates of our program will have a deep understanding of literacy, be prepared to ask good questions, advocate for diverse students, critique the discourse of literacy in schools, and submit your National Boards in Literacy.

• Master of Arts (MAT) in Middle Grades Education
  • The MAT in Middle Grades Education Program is designed for students holding a bachelor's degree who are seeking North Carolina Middle-Level teaching licensure, while simultaneously earning a graduate degree. This 33‐hour program prepares teacher candidates to teach middle grades language arts, math, science and/or social studies. The program of study is offered in both traditional and online formats.
• Master of Arts (MAT) in Art Education
  • The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Art Education is a master’s degree combined with NC K-12 art teacher licensure certification. The program is designed for candidates who already hold a bachelor’s degree in art or related fields and plan to obtain an art teaching licensure to teach art at public schools. The program combines online courses with in-person and hands-on field experience to provide maximum flexibility for working professionals. During the final semester, students will participate in full-time student teaching under the guidance of a mentor teacher and faculty supervisor. Successful completion of the program will prepare students for obtaining NC K-12 art teaching licensure.

Licensure & Certificate Programs

• Community College Teaching in Early Childhood Certificate
  • This 18-credit hour program is designed for professionals in the early childhood field interested in teaching at the community college level. The purpose of this certificate is to provide students in the M.Ed. in LPAEC program a set of courses they can take that could meet the requirement of teaching faculty in the Early Childhood Education program at NC Community Colleges. This certificate can also be taken by students who already hold a master’s degree and want to qualify to teach the Early Childhood Education program at NC Community Colleges. The program is offered completely online and provides flexibility for full-time professionals who may need access to distance education options.
• Elementary, Licensure Only
  • This program is designed for students that already hold a bachelor's degree, and are seeking licensure as an elementary teacher. Please first examine the MAT in Elementary education option.
• Elementary, Math Add-on Licensure
  • Elementary Mathematics Add-on License (EMAoL) for teachers holding an Elementary Education license.
• Reading Specialist, Add-on Licensure
  • This program, offered in conjunction with the Language and Literacy M.Ed. program, is designed for K-12 teachers who would like to pursue graduate-level licensure in Reading (K-12).