This four-year bachelor's degree program provides a robust, well-rounded curriculum that includes general and content-specific teaching methods courses and leads to initial licensure in elementary education.
Strong partnerships with local elementary schools ensure that teacher candidates are immersed in classroom settings with elementary students throughout the program. Graduates will be able to recognize and adapt to students’ needs, interests, and readiness levels through innovative, research-based pedagogical practices.
- Graduates of this program earn their initial teaching license upon graduation, enabling them to teach grades PK–6 in the state of Virginia.
- Graduates gain hands-on experience and make a difference through Mason’s local partner schools.
- The Mason Elementary PDS Network is comprised of elementary schools in Fairfax County, Prince William County, Arlington County, Loudoun County, and Manassas Park. In a PDS partnership, the elementary school and the teacher preparation program take joint responsibility for:
- teacher preparation
- faculty development
- enhanced student learning
- inquiry directed at the improvement of practice
- A convenient option for transfer students:
- Transfer students can take advantage of the ADVANCE program to complete an AS in social science at Northern Virginia Community College and then finish the BSEd at Mason within two years.
During their first two years, students are in pre-elementary education status, completing Mason Core, content area, and required foundational education courses. During this time, they have some flexibility in course selection. After official admission to the major, students spend their last two years as part of a cohort, completing a prescribed sequence of upper-level ELED courses that are offered once a year in either the fall or spring. The structure of this program works for students who can enroll full-time and complete the majority of their courses during the day. Students who need to take classes part-time or who need all evening classes, should pursue the ELED Bachelor's to Accelerated Master's (BAM) program instead.
The majority of the ELED courses will meet once per week on Mason’s Fairfax campus or will be blended with a mix of on-campus and online instruction. They require 15 hours of observation in the field, for which students will be assigned to a specific school and classroom teacher in our PDS Network.
Elementary education students engage in a year-long internship experience (student teaching) that spans the fall and spring semesters of their final year. As with field work, internship assignments are made by the program and take place in a PDS Network school.
George Mason University will verify completion of the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) state-approved preparation program at the graduate or undergraduate level. Such verification does not guarantee the issuance of a Virginia Collegiate Professional, Postgraduate Professional, or Pupil Personnel license from the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is solely the student's responsibility to comply with all requirements for licensure by the Commonwealth. Under Virginia law, a social security number is required for licensure.
This program has been identified by George Mason University as one that may lead to a career requiring professional licensure/certification. Federal regulations require Mason to disclose information as to whether this program meets/does not meet the educational requirements for licensure/certification in your state, or whether such a determination has not been made. Please consult our Licensure Disclosure Tool for the disclosure statement specific to your desired state/program combination.
Mason Core (37-38 credits)
Major Course Requirements (60 credits)
- ELED 242: Foundations of Elementary Education (3 credits)
- ELED 305: Foundations of Elementary Methods and Management (3 credits)
- ELED 390: Clinical Experience: Theory to Practice Integration, Part 1 (2 credits)
- ELED 391: Clinical Experience: Theory to Practice Integration, Part 2 (1 credit)
- ELED 401: Classroom Management and Instructional Strategies for Diverse Learners (3 credits)
- ELED 402: Differentiating Elementary Methods and Management (3 credits)
- ELED 410: Emergent and Early Literacy (3 credits)
- ELED 411: Reading Development, Processes, Assessment, and Pedagogy (3 credits)
- ELED 412: Writing Development, Processes and Pedagogy (3 credits)
- ELED 421: STEM in the Elementary Classroom (3 credits)
- ELED 443: Children, Family, Culture, and Schools, 4-12 Year Olds (3 credits)
- ELED 452: Mathematics Methods for the Elementary Classroom (3 credits)
- ELED 453: Science Methods for the Elementary Classroom (3 credits)
- ELED 454: Methods of Teaching Social Studies and Integrating Fine Arts in the Elementary Classroom (3 credits)
- ELED 459: Researching Problems of Practice in Elementary Education (3 credits)
- ELED 480: Practicum in Elementary Education (3 credits)
- ELED 490: Internship in Elementary Education (3 credits)
- EDUC 301: Educating Diverse and Exceptional Learners (3 credits)
Elementary Ed Program Elective (choose one course):
Electives
Students can select 25-26 credits of electives. They are encouraged to use these to fulfill endorsement requirements.
Total credits: 120
Freshman
- Non-Binding Early Action Deadline: November 1
- Regular Decision Deadline: January 15
Transfer
- Fall Priority Deadline: March 1
- Spring Priority Deadline: October 1
For more information and to apply, visit the admissions website.
All students begin in pre-Elementary Education status and must complete the application to the major and meet the eligibility criteria before receiving full admission to the major.
Students who enter Mason as freshmen can be ready to apply to the major by the end of their sophomore year. Transfer students must receive admission to the University prior to applying to the major. The application is open once per year between May and August.
Eligibility Requirements
- 2.5 cumulative GPA or higher
- Within 9 credits of completing the Mason Core (excluding the synthesis/capstone requirement).
- Completion of an official Content Area Endorsement review. This is a multi-step process that begins online and requires a meeting with Mary Slone, the Content Area Advisor. Visit the Content Area Review website for more information.
All students who meet the eligibility criteria above by the August 1 deadline will be admitted.
Application Process
- Complete the application to the major by August 1.
- A decision email will be sent to your Mason email address within 2 weeks. If you are admitted, it will contain your cohort assignment and ELED course registration details for the fall.
- Attend the mandatory program orientation at the beginning of the fall semester.
- Admitted students will complete the program as part of a cohort, enrolling in ELED courses full-time each fall and spring for two years.
APPLY NOW
Learn about submission deadlines and admissions requirements using the links below:
| TUITION CLASSIFICATION |
COST PER CREDIT |
| Virginia Resident |
$575.50
(includes MSF*) |
| Non-Virginia Resident |
$1,582.50
(includes MSF*) |
CEHD Course Fee
($25/credit with higher per credit or flat course fees for internship and select ATEP, RECR, and RMGT courses) |
$25.00 - $257.00 |
| Total Cost for Virginia Residents per Credit |
$600.50 - $832.50 |
| Total Cost for Non-Virginia Residents per Credit |
$1,607.50 - $1,839.50 |
Undergraduate New Student Fee
(non-refundable, one-time fee) |
$360 | $285 for transfer students |
Please Note: Refer to the Students Accounts Office website for more information on tuition and fees. Various course and lab fees may be assessed depending on the course(s) in which the student is enrolled.
*Mandatory Student Fee (MSF): $155.00
For information on loans and scholarships, visit the Office of Student Financial Aid. For information regarding grants, tuition waivers, and other merit aid, please inquire with your graduate department. Also, many school districts offer tuition reimbursement options. Speak to your employer for more information.
You should meet with your academic advisor at least once per semester to ensure that you are on track to complete your program successfully. Your advisor can do more than simply help you understand your program requirements; she can connect you to university resources that can aid in your success and can help you find ways to become engaged in learning outside of the classroom.
Elementary Education Academic Advisor
Valerie Bartush
Thompson Hall, Suite 1400
vbartush@gmu.edu
703.993.3931
Prepare for your Appointment
To make the most of your time with your advisor, please prepare for your appointment ahead of time. Here are some tips on how to do that:
- Plan ahead: Schedule your appointment prior to your registration time ticket so you have a plan ready and know which courses you should take next when it’s time to register.
- Make a list of questions: Review your degree evaluation in Patriot Web and look at the 4-year plan for your major. If you've met with your advisor once, you should have a personalized completion plan that you are expected to save, review and reference. Write down any questions you have before coming to the appointment.
- Be informed: Students who've been admitted into a cohort should review program information that's available in the ELED Blackboard organization site. If you are interested in doing anything outside of the ordinary (e.g. taking a class somewhere other than Mason, withdrawing from a class, repeating a course, adding a minor), please review academic policies. The best source for policy information is the University Catalog. CEHD has also created both an undergraduate and a graduate policy page that contains some of the policies most frequently encountered by students.
Schedule an Appointment
Elementary Education advising is available both in-person and virtually. To schedule an advising appointment, please use the Navigate Mason scheduling system. Click here to access the ELED advisor's calendar in Navigate.
- Follow the prompts and select the type of advising service you want.
- Select the date and time that works for you.
- You will receive an email confirmation. If the appointment is virtual, you'll receive a calendar invitation with the zoom link prior to the appointment.
Policies and Procedures
Elementary Education Program Student Ambassadors
These student leaders assist with university and college recruitment events and plan professional development and social events for their peers in the program.
Elementary Education
School of Education
4400 University Drive, MS 4B3
Thompson Hall, 1800
Fairfax, VA 22030-4444
Phone: (703) 993-3696
Fax: (703) 993-2013
Audra Parker
Academic Program Coordinator
Courtney Baker
Mandy Bean
Stephanie Dodman
Andrew Gilbert
Lois Groth
Jennifer Hathaway
Elizabeth Levine-Brown
Allison Parsons
Seth Parsons
Debra Sprague
Jennifer Suh
Theresa Wills