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School of Education - George Mason University

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.

More Information about the Program

  • 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.

Our Cohort Model

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.

Our Courses

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.

Internship

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.

Licensure Disclosure

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.