About The Program
Virginia’s elementary schools are calling for strong, dynamic teachers—and the Graduate Certificate in Teaching Elementary Education helps prepare individuals to take on these in-demand roles. This program goes beyond the basics, immersing you in the core content areas of science, reading, social studies, and mathematics while sharpening your skills to truly inspire young learners.
But it doesn’t stop there: you’ll gain real-world, hands-on experience through a one-year residency in high-needs schools with the RTR Teacher Residency program or by leading your very own classroom as a provisionally licensed teacher. With expert guidance, practical training, and the chance to make an immediate impact, you won’t just be learning, you’ll be transforming classrooms and changing lives.
Career Paths
- Preschool Teacher
- Kindergarten Teacher
- Elementary School Teacher (Grades 1-6)
- Special Education Teacher
- Teacher's Assistant/Paraprofessional
- Early Childhood Program Director
- Childcare Center Director
- Educational Consultant
- Curriculum Developer
- Nanny or Private Tutor
- Family Support Specialist
- Educational Administrator
- Reading Specialist
- After-School Program Coordinator
- Child Life Specialist
- Elementary School Librarian
- Instructional Coordinator
- Literacy Coach
- Youth Program Director
- Camp Director
At a Glance
Degree Earned
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate
Credits: 27
Application Semesters and Deadlines
Fall: June 1
Spring: November 1
Summer: February 1
Late applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Program Modality
Online and in-person*
*A minimum number of students is required to administer an in-person cohort.
Estimated Completion Time
Full-time (9-15 credits): average completion in 3 semesters
Part-time (1-8 credits): average completion in 5 semesters
Already have a bachelor's degree? We teach you to be a teacher, so you can meet Virginia's provisional licensure. Our focus is on urban and high-needs schools.
Admission requirements
| Degree: | Semester(s) of entry: | Deadline dates: | Test requirements: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Summer | Apr 1 | VCLA (for any semester of entry) |
| Fall | Jun 1 | ||
| Spring | Nov 1 |
In addition to the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School, the following requirements represent the minimum acceptable standards for admission:
- Acceptance into the RTR program or verification and recommendation from hiring school district of employment in a Virginia school as a provisionally licensed teacher in elementary education
- A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university with no more than nine credits of content courses needed to meet state licensure requirements
- Three letters of recommendation addressing the student’s potential for graduate study in education
- Statement of intent
- Transcripts of all previous college work
- Satisfactory scores on the VCLA
Prospective students interested in the RTR program should contact teachrtr@vcu.edu for additional details on admission into the RTR program.
Please visit the School of Education website for further information.
Degree requirements
In addition to general VCU Graduate School graduation requirements, students are required to complete course work in core and elective courses.
- Credit hour requirements: Students are required to complete a minimum of 27 credit hours.
- Grade requirements: Receipt of a grade of C or below in two courses requires review of the student’s academic progress. Courses with a grade below C cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements.
- Internship requirements: Students must complete an internship or residency in an approved school.
Curriculum requirements
The curriculum for the Graduate Certificate in Teaching Elementary Education is designed to help hard-to-staff schools meet their critical teaching shortages in elementary education through a year-long residency experience or within their own accredited school classroom. The focus of the required course work will be content, pedagogy and assessment. The courses will prepare students to understand how to meet the needs of all students.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDUS 665 EDUS 665. Assessment Issues and Design for Classroom Practice and Education Policy. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. This course explores all aspects of assessment that a teacher encounters in prek-12 educational settings and in doing so provides a strong foundation for emerging educational researchers and evaluators in the area of assessment. Classroom discussion will focus on current assessment theories, dimensions of assessment literacy and assessment strategies used to monitor and measure student learning in today’s classrooms -- including students with and without disabilities and English language learners, as well as accounting for students’ diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences. Assessments at all stages of instruction (before, during and after), including formal and informal assessments and their applications in, and for, inclusive educational settings will be discussed. Particular attention will be paid to the ways in which teachers can gather and use assessments to make decisions to support effective instruction and intervention to support student growth and learning. Specifically, the course will explore the relationships among content standards, instruction and assessment, as well as ways to use a variety of assessments to monitor student progress. The course emphasizes making valid inferences from assessments in a variety of formats, understanding the legal and policy context of assessment, and the implications for appropriate grading practices and decision-making. | Assessment Issues and Design for Classroom Practice and Education Policy | 3 |
| EDUS 673 EDUS 673. Democracy, Equity and Ethics in Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. This course is designed to engage participants in a critical exploration of education issues and inequities within sociocultural, historical and philosophical contexts. Students will examine the relationship between an increasingly diverse society and democracy in education. The course will also develop strategies for participants to understand the ethical obligations of educational professionals and to become active agents for democratic, equity-oriented schools. | Democracy, Equity and Ethics in Education | 3 |
| TEDU 511 TEDU 511. Curriculum and Instruction in Elementary Classrooms. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students enrolled in the RTR program or provisionally licensed teachers. This course is designed to support students to understand and use developmentally appropriate instructional methods to teach today’s diverse students. The course will explore multiple curriculum models as well as Virginia’s Standards of Learning and the Early Learning and Development Standards as the foundation for making strong and informed instructional decisions. | Curriculum and Instruction in Elementary Classrooms | 3 |
| TEDU 517 TEDU 517. Science Education in the Elementary School. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisite: TEDU 511 or permission of the instructor. A course designed to renew and/or expand teachers' knowledge and skills in the teaching of science in the classroom and the community. New materials and methodologies will be examined in the light of current trends, research findings and professional recommendations. | Science Education in the Elementary School | 3 |
| TEDU 522 TEDU 522. Teaching Mathematics for Elementary Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisite: TEDU 511 or permission of the instructor. Emphasis on current instructional strategies, learning theories and manipulative materials appropriate for teaching mathematics to children. The content focus is on the primary and elementary grades. | Teaching Mathematics for Elementary Education | 3 |
| TEDU 561 TEDU 561. Literacy Foundations and Language Acquisition. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. The purpose of the course is to provide an understanding of the theories, processes and methodologies of literacy instruction and children’s language acquisition. Multidisciplinary, multicultural aspects of literacy instruction are stressed. Topics of particular importance to the classroom teacher are emphasized, including reading, writing, listening and speaking and digital literacies. The course will provide a foundation in the following areas: oral language, phonological/phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary and writing. | Literacy Foundations and Language Acquisition | 3 |
| TEDU 566 TEDU 566. Diagnosis and Remediation in Reading. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 2.5 lecture and 0.5 practicum hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisite: TEDU 426 or TEDU 561. Studies reading problems by focusing on reading diagnosis and correction related to classroom and clinic. Involves evaluating and tutoring individuals with reading difficulties. A supervised practicum is a course component that includes site-based requirements. | Diagnosis and Remediation in Reading | 3 |
| TEDU 588 TEDU 588. Classroom Management. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Designed to assist teachers in becoming effective classroom managers. Emphasis on application of classroom management, motivational and instructional theories. Models of classroom management explored; personal management plans developed. | Classroom Management | 3 |
| TEDU 591 TEDU 591. Social Studies Education in the Elementary School. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisite: TEDU 511 or permission of the instructor. A course designed to renew and/or expand the knowledge and skills of the classroom teacher in the teaching of social studies. Curriculum emphasis on the development of knowledge, skills, values and attitudes will be examined in the light of professional recommendations, current trends and research findings. | Social Studies Education in the Elementary School | 3 |
| Total Hours | 27 | |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this certificate is 27.
The VCU Bulletin is the official source for academic course and program information.