The school of education at Carlow University focuses on practical experience for future teachers, with degrees offered in early childhood, elementary school, middle school or special education as well as secondary certification. Students spend time as classroom observers in addition to 16 weeks of student teaching. Classes include content, assessment, educational psychology, child development, technology and literacy. Full-time, in-state tuition for undergraduate students costs just over $11,000/semester as of early 2011.
Students at Chatham University choose a major field of study for certification even if they intend to teach elementary or middle school. The program also includes an optional focus on early elementary teaching intended for instructors from prekindergarten through grade four. Before student-teaching for 14 or 16 weeks, all education students take courses in their majors and in education in addition to general liberal-arts core classes. They must also pass the PRAXIS examination, which meets Pennsylvania Department of Education requirements. Full-time, in-state students pay about $14,000 per semester as of early 2011.
The University of Pittsburgh offers master's degrees and doctorates in administrative areas such as higher education management, school leadership and social educational analysis. Degrees are also offered in health and fitness, exercise physiology and developmental movement, and applied and research psychology. Students can also study for degrees with an instructional focus in content areas, elementary or early childhood levels, special education and languages. Graduate students pay about $17,300/year for in-state, full-time tuition as of early 2011.
La Roche College offers an elementary education degree with a dual credit program that allows students to take up to 15 college credits while still in high school. This option allows them to pay only $100 per credit as opposed to $525 (as of early 2011). Courses for education majors at La Roche include the traditional core liberal-arts subjects plus classes in discipline, assessment and multiculturalism.