For the 16th straight year, "US News & World Report" ranked Michigan State University's Elementary Teacher Preparation Program the #1 elementary teacher education program in America. Michigan State prides itself on offering a rigorous academic program that culminates in a fifth-year internship teaching in Michigan schools. In addition to successful completion of 20 credit hours in elementary education, the program requires graduate-level coursework during the student's internship so that the student can apply classroom theory to the actual elementary school classroom.
Michigan State University
College of Education
501 Erickson Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824-1034
517-355-8332
www.educ.msu.edu
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Second on "US News & World Report's" 2010 ranking of best elementary education programs is the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Admission to the program is competitive, and it takes most students five years to earn their degree in elementary education. The University of Wisconsin-Madison prides itself on training its teachers to adapt their own background and experiences to best serve the needs of a diverse range of learners. Students gain valuable classroom experience during a five-semester professional sequence that may include teaching in schools in Wisconsin or abroad.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
School of Education
123 Education Building
Madison, WI 53706-1398
608-262-2433
www.education.wisc.edu
608-262-3811
The University of Georgia's College of Education offers the third best degree in elementary education, according to "US News & World Report." Students may enroll in the "Early Childhood" (preschool, kindergarten, grades 1-5) or "Middle School" (grades 4-8) programs. In addition to completing general education coursework and courses necessary to their major, students must complete at least one full semester of student teaching in a school setting. The school encourages students with a cumulative GPA of 3.7 and at least 14 hours of graded academic credit to apply to its Honors Program.
University of Georgia
College of Education
G-3 Aderhold Hall
Athens, GA 30602-7101
706-542-1739
www.coe.uga.edu
Teachers College at Columbia University earned the fourth spot on "US News & World Report's" 2010 listing of the top elementary education programs in America. Described on its website as "the nation's oldest and largest graduate school of education," Teachers College offers a master of arts degree that can usually be completed in one academic year, plus one summer term, and prepares students for New York State certification for teaching in elementary or secondary schools. Programs are field based, offering various practicum courses, internships and student teaching.
Teachers College, Columbia University
525 W. 120th Street
New York, NY 10027
212-678-3710
www.tc.columbia.edu
The Peabody College at Vanderbilt University ranked fifth on "US News & World Report's" 2010 listing of best elementary education programs. The major in elementary education at Vanderbilt is, according to its website, "field-oriented and designed to prepare students to teach children in grades K-6." Students begin their classroom observations at local schools during their freshman year of studies. In addition to their elementary education major, students are required to complete a second major in liberal arts, an interdisciplinary major or another major offered by Peabody College.
Vanderbilt University
Peabody College of Education and Human Development
Peabody #329
230 Appleton Place
Nashville, TN 37203-5721
615-322-8410
www.peabody.vanderbilt.edu