The Department of Elementary, Middle Level, & Literacy Education is dedicated to the preparation of teachers and other professionals to work with elementary & middle grades children as well as promoting reading, language development, cognition, and learning skills.

The Elementary Education Program Area offers a program leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education and licensure to teach grades K-6. We also offer a Master’s of Education degree in Elementary Education.

The faculty in the Middle Grades Education programs agree with the experts in middle level education in recognizing that teachers of young adolescents need specialized professional preparation and continuous professional development as they pursue their careers (Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1989; Jackson & Davis, 2000; National Middle School Association, 2003).

The Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Language and Literacy Education addresses the need for conceptual and procedural foundations for decision-making and for specific alternatives within the student's area of professional practice. The M.Ed. programs address the North Carolina Masters/Advanced Competencies requirements.