Areas of Study

Elementary Education (36 hours)
Elementary Education at Texas State includes early childhood through eighth grade. The M.Ed. degree consists of 27 semester hours in Elementary Education plus a minor of nine hours in an approved area, such as Gifted/Talented or Reading. It is also possible to earn a Master of Arts with a major in Elementary Education. The M.A. degree in Elementary Education, which requires a written thesis, consists of 30 semester hours in Elementary Education plus six semester hours of thesis credit. The CMED program combines initial teaching certification (EC-4 or 4-8) with a Master of Education degree in Elementary Education. The CMED program includes a Methods and Materials cognate instead of a minor.

Elementary Education-Bilingual/Bicultural (36 or 45 hours)
Elementary Education-Bilingual/Bicultural is most appropriate for bilingual individuals who are interested in teaching in K-3rd grade bilingual classrooms. Texas State offers M.Ed. and M.A. degree programs for already certifed teachers and the CMED program for prospective teachers seeking both the EC-4 bilingual generalist certifcate and the M.Ed. degree in Elementary Education-Bilingual/Bicultural.

Elementary Education-Gifted and Talented (36 or 30 hours)
Talent Education at Texas State provides advanced studies for individuals interested in talent development, expertise, creativity, advanced learning, or gifted/talented education. The program is committed to re-imagining education, and the access to meaningful education, for all children. The M.Ed. degree consists of 36 semester hours, including 15 semester hours in Talent Education. The 30-semester-hour M.A. degree requires a thesis.

Elementary Education-Early Childhood Education (36 hours)
Elementary Education-Early Childhood focuses on the education and development of young children, especially those in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten. The M.Ed. degree consists of 24 semester hours and a minor of 12 hours in an approved area such as Gifted/Talented, Reading, Educational Administration, Special Education, or a composite area. A M.A. degree, which includes a thesis, is also offered. Prospective students without an initial teaching certificate should look at the CMED EC-4 Generalist program instead of the degree plan in Elementary Education-Early Childhood Education.

Teacher Fellows
This accelerated mentoring and induction program allows students to complete a Master's degree in 15 months. Application to this cohort program is open to first-year and second-year beginning teachers who are already certified in EC-4. The program, which has long-standing partnerships with many school districts in the central Texas area, provides an integrated curriculum that is focused on principles of constructivist learning, teacher research, project-based learning, diversity, and performance assessment.

TRP Certification with Master’s degree
The Teacher Recruitment Program is an accelerated teacher preparation program that prepares mid-career adults to teach in high-need schools. It is tailored to the constraints of mid-career adults and includes cross-departmental co-teaching, with a focus on strong content knowledge and effective teaching strategies. The EC-4 certification part of the TRP program is designed to lead into a Master's degree program in Elementary Education.