Teacher Education Pathways

Art education (K-12) trains artists/educators in studio skills, art history, and educational theory and methods.

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**Students must seek advising in the School of Music advising office.**

Business education (6-12) prepares students at the secondary level to teach business, marketing, management and technology courses. Business and marketing teachers are in high demand across the country. This program offers an accelerated degree program option. 

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Early Childhood General and Special Education: Birth through Kindergarten program integrates courses focused on child development, diverse family and community relationships, early childhood education, special education, and content area knowledge and pedagogy. It prepares educators to teach and work with young learners and their families, to meet the socio-emotional needs of the whole child, and to implement developmentally appropriate practices and intensive interventions in response to both typical and atypical development.

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Early Childhood General and Special Education and Lower Elementary Education: Birth through Grade 3 prepares candidates for teaching and leadership positions in settings that serve children from birth through 3rd grade. Experienced faculty members mentor candidates to develop an effective balance of research, theory and practice in diverse educational settings. WMU offers multiple clinical experiences and a final internship which are spread across infancy through third grade and take place in private and public settings within diverse communities.

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In the elementary education (PK-3, 3-6), students complete content and methods courses in language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. Students will work with diverse communities on and off campus to continually deepen their commitment to and demonstration of anti-racist, anti-biased and inclusive instruction. Certified teachers are eligible to teach pre-K through 6th grade. 

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Family and consumer sciences teacher education (K-12) prepares students to teach family and consumer sciences curriculum. Family and consumer sciences teachers are in high demand across the country. This program offers an accelerated degree program option. 

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Industrial technology education (6-12) is a program that prepares you to teach industrial technology-type courses. This program offers an accelerated degree program option. 

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Music education (K-12) prepares future choir directors, instrumental directors and general music teachers for a successful career in teaching.

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**Students must seek advising in the School of Music advising office.**

Occupational education studies (6-12) prepares students to teach technical programs at a technical center, comprehensive high school or trade academy. 

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Physical and health education (K-12) promotes health and wellness through movement and exercise as a teacher or coach. Health educators specialize in assisting individuals and schools by preventing and changing negative health behaviors and health outcomes that are linked to disease, disability, and poor quality of live. This program prepares physical and health education students for Michigan teacher certification with a K-12 health and physical education endorsement. 

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Special education (PK-3 elementary education, K-12 special education) is designed to prepare students to assume teaching responsibilities in two certified grade bands: lower elementary, PK-3, and special education learning disabilities K-12. Candidates are also eligible to apply for the accelerated graduate degree program in special education master teacher to take 12 credits toward an endorsement in emotional impairments as part of their undergraduate degree. This program offers an accelerated degree program option. 

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Teaching English to speakers of other languages (PK-3 elementary education, K-12 TESOL) is designed to prepare educators to meet the unique needs of English learners in K-12 schools. The TESOL K-12 major is available for all interested students who are also seeking PK-3 teacher certification. This program offers an accelerated degree program option. 

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In the M.A. early childhood general and special education (B-K) program, students are prepared for work in a variety of early care and classroom settings serving infants through kindergarten-age children. Following completion of the curriculum, graduates can be eligible for an initial Michigan Standard Teaching Certificate with an endorsement in early childhood general and special education: BK (ZN) or for an additional ZN endorsement to a current MI teaching certificate.

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The M.A. in teaching elementary education is a cohort-based program offered in-person at WMU's Main Campus with online coursework options.

The master of arts in teaching elementary education (M.A.T.) (K-5) program is a post-baccalaureate route that prepares students for initial teacher certification. The elementary education program is designed for non-certified elementary education educators. The program is a 16-month cohorted program of study that is offered in-person at WMU's Main Campus with online coursework options.

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The M.A. in teaching secondary education is a in-person cohort based program.

The master of arts in teaching secondary education (M.A.T.) (6-12) is a 13-month master's degree program following successful completion of a content area bachelor's degree and leads to initial teacher certification. Secondary education candidates can enter through two main pipelines: WMU pre-education undergraduate content degree with an education focus, or with a content degree from WMU or an outside accredited institution. 

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The M.A. in teaching special education is a fully online 18 months cohort-based program

In the master of arts in teaching special education (M.A.T.) (K-12) program, students may focus their studies on obtaining a special education teaching endorsement, in-depth study of special education content, or preparation for advanced graduate training. Further, they gain in-field experience supervising teacher candidates, consulting and providing professional development. WMU is the first institution in the state to offer an expedited 18-month master’s level program. 

Students can be certified in one of the following areas:

• Autism
• Emotional impairments
• Learning disabilities

Pathways:

• For candidates who hold a non-teaching bachelors' degree (Expedited; Program for individuals pursuing their initial teaching certification in special education.)
• For candidates who hold an elementary or secondary teaching certificate (Program for individuals seeking their first special education endorsement in either autism, learning disabilities, or emotional impairments.)
• For candidates who hold an elementary or secondary teaching certificate and a special education endorsement (Program for current special education teachers to earn an additional endorsement in autism, emotional impairments, or learning disabilities.)
• For undergraduate special education majors (accelerated graduate degree program)

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The M.A. in workforce education and development program is offered in-person, online and hybrid.

Master of Arts in Workforce Education and Development: Post-Baccalaureate Certification (6-12 or K-12) prepares students to obtain initial teaching certification in one of the following general education endorsements and corresponding CTE endorsement:

• Business, Management, Marketing and Technology (6-12)
• Family and Consumer Sciences (K-12)
• Industrial and Technology Education (6-12)

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This graduate certificate in professional workforce educator consists of nine hours of course work in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences in the College of Education and Human Development. This route allows individuals with a bachelor's degree, work experience, and content in the requested CTE subject to complete the necessary WFED courses to obtain CTE endorsement(s).

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