The Elementary and Middle Education (K-9) Program prepares individuals to meet the needs of diverse populations in a regular education setting from kindergarten through ninth grade. Clinical and student teaching experiences occur mainly in urban settings and take place in close partnership with local school districts.

Candidates successfully completing the Elementary and Middle Education (K-9), program will receive a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Education and endorsement to be licensed to teach in the State of Wisconsin from four-year-kindergarten through ninth grade. Individuals are licensed to teach any subject, except world language, in a self-contained classroom, and may teach language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies in a departmentalized setting.

Requirements

General Education Requirements (GERs)

UW-Milwaukee has General Education Requirements that must be met in order to earn a bachelor’s degree. Some of the requirements of your program may fulfill the campus GERs. Please review the requirements and consult with your academic advisor.  

Below is a list of GER courses that are highly recommended for students interested in the Elementary and Middle Education program.

Students must meet certain criteria and apply to their specific licensure program in addition to admission to UWM. Please see information about minimum credits, GPA, and other requirements at Advance to Professional Sequence.

Program Core

Program core is comprised of foundational courses and should be completed prior to beginning the professional education semesters.

Concentration Area Requirements

First-degree students must choose a concentration area from the list (Mathematics, English Language Arts, Science, Social Studies).

Professional Sequence

A grade of C or better is required in professional sequence coursework to advance in the program. No courses may be taken for credit/no credit.

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Students must complete an application in order to be assigned a student teaching placement. To be approved for placement, additional criteria must be met. See Benchmarks for details.

Requirements for Graduation

For information on credit, GPA, and other requirements for graduation, see UWM Degree Requirements.

• Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 in all UWM and transfer courses.
• Demonstrate successful completion of the Pedagogical Knowledge Assessment (PKA).
• Meet all applicable Wisconsin statutory and testing requirements.
• Complete approved coursework in the history, culture, and tribal sovereignty of American Indian tribes and bands located in Wisconsin, met through one of the following:

Advance to Major

Advance to Professional Sequence

• Mandatory meeting with advisor in the semester prior to applying to the program.
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in all UWM and transfer courses.
• Completion of CURRINS 300 with a grade of B or better.
• Completion of MATH 175 and Oral and Written Communication Part A/OWC-A (or score of 4 or higher on English placement test) requirements with a C or better.
• Successful application.
• Final candidate selection completed by program committee, and is contingent upon available space in the program.
• Advisor approval to proceed into the professional education semesters.

Advance to Professional Sequence-Second Degree and Post-Baccalaureate

For individuals with a bachelor's degree.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Mandatory meeting with advisor prior to applying to the program.
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in all UWM and transfer courses.
• Successful application.
• Final candidate selection completed by program committee, and is contingent upon available space in the program.

Criminal Background Check

Criminal Background Check (CBC). For all students, a background check shall be completed no more than 6 months prior to the date of admission (advance to professional sequence) into the educator preparation program. The background check shall include a review of criminal conduct at the state and federal levels.

Benchmarks

Student Teaching

Students must complete an application to request/be assigned a student teaching placement. Deadlines for submission are posted by the Office of Clinical Experiences.

To be approved, students must ALSO meet the following criteria:

• Be advanced to the professional sequence.
• Satisfactory completion of field evaluation in CURRINS 406.
• A grade of C or better in required professional semesters 1, 2, and 3 coursework.
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 in all UWM and transfer courses.
• Removal of all F or I (incomplete) grades in required program courses.
• Passing score or evidence of attempt on the Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Test.
• Demonstration of content knowledge proficiency with a GPA of 3.0 or higher in required coursework OR Passing score on the Praxis Subject Assessment exam: Middle School: Content Knowledge.
• Updated TB test results submitted to the Office of Clinical Experiences (may take up to 6 weeks).
• Updated Criminal Background Check submitted to the Office of Clinical Experiences.

Content Knowledge for Subject Area

Students must earn a minimum GPA of 3.0 in content area courses or earn a passing score on the appropriate Praxis II test.

Undergraduate Advising

Our purpose is to provide collaborative, mentoring relationships which promote educational, career, and professional development. We value a student-centered, holistic, and ethical approach to advising based on strong partnerships with students, faculty and staff, and the larger campus community. We are committed to creating a respectful and supportive environment. We encourage students to be self-reliant through informed decisions and choices based upon dissemination of accurate information. We value our own continuous professional development to enhance the quality of the advising experience.

How to Prepare for an Advising Meeting

• Review your Advisement Report in PAWS.
• Come prepared with questions or topics for discussion.
• Make a list of courses you think you should take.
• Investigate opportunities to prepare for the job you want.
• Keep a record of your academic progress.
• Understand you are ultimately responsible for creating your educational, life, and career plans.
• Maintain honest and open communication with your advisor.
• Take responsibility for choices you make as a student and member of the UW-Milwaukee community.

Scheduling an Appointment

Office of Student Services
Enderis Hall, Room 209
(414) 229-4721
soeinfo@uwm.edu

Graduate Advising

If you are a School of Education graduate student, you may schedule an appointment with your faculty advisor by contacting your faculty advisor directly. Faculty contact information can be found in the Directory. Your faculty advisor will be listed in your PAWS account. 

Honors in the Department of Teaching and Learning

Departmental Honors are granted to students who have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester.

College of Community Engagement and Professions Dean's Honor List

GPA of 3.750 or above, earned on a full-time student's GPA on 12 or more graded credits in a given semester.

Honors College Degree and Honors College Degree with Distinction

Granted to graduating seniors who complete Honors College requirements, as listed in the Honors College section of this site.

Commencement Honors

Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.500 or above, based on a minimum of 40 graded UWM credits earned prior to the final semester, will receive all-university commencement honors and be awarded the traditional gold cord at the December or May Honors Convocation. Please note that for honors calculation, the GPA is not rounded and is truncated at the third decimal (e.g., 3.499).

Final Honors

Earned on a minimum of 60 graded UWM credits: Cum Laude - 3.500 or above; Magna Cum Laude - 3.650 or above; Summa Cum Laude - 3.800 or above.