Become an Elementary School Teacher

Our Elementary Education program prepares graduates to apply their skills and knowledge to shape the future by educating today’s youth. Students will gain hands-on experience as early as their freshman year observing elementary school teachers and practicing teaching skills in a real school setting, thanks to our partnership with 24 schools in Doddridge, Jackson, Pleasants, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt and Wood counties.

• General Education, C.A.S.
• Elementary Education, A.A.S.
• Elementary Education K-6
• Elementary Education K-6 with Emphasis in Special Education Multi-Categorical K-12
• Elementary Education with Math Emphasis Grade 5 – Algebra I

Our Education program is designed so you may receive a teaching certification to teach all subjects in grades PreK-6. We also offer add-on endorsements that allow you to teach grades 5-9 in a specific content area. Specializations include:
• English
• General Math – Algebra I
• PreK – K
• Science
• Social Studies

The Education Division at WVU Parkersburg was awarded national accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) in 2020. This was for the Education Division’s Elementary Education Program K-6 and the Specializations in English, General Math- Algebra I, PreK-K, Science, and Social Studies. The Emphasis in Special Education was added after the visit. Please go to the following link for more information on WVU Parkersburg accreditation.
https://www.wvup.edu/future-students/academics/education-division/accreditation/

Admission Requirements

Students must apply for admission to program. Applications are due by March 1 for Fall admission and October 1 for Spring admission. The following requirements must be met:

1. Complete at least 45 hours of credit in approved courses. All courses must be college level courses.
2. Maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average (GPA) computed on all coursework, all work attempted in the teaching field, and in professional education, with no grade below a C in any required course.
3. Complete the courses required for admission to program with no grade below a C. These include: COMM 111, EDUC 100, EDUC 200, EDUC 201, ENGL 101, ENGL 102, MATH 121 or higher, and PSYC 241. EDUC 300 is to be taken the semester in which the student applies for admission to program.
4. Pass, at an acceptable level, all portions of the Core Academic Skills for Educators (CASE).*
5. Students who complete the equivalent of EDUC 100, EDUC 200, and/or EDUC 300 at another institution must document the satisfactory completion of required field experiences and complete service learning requirements. Twenty field experience hours required per class.
6. Students must complete a minimum of 50 hours of Service Learning. This includes transfer students.
7. Students must submit a formal letter of application for admission written in cursive. Form is included in packet.
8. Students must complete and pass, at the novice level, the Dispositional Assessment. Form is included in packet. Please sign.
9. Students must present evidence of a recant, clear background check through Wood County schools.
10. Applicant must review, initial, and sign and Acknowledgement of Confidentiality Policy form. Form is included in the packet.

Additionally, the Education program offers a certificate program for currently certified teachers wishing to add a Special Education Multi-Categorical K-12 endorsement to an existing license.
Curriculum Summary Sheet

Our students are required to take licensing exams prior to residency so they will be ready for employment as elementary or special education school teachers the moment they graduate. Not to mention, we are nationally accredited, meaning students will be able to teach throughout the United States upon graduation. Recent WVU Parkersburg graduates have secured full-time positions in Ohio, Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina and even Alaska!

*Core Academic Skills for Educators (CASE)

All students seeking the Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education Degree must pass all sections of the CASE before being officially admitted to the program. The test is in three sections: reading, writing, and mathematics. This test is computer-delivered and can be taken at WVU Parkersburg. Register here. Satisfactory completion of the test is mandated by the West Virginia Department of Education, and portions of the test not passed upon the first attempt may be repeated. A handout is contained in the application packet with possible exemptions to being required to one or more of these three exams. Contact the Education Division Office with any questions.