College of Education and Human Development

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

English education MEd and teaching license

Our accelerated program will prepare you to step into your classroom with confidence and solid classroom experience. You will complete all of the required coursework and teaching hours for licensure in just 12 months. The license to teach in Minnesota is highly transferable to other states and our candidates are sought after by local school districts.

This is a post-baccalaureate (graduate-level), full-time program. You will earn your master’s of education while teaching in your own classroom, post-licensure.

100% English education graduates found teaching jobs within a year of graduation (2021-22 cohort)

Quote from Madeleine Wolfe, MEd 2020

I was surprised at the wide variety of subjects we studied as part of the program. We learned about pedagogy, educational theory, child psychology with an educational lens, how to teach literature, reading, and so much more! So much goes into being an educator, and faculty at the U of M understand that.

Madeleine Wolfe, MEd 2020 English teacher at Mounds Park Academy St. Paul

About the program

Master's of education

This program includes two components: initial licensure to be an English teacher in Minnesota and a master of education (MEd) degree. The Department of Curriculum and Instruction offers our teacher preparation programs at the graduate level because it affords you the opportunity to master your content knowledge through your undergraduate degree before being placed in a real classroom for an optimal learning experience.

Combining an MEd with your teaching license offers the following advantages:

  • Teachers who have a master's degree are regarded as experts in their field, making you a more competitive job candidate with an MEd 
  • Teachers who have a master's degree will see a roughly $7,000 annual salary increase [Teacher.org]
  • Though the salary increase with a master's degree will vary by district and state, Minnesota teachers are on the higher end of the payscale. The annual mean Minnesota teacher salaries were $64,790 for middle school teachers and $64,960 for high school teachers in 2019 [Bureau of Labor Statistics].
  • Once a teacher is employed, there is much more mobility that comes with a master's degree. Teachers with advanced degrees can be promoted to school administration positions and can become mentors to other teachers based upon their graduate training.  

Coursework

To look at the core curriculum and electives for the program, visit the University course catalog teaching MEd page and it is listed under Requirements, scroll down to select Program Sub-Plan Requirement and then scroll down again to see the English education sub-plan.

Student experience

Our unique co-teaching program and cohort experience will help you gain the confidence you need to start in your own classroom with plenty of support. Learn more about the student teaching experience.

Mission

Our program prepares future middle and high school English teachers to support adolescent learners while exploring the personal and political nature of reading, communication, language, and literacies. Instructors use critical literacy as a catalyst for examining how educational experiences are shaped by race, language, culture, identity, and codes of power. We educate teachers to reflect on these issues with students through literature, writing, discussions, and digital literacies. We cultivate relationships with diverse schools, teachers, and learners committed to engaging communities, enacting social justice, transforming learning experiences, and creating joy.

Timeline

The initial teaching licensure coursework is offered in a full-time, 12-month, graduate-level format integrating educational theory with classroom practice. Courses start in the summer and finish the following summer. Students earning their MEd along with their teaching license can complete 9 additional credits after finishing the licensure part of the program, while teaching in their own classroom. Evening, online, and summer courses are available to complete the MEd coursework after licensure. You have up to three years to complete the required 9 credits to earn your Master of Education.

teachers taking a selfie

Teacher scholars of color program

Do you identify, or are you identified, as a non-majority racial group? Consider participating in the Teacher Scholars of Color program. Students admitted to the MEd and initial teaching license programs have the opportunity to join a community of prospective teachers of color and get paired with a faculty mentor. International students are also welcome to this program. Find out more about the TSoC program.

How to apply

    Application deadline and instructions

    • October 1: MEd/ILP application opens
    • October 4: Scholarship application opens
    • November 30: Priority deadline for a transcript review/prerequisite evaluation
    • December 15: Priority application and scholarship application deadline, elementary education program accepting applications through January 15
    • January 15
      • Deadline for Arts in Education and Elementary education program
      • Final scholarship application deadline
    • March 15 - April 30: Admissions notifications will be sent on a rolling basis between March 15 and April 30. Students waitlisted may receive a notification after April 30.

    Tuition and funding

    To get you started, we have created a tutorial to review your scholarship and financial aid options. Watch the scholarship video tutorial.

    Tuition costs

    All master's degree programs have the same cost per credit hour. The University of Minnesota tuition operates on a credit band where there is a flat rate for tuition each semester when taking 12 - 24 credits.

    Financial aid

    • Apply for financial aid and scholarships when you submit your application
    • Each year we award partial scholarships to qualified teaching candidates. Teaching candidates received over $600,000 in scholarships from CEHD last year.
    • If you intend to teach a high-need subject in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves low-income families, you may be eligible to receive grants of up to $4,000/year. Learn more about the TEACH grant on Onestop under Employment or Service Related.
    • If you plan to teach full-time for five complete and consecutive years in schools that serve low-income families, you may be eligible for loan forgiveness of up to $17,500 through a program administered by the federal government.
    • Learn more about teacher loan forgiveness

    Application requirements

    What we look for

    • A commitment to social justice and equity through working with diverse populations and underrepresented, or marginalized, group
    • A capacity for critical self-reflection
    • How teaching is a thoughtful and informed career choice

    Requirements

    1. Prerequisite evaluation. Prior to applying you will want to work with an MEd advisor to have your transcripts reviewed. The MEd advisors will evaluate your coursework and determine which classes meet licensure-specific prerequisites. (Elementary Education Foundations majors do not need to complete this step).
    2. A bachelor's degree from an accredited U.S. institution, or a comparable degree from a recognized college or university in another country, is required.
    3. A 2.80 GPA or above is required for immediate consideration of your application. If your GPA is less than 2.8, your application will require special review. In this situation, an Extenuating Circumstances statement may be appropriate.
    4. Transcripts. Unofficial transcripts from all previous institutions. Official transcripts aren't required until after you are admitted.
    5. Resume. Tailor your resume to highlight your experiences and achievements working with children and youth.
      Essay. Describe the world you come from--for example, your family, community or school. Tell us about a time when your worldview has informed and/or been challenged by working with children or youth. Reflecting on this and other experiences, how do you hope to grow as a reflective teacher through our program? Please submit an essay that is no longer than five pages, standard font-size, and double-spaced. Include your name at the top of each page.
    6. Letter of recommendation. Ask someone to write your letter of recommendation who can speak to your experience working with children or youth, or who can vouch for your commitment to educational equity. When you apply, list the name and email of your recommender. We will email them with instructions on how to submit their letter into the UMN application system.
    7. Diversity statement. Given the well-documented racial, ethnic, and/or cultural differences between teachers and the students they teach in K-12 spaces, what have you done to further your knowledge and understanding about equity and diversity? How have you demonstrated your learning? Please submit a response that is no longer than two pages, standard font-size, and double-spaced. Include your name at the top of each page.
    8. Extenuating circumstances statement (optional). While this is not required, if there is something on your transcript that does not accurately reflect who you are as a student, please write no more than 500 words documenting unusual circumstances or hardships you have faced and the ways in which you have overcome or responded to them.
      Application fees are $75 for US applicants and $95 for international students.

    The GRE is not required.

    Program Prerequisites

    Before you are admitted to the MEd and Teaching license programs, you must complete some prerequisite coursework, which varies based on the type of license you are seeking. Below, you will find a list of prerequisites listed by license.

        Prerequisites

    Additional admissions information

    Prerequisite evaluations

    Each MEd program requires prerequisite coursework based on content area. View a list of the prerequisites by program area that are required for admission to each teaching MEd and initial teaching license program.

    Submit your unofficial transcript via email to the following contacts based on licensure area:

    Elementary Education Foundations majors do not need to complete this step.

    Transcript evaluations can take up to four weeks to complete; please plan accordingly and request a transcript evaluation well in advance of the November 30 deadline.

    Application instructions

    Utilize the resources below to ensure you have all the required forms and documents needed to apply.

    We are here to help! If you have questions, please contact the advisor who completed your prerequisite evaluation. Email addresses are listed in the prerequisite section above.

    Note: The Dual Language and Immersion license has a separate application process.

    International applicants

    You must get a NACES-approved member organization to complete a course-by-course evaluation of your transcript. Please send the official evaluation to: Department of Curriculum & Instruction c/o Foreign Transcript Evaluations Peik Hall, 125 159 Pillsbury Dr. SE Minneapolis, MN 55455

    Non-native English speakers must submit an official score from one of the following exams: TOEFL, IELTS or MELAB.

    Fore more information on this requirement and how to subnit your scores, please visit the Graduate School's English language proficiency page.

    Request information

    We're here to help. Simply complete one of these forms and a member of our department will be in touch