51����

 Take Part in Interdisciplinary Projects

Each year, Associate Professor of Science Education Li-Ling Yang partners with Assistant Professor of Engineering Maija Benitz to host the Kid Wind project, bringing hundreds of local fourth graders to campus to learn engineering design principles from 51����education and engineering students.  

"This project benefits both 51����students and the students in the Bristol-Warren school district. My students develop their expertise in creating developmentally appropriate science lessons for elementary students, and Benitz’s students are learning about wind energy,” said Yang. 

“Projects like this get you ready for the real-world in teaching,” said Elementary Education graduate Matt Turo '20. “We’re in charge of making the lessons by ourselves and delivering the information for the students to learn about specific concepts while achieving certain standards. It’s a transition into teaching your own classroom.” 

Study Abroad

Immerse yourself in a new culture and language by studying abroad. 51����has extensive opportunities in different geographic areas, including both short-term and semester-long experiences. Living and learning in another country helps prepare you to work in a culturally diverse setting and teach a global classroom.

Practice Teaching with Groundbreaking Technology 

Gain confidence in your teaching and learn from your mistakes in a safe space through , a virtual teaching simulation program. You’ll practice effective communication and behavior management skills, preparing yourself for success in your student teaching placements and in your career. 51����is the only school in Rhode Island to offer this virtual experience.  

 Learning Outcomes 

The 51����Elementary Education program is designed to meet the learning outcomes as articulated by the Rhode Island Professional Teaching Standards.

Learning Outcomes

 School Placements

We place students at a number of local schools for classroom-based experiences. We partner with schools and their staff to ensure a quality and meaningful experience for both our students and the students at our partner schools. Partner schools run the gamut from urban and suburban schools. Schools we partner with include:

• Alice M. Waddington School, East Providence, RI
• Claiborne Pell Elementary School, Newport, RI
• George J. West, Providence, RI
• Global Learning Charter School, New Bedford MA
• Hugh Cole Elementary School, Warren, RI
• Kent Heights Elementary School, East Providence, RI 
• Kickemuit Middle School, Warren, RI
• Myron J. Francis Elementary School, East Providence, RI
• Pocasset Elementary School, Tiverton, RI
• Rockwell Elementary, Bristol, RI
• Segue Institute for Learning, Central Falls, RI
• St. Philomena School, Portsmouth, RI 
• Tiverton Middle School, Tiverton, RI
• William S. Greene Elementary School, Fall River, MA

Take a look at what our partnership with George J. West looks like. We partner deeply with West to ensure we prepare effective teachers and boost student achievement by aligning our goals and resources with the school.

 Licensure

All teacher education programs at 51���� are approved by the Rhode Island Department of Education. Under the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) agreement, our graduates are eligible for certification in Rhode Island and all other states with the exception of Alaska, Iowa and Minnesota.

51����discloses that the Master of Arts in Special Education and Bachelor of Arts in Education do not satisfy all educational requirements for licensure as an elementary or secondary public-school educator. Certification and licensure requirements are set by the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE), and students interested in learning about RIDE requirements, including state reciprocity policies, should enquire via the  or the students’ resident state websites for the most current information on licensure requirements for educators.

Employment

Because of the broad spectrum of school settings and experiences 51����students explore through four years of field experiences integrated into your curriculum, our graduates are highly skilled and highly valued. Recent 51����graduates have been hired by school districts in the following locations:

Districts

• Achievement First
• Argosy Collegiate Charter
• Barrington RI Public Schools
• Bristol-Warren RI Public Schools
• Boston Public Schools
• Brookline, MA Public Schools
• Denver Public Schools
• Fall River, MA Public Schools
• First Iluminar Mayoral Academy, Providence, RI
• Framingham Public Schools
• Global Charter
• Meeting St.
• Success Academy, Harlam
• Milton, MA public Schools-French Immersion
• Natick MA Public Schools
• New Bedford, MA Public Schools
• Newton, MA Public Schools
• Scituate MA Public Schools
• Providence Public Schools

International

• TASIS/Dorado, PR
• Dominican Republic
• San Salvador, El Salvador
• Bermuda Public Schools
• Madrid, Spain International School

 Customize Your Studies 

Special Education 4 + 1 Program

Recognizing the growing demand for all educators to possess specific skills in supporting students with exceptionalities, the M.A. Special Education program provides a perfect complement to the undergraduate initial teaching certification programs and related degrees offered at RWU. 51����undergraduate students with an interest in working in special education can earn six graduate credits in the M.A. Special Education program during their senior year and continue on in one additional year of full-time study (either elementary or secondary special education).  

Learn about the Special Education Program

Graduate Study

Education never stops. Certified teachers have the opportunity to earn a Master of Arts in Literacy Education from 51����leading to advanced certification as a Reading Specialist (K-12).

And for those who want to earn a master's degree in another subject, our students have found themselves in programs at the following schools:

• Brown University
• Boston University
• Boston College
• Drexel University
• Lesley University
• Louisiana State University
• Merrimack College
• Simmons College
• University of Georgia
• University of Massachusetts: Amherst & Lowell
• University of Rhode Island
• Rhode Island College
• Overseas: University of Edinburgh, NUI in Galway, University College in Dublin

Juris Doctor/Bachelor's 3+3 Accelerated Program (J.D.)

Earn your bachelor’s and juris doctor degrees in six years through RWU’s Three-Plus-Three Law program. You’ll get a jump-start on your J.D. by integrating law courses into your undergraduate studies and completing undergraduate requirements in your first year of law school. Accepted students will take first-year courses in the School of Law along with legal electives to fulfill undergraduate fourth-year requirements. Interested students must indicate their intent to pursue a 3+3 pathway early in their undergraduate studies for curriculum planning and advising.

Learn More About the 3+3 Program

A statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We uphold the inherent dignity of youth. In doing so, we believe equity is central to the endeavor of educating, and that representation AND justice must work in tandem to improve outcomes for marginalized learners.

As a Department of Education, we seek to prepare up-and-coming teachers who:

• are committed to active social justice and anti-racism
• engage in humane interactions with all youth, in service of their well-being
• collaboratively work towards equity in our communities by listening, engaging, and exhibiting humility and courage in equal measure.