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- QUICK LINKS
- Programs
- Courses
- Tuition
- How to enroll
- Career services
Looking for inspiration? Find programs and careers based on your skills and interests.
844-937-8679
online certificate degree
Graduate Initial Teacher Certificate/Elementary Education
Graduate Initial Teacher Certificate/
Elementary Education
Start your online elementary teacher certificate
Turn your passion for teaching into a career. This 15 month program is a first step to teacher licensure, even if you don’t have teaching experience. The program combines academic theory and coursework with a clinical component made up of student teaching and field experiences. Credits from this certificate can apply toward a Master of Arts in Elementary Education.
Transfer credits
Your eligible transfer credits could cover up to 75% of your bachelor's degree.
Scholarships
Explore over $1 million in scholarship opportunities for new or transfer students.
Apply free
No application fee
No SAT/ACT
No essay required
Ignite Your Passion
Start when you're ready
Courses
Browse courses for your online elementary teacher certificate
Education should hold practical value. That’s why our courses meet rigorous academic standards and provide you with skills and knowledge immediately applicable to your career.
Look for this icon to see which skills you’ll learn in a course.
Requirements: 27 credits
You’ll need 27 credits to complete the Graduate Initial Teacher Certificate/Elementary Education.
Schedule
Attend class whenever it fits your life, day or night because our online classroom is available 24/7/365. Your academic counselor will help schedule your courses for a Graduate Initial Teacher Certificate/Elementary Education.
Plus, you’ll find support from our dedicated education program specialists who work with you 1:1 during your 100 required hours of clinical experience (or more if required by your state) and a minimum of 12 weeks of clinical practice (or more if required by your state). Our education program specialists also help you navigate your state licensure requirements for teacher certification, and can help with questions along the way.
COE Central
College of Education students will find many helpful resources on COE Central. Program handbooks provide a wealth of information on topics such as professional expectations, clinical experiences, clinical practice, internships, edTPA and much more. Milestone roadmaps, technology and multimedia resources, and various toolkits are also available.
Licensure Requirements
The Graduate Initial Teacher Certificate - Elementary Education prepares candidates for initial teacher licensure as an elementary school teacher. Program requirements may change based upon state agency licensure requirements and they can be found on our teacher licensure page. Please check this list regularly prior to contacting your state agency for state-specific requirements.
Program Purpose Statement
The Graduate Initial Teacher Certificate-Elementary Education Certificate is a graduate level certificate program intended to prepare students with no prior teaching experience for initial teacher licensure. The certificate program is designed for students who want to become elementary education teachers. Candidates for this certificate program have already earned a bachelor's degree. The certificate program includes a clinical component requiring field experiences and student teaching above and beyond program coursework.
Earn career-relevant skills in weeks – not years.
Learning shouldn’t take years to put into practice. That’s why we’re empowering you to build career-relevant skills with every five- to six-week course.
We’ve worked with labor market researchers like Lightcast to find in-demand skills for occupations and mapped those to our related associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.
Tuition
Fixed, affordable tuition
Lock in the peace of mind that comes with fixed, affordable tuition. You’ll enjoy one flat rate from the moment you enroll until the day you graduate from your program. That’s your Tuition Guarantee.
| COA Components | Grad Cert Education⁴ Licensure/Certification |
|---|---|
|
Tuition and Fees¹
|
$12,960
|
|
Books, course materials, supplies and equipment
|
$1,632
|
|
Transportation
|
$1,632
|
|
Miscellaneous personal expenses
|
$660
|
|
Living Expenses²
|
|
|
Food
|
$3,180
|
|
Housing³
|
$6,144
|
|
Federal student loan fees
|
$96
|
|
Professional Licensure/certification⁵
|
$510
|
|
Dependent care expenses
|
$0
|
|
Disability related expenses
|
$0
|
|
Total COA
|
$26,814
|
|
|
1The tuition component is based on a per credit weighted average for the credential level across the entire University.
2The University allows the same living expense amounts for students in all living arrangements and dependency statuses.
3The living expense component for students receiving Military Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) only includes an allowance for food.
4The figures provided are illustrative and based on 24 graduate credits; the actual COA will be based on the specific length of the program in which the student is enrolled.
5The licensure/certification component included in the final academic year of the program is an average of fees charged by all states the program is offered in by credential level and college.
Scholarships
Starting with your first course, every new, qualifying student will be awarded up to $1,000 to up to $3,000. Because scholarships shouldn’t just be for the chosen few – they should be accessible to all working adults, like you.
$1 Million
In scholarship opportunities
Financial aid
You have options when it comes to paying for college tuition and expenses, such as federal grants and loans. Our finance advisors can answer your questions about financial aid and can help guide you through the process.
Federal Student Loan Basics
Careers & Outcomes
What can you do with a Graduate Initial Teacher Certificate-Elementary Education Certificate?
Learning can lead to earning. Discover where your degree might take you and make informed choices about your future.
A Graduate Initial Teacher Certificate-Elementary Education Certificate prepares you for:
- Elementary Education Teacher
- Elementary Teacher
Top skills learned in this program:
Classroom Management
Lesson Planning
Learning Strategies
Growth Mindset
Teaching
Professionalism
Innovation
Ready to get started?
Start your application for free or request additional information.
What you’ll learn
When you earn your online Graduate Initial Teacher Certificate/Elementary Education you’ll be equipped with a concrete set of skills you can apply on the job. You’ll learn how to:
- Design and implement effective instruction and behavioral plans in the elementary classroom to positively impact student learning.
- Demonstrate professional dispositions and ethical conduct in elementary education.
- Create innovative strategies and incorporate technology in an elementary classroom setting.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job growth for elementary teachers is projected to be slower than average between 2020 and 2030.
The BLS Projected Growth for 2021-2031 is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This data reflects the BLS’ projections of national (not local) conditions. These data points are not specific to University of Phoenix students or graduates.
Admissions
Apply for free – no application fee, no obligation.
Starting your degree is a big decision — and we want you to feel great about it. That’s why we remove obstacles from your application.
- No cost to request transcripts
- No SAT/ACT required
- No essay required
- No cost, risk-free trial for eligible students
How to enroll at University of Phoenix
Receive highly rated 1-on-1 support
You’ll have a support team of real people you can lean on to encourage your success as a student. Start a conversation about your future with one of our enrollment representatives today.
Call or chat with us 7 days a week.
Gabriel G., Enrollment Rep
Receive highly rated 1-on-1 support
You’ll have a support team of real people you can lean on to encourage your success as a student. Start a conversation about your future with one of our enrollment representatives today.
Call us at 844-937-8679 or chat with us 7 days a week.
An education that fits your busy life
Balancing family, work and school
Work toward your degree without giving up what matters most. Start your degree year-round and take one class at a time.
Online learning
Enroll in online classes and attend class whenever it fits your life, day or night.
Around-the-clock support and resources
You have a support team available up to 20 hours a day, 5 days a week. And our academic counselors, who are with you every step of the way, have earned a 5-star rating from 90% of our surveyed students.[1]
[1] Transactional Survey, August 2021-22 (18,645 respondents)
Faculty Spotlight
Professionals dedicated to you
Your success is a top priority for our deans and faculty members. They bring an average of 26 years of experience and hands-on perspective to the classroom, and help bridge the gap between academics and industry knowledge.
Accreditation
Count on the quality of your education
University of Phoenix has been continually accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), hlcommission.org, since 1978.
The following program educationally prepares students to apply for initial teacher certification in select states::
Graduate Certificate/Elementary Education (CERT/G-ELM)
Educator/Principal licensure requirements vary by state. Candidates located in a state that does not provide a direct path to licensure will be required to obtain Arizona certification first, prior to seeking licensure in their home state as an out-of-state prepared teacher/principal candidate. Arizona certification requires candidates to pass all Arizona-specific licensure requirements, including any Arizona-specific exams (or home state equivalents if recognized by Arizona Department of Education.) After obtaining an Arizona teacher/principal certificate, candidates can then apply for licensure in their home state and may be required to complete additional testing and/or requirements at additional cost. Program requirements may change based upon your home state’s agency licensure requirements. Please visit the teacher licensure page or the principal licensure page for state specific requirements prior to reaching out to your state agency.
While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.