Bachelor's in Elementary Education and Special Education

Earn your teaching credentials in both elementary and special education through UNC Greensboro’s Bachelor’s in Dual Elementary Education and Special Education. Designed for students who want to make a difference for all learners, this innovative program prepares participants to create engaging classrooms where every student can succeed. Through hands-on clinical experiences, expert faculty mentorship, and coursework grounded in evidence-based teaching practices, students will graduate ready to earn dual North Carolina licensure in Elementary Education (K–6) and Special Education: General Curriculum (K–12), opening the door to a wide range of rewarding careers in today’s schools.

Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and Special Education Program Distinctions

Rather than treating elementary education and special education as separate disciplines, the Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and Special Education intentionally integrates both. Students learn to:

• Differentiate instruction for a variety of learners
• Design comprehensive learning environments
• Use evidence-based interventions
• Support students with mild to moderate disabilities
• Collaborate effectively with families and multidisciplinary teams

This reflects the growing demand for teachers who can serve all learners in all classrooms.

Students graduate eligible for two North Carolina teaching licenses:

• Elementary Education (K–6)
• Special Education: General Curriculum (K–12)

This broader credential gives those who complete the program significantly more flexibility in the job market, allowing them to teach in elementary classrooms, special education settings across grade levels, or classrooms where both skill sets are required.

The program holds accreditations from and affiliations with the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and courses address educator standards from the International Society for Transforming Education (ISTE), the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), and the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards (NCPTS).

The Experience as an Elementary Education and Special Education Student

The program emphasizes hands-on learning throughout the degree. Students complete multiple field experiences in a variety of K–12 settings, clinical placements in classrooms, and a student teaching experience in an selected educational environment. Graduates leave with substantial classroom experience before entering the profession.

Students in this program learn about trends and issues in the field of special education, characteristics and needs of students with mild to moderate disabilities, specialized teaching methods, strategies for collaboration with parents/caregivers and colleagues, high-leverage practices, positive behavioral supports, and technology applications that support students’ learning and behavior.

School of Education students have access to two unique resources – the Michel Family Teaching Resources Center (TRC) and the Student Educator Learning Factory (SELF) Design Studio. The TRC is a model school library media center that offers a large collection of picture books, young adult fiction, nonfiction, board books, kits, and manipulatives. The TRC also offers professional resources that can be useful in creating lesson plans and study guides for North Carolina teacher exams. The SELF Design Studio is a dynamic makerspace where students engage in hands-on learning and creative exploration. You will find 3D printers, robotics, art supplies, and circuitry kits in the SELF Design Center.

Be sure to meet with your academic advisor each semester for more details pertaining to your program of study.

School of Education Academic Support Hub

Special Education majors have access to the School of Education’s Academic Support Hub services. The Hub provides no-cost tutoring and licensure exam preparation to our undergraduate students.

Services include:

• Praxis Core Preparation
• Praxis Math CKT Preparation
• Pearson Reading Exam Preparation
• American Sign Language Lab

UNCG School of Education Scholarships

Each year, the School of Education awards over $1 million in scholarships and graduate assistantships to students.

The Spartan Education Scholars program includes scholarships of up to $28,000. Scholarship funds for tuition are distributed incrementally, with $4,500 distributed in the first year, $5,500 distributed in the second year, and $9,000 distributed in each of the last two years, as long as eligibility requirements are maintained. Participation is open to incoming freshmen (first-year students), current UNCG students, and transfer students majoring in Elementary Education, Deaf Education, Middle Grades Education, Special Education, and Dual (Elementary and Special) Education.

The Haggai Academy is a scholarship program that provides scholarships of up to $8,000 per year, as well as a wide range of additional enrichment opportunities, for non-traditional students (24 years of age or older) pursuing an undergraduate degree in teacher preparation.

Once Graduating With a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and Special Education

Graduates of the Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and Special Education program are prepared not only to meet licensure requirements but also to make an immediate impact in today’s schools. They possess the flexibility to teach in both general and special education settings, the expertise to support increasingly diverse classrooms, and the collaborative skills needed to promote success for every learner.

Students leave the program prepared for roles as elementary classroom teachers, special education teachers, interventionists, and other positions in public and private K–12 schools, and a strong foundation for future leadership or graduate study.

The U.S. Department of Education requires that all higher education institutions advise students as to whether their curriculum provides them with the eligibility to apply for a professional license and/or certification in the state for which they plan to practice. As such, please review UNC Greensboro’s status by state for the initial teaching license. You should note whether the program either “meets”, “does not meet”, or if there “has not been a determination” of the program’s status in the state for which you plan to practice. Licensure Reciprocity Information