Elementary students raising their hands in classroom.

Elementary Education

McDaniel produces the best teachers in Maryland. (That’s what an English teacher could call hyperbole… except we have the data to back it up.) What’s the secret to our success? Well, it starts with you. Your passion. Your empathy. Your desire to help others learn and grow.

Mortarboard

Degree Types

Major,Minor,B.A./M.S. Pathway

Institution

Complementary Programs

Teaching, M.S.

Special Education, M.S.

Heart

Distinctive Requirements

Internship

Document

Reputation & Recognition

State Teacher of the Year recipients

Why McDaniel for your Teaching Degree?

Accreditation and Certification

McDaniel has provided programs for teacher preparation and certification for over 110 years. The College offers majors in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education, as well as minors in Secondary and PreK–12 Education. Programs in the McDaniel College Education department were reviewed and accredited by the NCATE (National Council for Accreditation of Teachers) in 2017.

Official seal of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP)

McDaniel College is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. The Education program has been awarded initial accreditation status by AAQEP through June 30, 2029. Accreditation acknowledges that a program prepares effective educators who continue to grow as professionals and has demonstrated the commitment and capacity to maintain quality.

Students who complete the Elementary Education major with certification requirements, or a minor in Secondary Education, or PreK–12 (Art, Music, French, German, Spanish, or Physical Education) are eligible for initial teacher certification in the State of Maryland (and the more than 45 states involved in the Interstate Reciprocity Agreement) in elementary (grades 1-6), secondary (grades 7-12), or PreK–12 (art, instrumental or vocal music, or physical education).

Professional Licensure Disclosure

"McDaniel College graduates future educators who are not only knowledgeable, but also efficient mentors who provide empathetic support and practice novel teaching methods.”

Tyson Schritter, Chief Operating Officer for Colleges of Distinction

Future Opportunities

Teachers continue to be in high demand at schools of all types all over the country. In Maryland alone, shortages have been declared in just about every content area and local jurisdiction. McDaniel Education graduates are poised to fill those positions in a variety of capacities.

Outstanding Graduate Programs

McDaniel College is proud of our many Master's programs in Education, giving you a direct pathway to advancing your own education while honing your skills. Attaining your M.S. also advances your pay scale.

Explore our Graduate Programs in Education

Bachelor's to Master's Pathways for Education Majors Start Early. Save Time. Save Money.

McDaniel College offers a special program where students can earn both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree faster and at a lower cost. This program helps students gain advanced skills and knowledge to reach their career goals. BA to MS pathways for education are available for:

Learn more about BA/MS Pathways for Education Majors

Distinctive Courses

HIS 1109 - Survey of Modern U.S. History, 1865-2000

An inquiry into the events and forces that have shaped the United States since 1865, including industrialization, urbanization, race relations, reform, social and cultural tensions, and global conflict.

This course will explore the challenges and opportunities facing teachers in the 21st Century. Students will unpack and assess different pedagogical approaches, strategies, and tools to develop an understanding of the role of the teacher in the 21st Century classroom. Students will work in collaborative teams to design and implement interdisciplinary learning experiences that engage and inspire students.

Current trends in social studies for the elementary school level with an emphasis on student involvement in the learning environment are studied. Students acquire familiarity with a variety of teaching techniques and curriculum materials in this content area.

Engage in the analysis and interpretation of adult and children’s literature to identify mentor texts as models for composing and teaching personal narrative and explanatory informational writing. Building on the reading-writing connection, you’ll apply a writer’s lens to analyze elements of craft and literary devices in mentor texts and plan literature-based craft lessons that address varied disciplines, purposes, genres, and audiences.

Elementary Education Program Requirements

Keep in Touch

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See Yourself Here

Take your first steps on the Hill! Visiting campus is one of the best ways to determine if McDaniel is right for you.

Visit McDaniel

Department Faculty

Learn more about the faculty and staff behind this program.

See Education faculty

The McDaniel Commitment in Action

The McDaniel Commitment—a series of opportunities guaranteed to all students—provides enhanced mentoring and coaching, and ensures every undergraduate student completes at least two meaningful experiential learning opportunities.

Study Abroad

Student interacting with elementary school children on carpet.

Internships

Students presenting for Innovation Challenge.

Research

Q&A with Associate Professor of Education Becca Gibson, Ph.D.

What do you hope students take away from your courses?: I hope students come away from my courses with an understanding of both how complex and how important teaching reading and writing is to children and a sense of self-efficacy in literacy teaching. It’s not supposed to be easy, and students won’t know all the answers, but they will be able to teach effectively — and joyously!; Read the full Q&A.

Student Spotlight Class of 2025: Paul Steinert

Elementary Education major Paul Steinert spent time teaching in four different elementary schools during his time at McDaniel.

"My favorite experience was my Teaching Internship in a Diverse Setting for January Term of my junior year, where I got to intern for three weeks in my old elementary school with my third grade math teacher. It quadrupled my passion for teaching when I revisited my school. My passion for teaching continuously increased with each placement," he says.

Read Paul's full Q&A.

"It's All Abstract Until We Make It Real"

In the spring 2025 issue of The Hill alumni magazine, McDaniel Education faculty share how they're preparing pre-service teachers to expect the unexpected and thrive as educators. Hear from Professor Ochieng' K'Olewe and Assistant Professor Laura Albaugh Bitto '04 and their philosophy courses, and techniques for teacher education at McDaniel.

Read the full feature in the spring 2025 issue.

Accomplishments in Elementary Education

Four Education students and a faculty member pose in front of a banner that reads Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Education students and alums present at Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics conference

Four Elementary Education majors presented on math teaching strategies at the Maryland Council of Teachers of Mathematics conference held Oct. 18. Alumni of McDaniel’s Education programs were also represented among the conference presentations and award winners.

Read "Education students and alums present at Maryland Council of Teachers of M…

Education graduates recognized as Teachers of Promise

Seven McDaniel bachelor’s degree recipients who majored in Elementary Education or minored in PreK-12 or Secondary Education and one graduate from the accelerated bachelor’s to master’s five-year Secondary Education/M.S. in Teaching were recognized as Teachers of Promise by the Maryland State Department of Education.

Read "Education graduates recognized as Teachers of Promise"

Alumna Amara Foster stands in front of a classroom board with colorful art and lessons on it.

Amara Foster ’21

By the time she was a sophomore, Amara Foster ’21 was student teaching in local schools as an Elementary Education major on the Hill. That real-world experience and mentorship from McDaniel educators led her right into her job as a fifth-grade teacher, where she makes a big impact every day.