Shape future generations as you share your love of learning with an elementary education degree from Winston-Salem State University. In our bachelor’s degree in elementary education, you’ll learn the teaching, assessment and leadership skills you need to provide a rich educational experience for students in K–6 classrooms.
A degree in elementary education from WSSU empowers you to make a true difference in the lives of children and families. You’ll be one of the first role models to spark your students’ curiosity and imagination, opening young minds and providing them with building blocks for lifelong learning.
What separates WSSU from other colleges for elementary education? In addition to having the tools you need to be a leader in the classroom, you’ll graduate with a sensitivity for diversity, ready to accommodate individual differences and advocate for social justice for all students.
Elementary Education degree options at Winston-Salem State University
When you major in elementary education at WSSU, you’ll earn a broad-based general education rooted in the arts, humanities and sciences that will strengthen your ability to provide interdisciplinary elementary teaching. You’ll also choose Elementary Education degree focus courses to gain deeper knowledge in one of the following areas:
WSSU’s long tradition of educating teachers dates back to our founding in the late 19th century. In fact, Winston-Salem Teachers College was the first Black institution in the nation to award elementary education degrees in 1925. You’ll join a long legacy of teachers who began their exciting and rewarding careers here. Find out more about what makes WSSU one of the best colleges for elementary education.
When you major in elementary education at WSSU, our faculty will be more than your teachers. They’ll serve as mentors and invite you to collaborate on projects, research and community engagement, ensuring that you benefit from their collective professional classroom experience.
At WSSU, we believe that field experience is one of the best ways to understand your students and their needs. When you major in elementary education, you’ll have many opportunities to work directly with educators and students at local elementary schools to engage in research and provide mentorship and tutoring. You can even spend your summer months gaining experience leading age-appropriate activities at WSSU’s own RaMS-C summer camp.
WSSU graduates are successful teachers in public or private schools in both rural and urban districts. With an elementary education degree, you’ll be equipped to teach language arts, social studies, science, math and more in K–6 classrooms.
You may also choose to make a difference through other elementary education job opportunities such as:
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of teachers is projected to grow 7% through 2030, representing more than 124,000 job openings for elementary school teachers.
The best elementary education schools prepare their graduates with the pre-professional skills needed to pass their Praxis Core Exam. Winston-Salem State goes beyond, graduating beginning teachers who often exceed the North Carolina standards of educator effectiveness. Throughout your elementary education degree coursework at WSSU, you’ll learn to demonstrate leadership, establish a respectful environment for diverse students, know the content you teach, facilitate learning for your students and reflect on your practice.
A sample of some of the courses you’ll take when you major in elementary education at WSSU include:
View the full elementary education degree requirements and course catalog.
Student Life at WSSU |
Financial Aid and Scholarships |
Support and Resources Available to You |
|---|---|---|
When you choose WSSU, you’ll join a vibrant community where all are welcomed and embraced — you become part of our “Ramily,” building lifelong friendships and lasting bonds. As an elementary education major, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities specific to future educators. Become a camp counselor at our Reading and Math Summer Camp (RaMS-C). Interact with state and local officers at the Student North Carolina Association for Educators conference or join the Kappa Delta Pi Education Honor Society to participate in community service events.
|
WSSU is committed to doing everything we can to remove barriers and provide access to high-quality, affordable education. Nearly 90% of WSSU students receive some form of financial aid. Let us help connect you to your best options for funding your education through merit- or need-based scholarships, grants, loans and more. Learn more about all your options for paying for college at WSSU.
|
The Education Department at WSSU provides all the support and resources you’ll need as you prepare to meet the diverse educational needs of your students. The Office of Field and Clinical Experiences will help facilitate your hands-on work in local school systems. Elementary education majors also have access to our Curriculum Materials Center and Technology and Instructional Resources for vital tools to enhance your teaching, learning and research. Learn more about the College of Arts, Sciences, Business and Education
|
I love being an Elementary Education major because I want to be a role model for generations to come and to illustrate that there are great intelligent young Black men making a positive impact on the community.
The Educator Preparation programs of CASBE are recognized by the NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and are therefore represented in the NC interstate agreement with the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC). This Agreement facilitates the mobility of educators among the states and other jurisdictions that are members of NASDTEC and have signed the Agreement. Any individual who completes an approved Educator Preparation program at WSSU is eligible to earn a certificate or license in another state or jurisdiction, including all 50 states, District of Columbia, Guam, Ontario and the Department of Defense. While each state/entity may affirm the credentials earned by a WSSU program completer in Educator Preparation, the educator may have to complete additional requirements, such as coursework, assessments or classroom experience, before receiving a full professional certificate in the new state.
This recognition applies to our undergraduate and graduate teacher licensure programs in Birth–Kindergarten, Elementary Education, Special Education, Middle Grades Education, Music Education, Secondary English Education, Secondary Math Education and Health and Physical Education.
