Elementary Education

The Elementary Education program at Converse combines observations of elementary-aged children, instructional methodology, program planning for grades two through six, as well as information about the child’s social, emotional, physical and intellectual development.

Converse’s teacher preparation programs comprise a wide diversity of field and clinical experiences in public schools. Our program prepares you to become an effective teacher with an in-depth knowledge base of your field and appropriate teaching strategies for the developmental level of your students, guided by our faculty who continually challenge students to integrate theory with practice.

Converse’s MAT program in Elementary Education produces well-qualified elementary teachers and also meets the majority of certification requirements in the states in which most Converse graduates prefer to teach.

More reasons to choose Converse:

Veteran Faculty: Our faculty have extensive experience in the elementary classroom and are active as researchers, clinicians, and leaders in the field of education.The faculty participate in professional organizations, present at professional conferences, and are active in the field of Elementary Education outside the college classroom at the state and national levels.

Quality Education: Our curriculum is aligned with professional standards and meets all the requirements for national approvals by the Council for Accreditation for Educator Preparation (CAEP), approved by the South Carolina Department of Education. You will be qualified for certification reciprocity with many other states.

Community Partnerships: Converse enjoys close proximity to many high-quality public schools in the Upstate of South Carolina and we have developed and maintained close professional partnerships with these public schools.

Convenience: Flexibility is essential for students who manage busy work schedules and personal commitments.  Most required courses are conducted after 4 p.m., accommodating students’ busy schedules. We work with students one-on-one to accommodate their specific needs, allowing them to balance their work life, personal life and school.

Degree Prestige and Value: Since 1890, Converse has provided students with education rooted in the liberal arts. Converse graduates are principled and productive citizens capable of creative thinking and problem solving.

Applicants must have the following:

• Graduation from an accredited college;
• Overall GPA of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for full admission;
• A major undergraduate program appropriate for the requested teaching area;
• Official transcripts from all colleges attended
• Admissions will require a competitive score on the Miller Analogies Test

Visit the graduate catalog for detailed admission requirements.

For consideration of admission, the applicant should have the following credentials:

• A completed online application, including the $40 application fee
• Official degree-granting undergraduate transcript and graduate transcripts from all colleges attended.
• A competitive score on the Miller Analogies Test
• Two letters of recommendation
• A personal statement – Converse’s founder, Dexter Edgar Converse, held the ideal that Converse students “may be enabled to see clearly, decide wisely, and to act justly.” Please write a personal statement, approximately 250-300 words in length, on how your personal goals as an educator tie with the Converse concept of The “Ideal” Educator. In keeping with the Honor Tradition at Converse, your essay must be entirely your own work. Please be specific on how Converse can help you become the “Ideal” Educator, taking special care to organize your essay clearly and proofread your work. The personal statement should be submitted as a part of the application or emailed to the Office of Graduate Admission.

The MAT in Elementary Education is an on-campus program designed for students interested in working with children in grades two through six. This program requires a minimum of 36 semester hours of work at the graduate level. The MAT in Elementary Education requires additional courses in order to meet all state certification requirements.

Our curriculum is aligned with professional standards and our program is approved by the Council for Accreditation for Educator Preparation (CAEP). You will be qualified for certification reciprocity with many other states.

The MAT degree in Elementary Education is designed to help you reach the following specific goals and objectives:

• Provide a thorough course of study in human growth and development;
• Develop skills in appropriate pedagogy and classroom management;
• Promote a broad knowledge of the history, theory, and professional practices promote a broad knowledge of the history, theory, and professional practices that are related to elementary education;
• Demonstrate computer proficiency in instructional technology including the knowledge of skills, strategies, software and hardware to be used in classroom management and computer-assisted instruction;
• Provide the study and experiences in the disciplines which develop the content knowledge needed to teach the elementary subject areas;
• Plan, implement and assess instruction in simulated settings and in real classroom settings as a student teacher*;
• Organize and effectively manage a 2-6 grade placement in the public schools.

*The PRAXIS II exam is taken by students before the completion of student teaching.

• Visit the graduate catalog for current course descriptions
• View benchmark worksheets for an outline of academic requirements for this program

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See comprehensive graduate tuition and fees here.*

Learn about Financial Aid opportunities.

*Tuition and fees subject to change