Elementary Education Licensure/Master's Degree (PK-6) (FTEL)

The FAST TRAIN Elementary Education Program (PK-6) is specifically designed for prospective teachers and educators who are working abroad or who plan on going overseas to teach and want a license in elementary education and optional Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction.  Upon successful completion, this program provides teacher candidates with a Virginia State License and can also lead to an IB Teacher Award Level I under the IB Award Scheme. Please see IB Program for details.

The courses listed in the elementary curriculum are scaffolded to include elements of Virginia state requirements, NCATE requirements and IB standards.  As a result, transfer credit from other elementary programs may not be accepted.

Curriculum
The program course work consists of:

1. Six courses (18 credit hours) to obtain a Virginia teaching license
2. Four additional courses (for a total of 30 credit hours) to obtain a Master’s Degree (MEd) in Curriculum and Instruction

For detailed information about the course work, view the curriculum.

Program Formats
Students in the program can participate in one of two ways:

• Summer Program: With this format, courses take place over two summers (three summers for those finishing the Master’s degree) and consist of five weeks of intensive summer study at the Fairfax, Virginia, campus and some online course work during the year.
• Evening Program: With this format, courses are offered during the week at the Arlington, Virginia, campus for those living in the local Washington, D.C. area.

For a detailed schedule, view the program schedule.

Field Experience
Field experience is required for all licensure courses and most master’s degree courses.

1. Consists of 15 to 20 hours per course
2. Includes observation, tutoring and working with students in small groups in a classroom
3. Takes place in selected local schools or schools in overseas sites where students are currently working

Internship
A teaching internship is also required for licensure. In lieu of a teaching internship, a student may teach for one year, full time, in an accredited international school as an elementary teacher (students can not teach locally).

Endorsement Requirements
Endorsement requirements (undergraduate general education courses) also exist for elementary education students.  As part of the admission process, you will be required to perform an endorsement review to determine what, if any, credit hours are required. Below is a summary of endorsement review requirements.  For more detailed information, visit the Endorsement Requirements page.

Fifty-seven  hours of general education course work are required.  This course work does not have to be completed prior to applying to the program, but must be completed before applying for licensure.

1. 12 credit hours of English (3 credit hours of English composition and 9 credit hours of English electives)
2. 15 credit hours of History and Social Sciences (3 credit hours of U.S. History, 3 credit hours of Economics, 3 credit hours of Geography, 3 credit hours of World History and 3 credit hours of Civics)
3. 12 credit hours of Mathematics (no statistics, computer science, finance, or remedial math courses will be accepted)
4. 12 credit hours of the Natural Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Earth Science, Geology or Astronomy; courses must be from at least two disciplines and one must be a laboratory science
5. 3 credit hours of the Humanities (Philosophy, Religion, Humanities or Foreign Language)
6. 3 credit hours of Art or Music (Art, Music or Theater only; no Dance accepted)

All course work must be college level or a student may test out of certain subjects with CLEP exam.

Testing
Elementary education students must also take qualifying exams before obtaining a license. Students who plan on student teaching must have fulfilled all of the testing requirements prior to student teaching:

1. Praxis II
2. Virginia Reading Assessment (VRA)
3. Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA)