Teacher Education Major, MS

Concentrations (Required) and Options Available

• Educational Studies (with specializations) — Thesis Option, Coursework Only With Comprehensive Exams Option
• Professional Internship Concentrations are for Initial Licensure — Thesis Option, Coursework Only With Comprehensive Exams
  • Art Education Professional Internship Concentration
  • ASL Education Professional Internship Concentration
  • Deaf Education Professional Internship Concentration
  • Elementary Education Professional Internship Concentration
  • English Education and English as a Second Language Professional Internship Concentration
  • Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Integrated PreK-3 Professional Internship Concentration
  • Mathematics Education Professional Internship Concentration
  • Science Education Professional Internship Concentration
  • Social Sciences Education Professional Internship Concentration
  • Special Education Professional Internship Concentration
  • World Language Education Professional Internship Concentration
• ​​​​​​​Practitioner DE only (with specializations) — Coursework Only Without Comprehensive Exams Option
• Student Teaching DE only

Campus Code

Knoxville Campus — all concentrations except for the ones listed under Distance Education.

Distance Education

• Educational Studies Concentration with the following specializations:
  • Literacy Education
  • STEM—Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Technology (with an optional endorsement in Gifted Education)
• Practitioner Concentration
• Student Teaching Concentration

Admissions Standards/Procedures

• For all programs, students must meet all current graduate school admission requirements and departmental requirements in addition to submitting a graduate school application and a departmental application.
• Three letters of recommendation are also required for the Educational Studies concentration.
• Admission to ASL Educational Studies Concentration, ASL Education Professional Internship, and ASL Education Practitioner Concentration Specialization courses requires a minimum score of Advanced level on SLPI or 3+ on ASLPI.

Educational Studies Concentration — Thesis Option or Coursework Only With Comprehensive Exam Option

The Educational Studies concentration does not lead to initial teacher licensure but, depending on the student’s program of study, may lead to an additional endorsement area for an already licensed teacher. It is for students seeking to enhance their professional knowledge and expertise, for those preparing to teachon the post-secondary level, or for those preparing for careers that do not require teacher licensure.

The Educational Studies concentration encompasses specializations in American Sign Language (ASL) Education, Art Education, Cultural Studies of Educational Foundations, Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Elementary Education, English Education, Interdisciplinary Early Childhood, Literacy Education, Mathematics Education, Science Education, Social Science Education, Teaching and Learning, and World Language/ESL.

Professional Internship Concentrations — Thesis Option or Coursework Only With Comprehensive Exam Option

The Professional Internship concentrations are intended for individuals seeking initial teacher licensure. Applicants to any of the professional internship concentrations must first interview with a teacher education admissions board and be admitted to teacher education. Individuals are encouraged to contact the college’s Student Services Center, A332 Bailey Education Complex, for a diagnostic interview and to develop a tentative course of study and timeline. Note that several of the concentrations have dual or triple pathway options that lead to additional licensure in English as a Second Language and/or Special Education. Program contact information can be found at the Theory and Practice in Teacher Education webpage.

Practitioner Concentration — Coursework Only Without Comprehensive Exams Option

The Practitioner concentration in Teacher Education is offered only as a Distance Education program.

The Practitioner concentration is designed for students who are earning an initial teaching credential while serving as an instructor of record (i.e. as a “Job-Embedded Practitioner”) or as an Apprentice Teacher (i.e., as a “Grow Your Own” teacher candidate) in a school. State licensure requirements allow a partnership school system (or private school) to employ an individual as “instructor of record” or as an “apprentice teacher,” provided content/subject knowledge has been met, and the candidate has been admitted to an approved educator preparation program (EPP). The student would complete graduate-level coursework while carrying out the duties and responsibilities of a first-year teacher or an apprentice teacher, with school system and UT faculty as mentors, and has four years to complete licensure requirements. The Tennessee Department of Education’s Office of Educator Licensing will issue the license only at the recommendation of the approved educator preparation program.

Student Teaching Concentration

The student teaching concentration in Teacher Education is offered only as a Distance Education program.

The student teaching program is designed for people seeking initial teaching license through remote programming options. After completing the majority of their coursework, students will enroll in a 15-week student teaching experience. Upon successful completion of the program, the student will be recommended for Tennessee teaching license for special education-hearing. A person planning to teach deaf students in another state would apply for licensure in that state upon receiving their Tennessee teaching license in Tennessee. UTK’s Office of Professional Licensure will supply an out-of-state educator preparation verification form upon request.