Candidates for the Graduate Elementary Teacher Licensure program must choose between a M.Ed. in Special Education or Educational Psychology. Complete applications must be received no later than November 1st for Spring semester start or February 1st for a Summer or Fall semester start. Students are encouraged to apply early. Due to the competitive nature of our programs, meeting minimum admission standards does not guarantee acceptance.
Please review the scheduling options for your licensing/student teaching year
Please submit all application materials
- Complete application for partnering department, either ED PS or SP ED through the Graduate School.
- Statement of Professional Purpose.
- Three Letters of Recommendation.
- Current and official transcript from the University of Utah.
- Current and official transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended.
- We do not have testing requirements for SP ED or ED PS for admissions.
- Screenshot of CACTUS USBE Background Check page.
Complete the following at least Three Months before Submitting a Complete Application
Ask for Three Letters of Recommendation, one letter from each of the three areas:
Please give the individuals completing your recommendation the Letter of Recommendation form using Apply Yourself.
Teaching & Working with Youth: This letter is to be written by a professional educator who has supervised and/or observed you while you are interacting with children in an academic setting (i.e., a cooperating public school teacher in whose classroom you observed during Intro to Teaching).
Academic Performance: This letter should be by a university or college instructor who can write knowledgeably about your intellectual performance and your abilities as a scholar (University of Utah instructors are preferred when students have completed at least one semester at the U of U).
Professional Attributes: This letter is a character reference that speaks to your reliability,
initiative, organization, communication skills, and contributions to a group working situation. This letter could be written by a past or current employer or any additional university or college instructor.
Letters should come directly from individuals who have insights into educational experiences, intellectual abilities, and professional temperament rather than family and friends. Letters should be on letterhead when appropriate and have been written within the past year.
Complete the following at least One Month before Submitting Complete Application
Complete an Application for Admission to the Teacher Licensure Programs
Request a current and official transcript if applicable from the University of Utah:
Request a paper or electronic U of U transcript from the Office of the Registrar, electronic preferred. Order online transcript. The U of U Office of the Registrar is located in the Student Services Bldg (SSB) 250 and can be reached at (801) 581-8964. These transcripts can be scanned and uploaded directly to your application.
Request current and official transcripts from all colleges and universities previously attended:
No matter how long ago or how little credit was earned, including all correspondence and/or foreign credit. Paper or electronic transcript accepted, electronic preferred. These transcripts should be scanned and uploaded directly to your application. High school transcripts will not be accepted.
Statement of Professional Purpose:
Statement of Professional Purpose Rubric. Submit a statement informing the Admissions Committee of your strengths as a candidate in the teacher education program at the University of Utah. Your essay should include: a demonstration of your ability to think deeply about and analyze contemporary educational issues; an illustration of your commitment to the teaching profession; multicultural education and diversity in the classroom; should address the mission of the Urban Institute for Teacher Education; and a discussion of how you will contribute to urban schools as a future educator. Essays should be approximately two pages in length and may be double-spaced.
Students are recommended to use Teacher Education Workshop Series to write their statement.
Complete a State and Federal Background Check required by the Utah State Office of Education:
If your background check has expired, it must be renewed in order for you to apply to the program.
CACTUS Screenshot for USBE Background Check verification.