Teacher Education

Students in the Teacher Education Department can pursue licensure through a variety of majors.

Intervention Specialist (K-12)

Do you already recognize the value of diversity in our world? One of the most personally rewarding careers available to undergraduate students is the profession of intervention specialist (K-12), available to qualified students. We are looking for students who believe that ALL children can learn, if educators provide the right supports!

The Intervention Specialist program at Ashland University is nationally recognized by the Council for Exceptional Children and it is unique for two reasons:

• Students are in the field beginning in their freshman year.
• Coursework in the Intervention Specialist program is the same for mild-moderate and moderate-intensive licenses.

Candidates can choose to apply for a single or dual license in both mild to moderate and moderate to intensive need for intervention.

4-Year Plan for Intervention Specialist Program (K-12), Mild-Moderate (K-12), Moderate-Intensive (K-12) (PDF)

Early Childhood Education (Pre-K - Grade 3) & Optional 4/5 Endorsement

Fall 2020 last semester to accept students in this program.  The State has moved to the new Grade Band Primary Grades/ Intervention Dual Education Program (PK-5) .  Students will either finish out their program or switch to the new PK-5 Grade Band.

If you want to put your mind and heart in a career that helps develop tomorrow's leaders, then you’ll enjoy our early childhood education (ECE) program.

Coursework includes four courses in reading/language arts methods, plus math, science, social studies methods and two courses specifically for teaching young children with disabilities. Method course assignments are tied to field experiences so you can teach what you have been taught. You can also take additional coursework in reading intervention to prepare you to teach struggling readers.

Degree Plan for Early Childhood Education (PDF)

You may choose to pursue an  endorsement to teach fourth and fifth grades, which will allow you to teach pre-K through fifth grade.

Degree Plan for Early Childhood Education plus the 4th & 5th Grade Endorsement (PDF)

Early Childhood Intervention Specialist (Pre-K - Grade 3)

Fall 2020 last semester to accept students in this program.  The State has moved to the new Grade Band Primary Grades/ Intervention Dual Education Program (PK-5) .  Students will either finish out their program or switch to the new PK-5 Grade Band.

Gain the problem-solving skills you need to help young learners succeed, including coordination with fellow teachers and families to develop individualized plans for children with mild to intensive needs.

This is the major you should choose if you want to teach young children age three through eight (pre-K-3) who have mild, moderate, or intensive disabilities. You will be taking specially designed intervention courses and field experiences that will prepare you to work with young children with disabilities. This degree will allow you to teach children in specialized classrooms, resource rooms, as well as team teach as the intervention specialist in inclusive classrooms.

The Ashland University program is unique since students completing the degree in Early Childhood Intervention also complete the early childhood licensure program during the same four-year period. The early childhood license will permit you to teach in the typical general education classrooms educating children in Kindergarten through third grade.

Degree Plan for Early Childhood Intervention Specialist (PDF)

You may choose to pursue an  endorsement to teach fourth and fifth grades, which will allow you to teach pre-K through fifth grade.

Degree Plan for Early Childhood Intervention Specialist plus the 4th & 5th Grade Endorsement (PDF)

Primary Grades / Intervention Dual Education Program (Pre-K - Grade 5)

The Bachelor of Science in Education Primary Grades/ Intervention Dual Program (PK-5) prepares our students to teach in preschool to grade five classrooms.  Students will gain specific knowledge of current theory, methods and practices through rigorous coursework and participation in inclusive field experiences.

Students who successfully complete this program and pass the required licensure tests are eligible for Ohio licensure in Primary (P-5) and Primary Intervention Specialist (P-5) areas.

This program is fully offered at:

• Ashland Main Campus
• Ashland/Lorain County Community College

Four-Year Curriculum Guide (PDF)

Middle Grades Educator (Grades 4-9)

Do you want to teach in order to make a difference? The middle childhood level (grades 4-9) offers the opportunity to impact students who are undergoing the greatest and most rapid changes of their young lives.

Middle grades licensure provides the opportunity to teach in any two of four content areas:

• Language Arts
• Social Studies
• Math
• Science

As an option, Ashland University also offers a generalist endorsement to the regular middle childhood license that will add the two remaining content areas and allow graduates to teach in self-contained fourth through sixth grade classrooms.

• Language Arts and Math (PDF) (4-Year Plan)
• Language Arts and Science (PDF) (4-Year Plan)
• Language Arts and Social Studies (PDF) (4-Year Plan)
• Science and Math (PDF) (4-Year Plan)
• Science and Social Studies (PDF) (4-Year Plan)
• Social Studies and Math (PDF) (4-Year Plan)

Adolescent to Young Adult (AYA)

Can you see yourself teaching English, History, Math or Science in a High School classroom? If the answer is yes, then you are a candidate for the Adolescent to Young Adult (AYA) license.

Our program will prepare you for a deep knowledge of your selected content area and the skills to plan lessons, mange a class and work as a highly trained professional in the seventh through 12th grade classroom.

Here are the 4-year-curriculum and educational-academic plans for the AYA programs we offer:

• English: Integrated Language Arts
• Math: Integrated Mathematics
• History: Integrated Social Studies
• Science: Biology Life Sciences
• Science: Integrated Science

Multi-Age Education (PreK-12)

Do you have a special talent in music, art, or foreign language? Do you want to become even more accomplished in those areas and then teach it to others?  The Multi-Age (PreK-12) program may be what you want. Multi-age teachers might teach in elementary, middle, or high school buildings in their subject areas. 

Ashland University prepares Multi-Age teachers in the following areas:

• Art Education
• Music Education