• EMU's teacher education program has been NCATE-accredited (the highest accreditation standard in the nation) for more than 45 years.
• You get hands-on experiences early and often.
• You will learn reflective practice techniques to continually be the best teachers in your field, year after year. 
• You will be mentored by PhD-level faculty who model being excellent educators by caring for students and calling out each student's gifts. 

At most universities teacher education students don’t get into a K-12 classroom until their third year. At EMU it's different. 

• At EMU, you are in local classrooms, observing and learning, by the fifth week of classes.
• Field experiences are embedded throughout program so that you are in the field nearly every semester. 
• Local school divisions are richly diverse in culture, ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
• Elementary and Early/Primary education majors assist in EMU’s lab school, the Early Learning Center. The Early Learning Center provides valuable interactions  with 2-4-year-olds.
• You are in schools full-time during student teaching, and receive regular feedback and assistance from the classroom teacher and EMU faculty.
• Student teaching takes place in more than one setting and location.
• Student teachers participate in a seminar class to receive additional support during the student teaching semester and learn about preparing for job searches and interviews, among other topics.

• Completing our program makes you eligible for a Virginia teaching license, and we'll process the paperwork for you.
• The Virginia Department Of Education reported in 2017 a shortage of more than 6,000 teachers.
• Harrisonburg and Rockingham County school supervisors seek EMU teacher-education graduates.
• The average starting salary for teachers in Harrisonburg City and Rockingham County Schools is $44,000
• EMU teacher-education graduates often move on to graduate school to further specialize and often give leadership in administrative leadership roles.
• 96% of 2019-20 program graduates who sought positions in education were employed in education settings and graduated with an average grade point average (GPA) of 3.7.
• 100% of program graduates pass the state licensure exams.
• We will work with you to understand how to obtain a teaching license in another state if you want to teach outside of Virginia after completing our program.

• Declare an education major and you may be eligible for a  $3000 renewable scholarship.
• EMU has offered close to $1 million in academic merit scholarships collectively to students with outstanding academic achievement.
• Academic scholarships range from $12,000 to $20,000 per year and are renewable for four years depending on academic performance.
• EMU students are eligible for Pell Grants and Federal Need-Based Grants as well as student loans.
• Virginia students may be eligible for a Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG).

• Learn more by contacting  EMU's Financial Assistance Office.