With approval from the UNC Office of the Provost and the UNC College of Arts and Sciences Administrative Board, the UNC School of Education will relaunch the Bachelor of Arts in Education (B.A.Ed.) in Elementary Education program, offering its first classes in fall 2026. The program, which has been developed by top researchers and practitioners and with the diverse needs of North Carolina’s elementary students in mind, will prepare highly effective teachers to create impact in today’s – and tomorrow’s – classrooms.
Today’s elementary teachers support the needs of all students, including exceptional and multilingual learners. The program is one of few, if not the only, in North Carolina that requires dual licensure in Elementary Education and in either Special Education – General Curriculum (K-12) or English as a Second Language (K-12). With more than 300 languages spoken in North Carolina homes and nearly 15% of all public school students receiving special education services, the program’s dual licensure requirement ensures graduates are prepared to effectively respond to student needs and foster learning environments that serve all students.
In addition to preparing future teachers with research-based methods to ensure their students receive effective reading and mathematics instruction, the program will also provide its students with coursework in data literacy and educational technology. As technologies proliferate and provide new student data, the program’s graduates will leave Carolina with skills to make data actionable for instructional decision-making and effective student learning.
“North Carolina schools need beginning teachers who are ready to lead from day one,” said Jill V. Hamm, Dean of the UNC School of Education. “This program is what a flagship teacher preparation program should look like – one that recognizes the increasingly diverse needs of today’s students and a technology-driven culture that provides us all with data that can improve our world. Our graduates will be ready for day one, but they will also be equipped with knowledge and experiences to transform their students’ lives throughout their careers in education.”
Graduates of the new program will leave Carolina ready to meet the challenges of today’s schools — whether that means adapting instruction to individual student needs, utilizing data to make informed instructional decisions, or creating classroom communities where every learner is supported. The program also emphasizes leadership skills, preparing graduates to advocate for students and engage in their communities.
Additional program features include:
- Sustained in-school learning experiences
The curriculum includes continuous opportunities to turn theory into practice in real classrooms. Beginning junior year, students will engage in fieldwork across a range of schools, including schools in rural, suburban, and urban areas. During their senior year, students will complete a year-long internship and student-teaching experience.
- Professional mentorship and networking
In addition to mentorship from School of Education faculty members, students will also receive valuable professional mentorship from practicing educators during their in-school placements, helping them build confidence and competence as future educators.
- Proven evidence-based practices
The program mirrors what experts know works in teacher development. School faculty members, whose research is shaping education fields, will provide students with frequent, focused feedback and opportunities to refine their teaching practice.
- A focus on well-being and resilience
Students will create close connections with fellow aspiring teachers and participate in a variety of curricular and extracurricular activities that provide opportunities for self-reflection, helping them grow their teaching practice an develop their own classroom resilience.
The B.A.Ed. in Elementary Education program builds upon the successes of the School’s Master of Arts in Teaching program and additional educator preparation programs. Combined, these programs have consistently produced many of North Carolina’s most effective teachers, school counselors, principals, and more — who are not just leaders in their schools but in their communities.
“The program is a forward-looking investment in the future of North Carolina classrooms that aligns with our charge to serve North Carolina,” Hamm said. “It also reflects the School’s long-standing commitment to preparing service-minded educators who set the standard for the future of education — because today’s students deserve teachers prepared to lead tomorrow’s classrooms.”
Current Carolina sophomores or students expected to graduate in the Class of 2028 are eligible to apply to the B.A.Ed. in Elementary Education program beginning in January 2026. Admitted students will begin coursework in fall 2026.
Learn more about the B.Ed. in Elementary Education program at ed.unc.edu/elementary.