UNC School of Education relaunches undergraduate elementary education degree

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Dec. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Education is relaunching the Bachelor of Arts in Education (B.A.Ed.) in Elementary Education program. The program has been approved by the UNC provost's office and the UNC College of Arts and Sciences Administrative Board. The program's first classes will begin 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. 

"For over 140 years, Carolina's School of Education has been serving our state by educating teachers who are making a difference in all 100 counties," said Chancellor Lee H. Roberts. "This new program will train teachers to address one of our critical workforce shortages, giving dedicated teachers the skills and expertise they need to prepare our children for the future."

"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." 

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).

The program will also provide its students with coursework in data literacy and educational technology. The program's graduates will leave Carolina with skills to make data actionable for instructional decision-making and effective student learning. 

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 on the UNC School of Education website.

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SOURCE University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill