Undergraduate
Most majors in the College of Arts and Sciences may choose to minor in education. The minor includes courses that carry fieldwork so that students may gain a genuine appreciation for the dynamics of K12 classrooms and the actual implementation of curriculum and assessment. Students choose either elementary education or secondary education in a particular discipline, usually the major field they are studying.
Students seeking a teaching license must also complete a student teaching practicum. The Director of Field Placement works with students to identify an appropriate placement for their 4 month student teaching experience in one of the several partnering Boston public schools. During student teaching, each student works directly with a Boston teacher and a university supervisor and enrolls in a reflective seminar.
Students with at least a B average in all course work may apply during their middler year to a combined program that includes their BA or BS degree and a Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT). This intensive program includes a one-year internship in a Boston public school and additional semester of graduate coursework. Successful completion means that students graduate with both an undergraduate (BA or BS) and a graduate (MAT) degree in five years.
To sum up, an undergraduate at NU has three choices in the education department:- a minor in education
- a minor plus student teaching that leads to a Massachusetts license at either the elementary or secondary level
- a combined degree (BA/BS-MAT)