Elementary Education (MAE)
Master of Arts in Education
Elevate your teaching career with an online program designed specifically for K-6 classroom teachers.
- Delivered entirely online
- Next cohort begins Fall 2026
- Application Deadline: August 1
- You may be eligible to receive a scholarship - See below for details!
Features
Entirely Online | 30 Credits | 5 semesters
- Designed for current K-6 classroom teachers with licensure in the field of elementary education and aligned with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
- Supported by faculty-guided teacher research, allowing you to focus on relevant issues within your classroom
- Elevate your teaching skills with courses addressing curriculum issues, literacy, mathematics, science, social students and action research
- Recognized with top honors as a best online master's in education program in 2025 by U.S. News and World Report
As an Online & Distance Education student, you’ll have a dedicated Enrollment Contact and Program Coordinator to assist you with registering for classes, navigating the course sequence and billing process, preparing for graduation, and much more.
Mason Kuhn
Program Coordinator
Associate Professor, Department of Elementary and Middle Level Education
mason.kuhn@uni.edu
319-273-2240
Lisa Jaeger
Enrollment Contact
Online & Distance Education
lisa.jaeger@uni.edu
319-273-2504
Request Information
Courses are taught asynchronously over five semesters via Blackboard, a dynamic platform that will enhance your learning experience. Most courses offer flexible Zoom meetings to connect with the professor, engage with the content, and build community with colleagues. The program is delivered in a cohort model, allowing you to study with the same group of teachers throughout the program.
Our graduates are prepared to:
- Advocate for change for their students and school community
- Become a Teacher Leader in curriculum and innovative instructional methods
- Apply action research to topics of interest or areas of concern in classrooms and schools
- Understand and communicate how to promote equity and inclusion in the elementary classroom
- Model best practices and offer leadership, in areas of literacy, science, STEM and social studies
Individualized Support Services
Throughout every step of your program, you'll have a dedicated team of support staff ready to assist you. You'll also have access to UNI services such as:
- Personalized academic advising
- Support from Financial Aid, Career Services and Rod Library staff
- Academic support and tutoring opportunities from the Learning Center
- Access to student accessibility services and staff
- Technical support assistance
Courses are taught asynchronously over five semesters via Blackboard, a dynamic platform that will enhance your learning experience. Most courses offer flexible Zoom meetings to connect with the professor, engage with the content, and build community with colleagues. The program is delivered in a cohort model, allowing you to study with the same group of teachers throughout the program.
Our graduates are prepared to:
- Advocate for change for their students and school community
- Become a Teacher Leader in curriculum and innovative instructional methods
- Apply action research to topics of interest or areas of concern in classrooms and schools
- Understand and communicate how to promote equity and inclusion in the elementary classroom
- Model best practices and offer leadership, in areas of literacy, science, STEM and social studies
Individualized Support Services
Throughout every step of your program, you'll have a dedicated team of support staff ready to assist you. You'll also have access to UNI services such as:
- Personalized academic advising
- Support from Financial Aid, Career Services and Rod Library staff
- Academic support and tutoring opportunities from the Learning Center
- Access to student accessibility services and staff
- Technical support assistance
To be admitted, students must have:
- 2.75 is the minimum GPA to be accepted without provision; applicants with a GPA lower than 2.75 may still be admitted provisionally, at the discretion of the program and the Division of Graduate Studies.
- Elementary Education teaching license (can be from any state; does not need to be current)
Along with the application, you must submit:
- Official transcripts from all institutions attended
- Resume and/or CV
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required.
Available Scholarships
College of Education Scholarships:
Graduate tuition scholarships are available for College of Education graduate students who are applying or enrolled in an online program, pending scholarship criteria. You may be eligible for any of the following scholarships:
- COE Dean's Graduate Scholarships
- Graduate Tuition Scholarships (funded through the UNI Division of Graduate Studies)
- Other COE and COE department scholarships funded through the UNI Foundation
Apply for these scholarships using the COE Graduate Scholarship Application. Deadline is April 15.
Online & Distance Education Scholarship
Online & Distance Education offers $2,000 scholarships for degree-seeking students enrolled in select graduate programs. There is no deadline to apply.
Next Steps
Express Interest
Complete our online information request form. We'll send program updates, important information, and application deadlines directly to your inbox!
Apply
Along with the application, students must submit the required additional application materials listed above.
Apply for Scholarships
Learn more and apply for the scholarship today.
Delivery of this program is contingent on a sufficient number of students being accepted into the program.
