Earning your first Bachelor’s Degree?

WOU offers three flexible degree options for students interested in the teaching profession.

Education Major (teacher licensure program)
Flexible Elementary Teacher Pathway

WOU works closely with Oregon community colleges to prepare future elementary teachers. You can take your first 90 credits at your local community college, and then transfer to WOU to complete your final 90 credits through our flexible evening/weekend/online courses.  If you take classes full time, you can earn your Bachelor’s Degree in Education and become a licensed elementary teacher in four years.  You also have the option of being a part-time student for the first three years of your degree. 

Early Childhood Studies Major (non-licensure program)

If you are passionate about working with young children and families, the Early Childhood Studies (ECS) degree prepares students to succeed in working for and leading early childhood education centers, preschool programs, infant and toddler care, and family child care programs.  The ECS faculty team works closely with Oregon community colleges to welcome all emergent early educators to WOU. We welcome Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT) degrees, Associates of Applied Science (AAS) degrees, and Associate of General Studies (AGS) degrees, as well as many partner college early childhood courses to build your path toward a four-year degree in Early Childhood Studies.  We offer flexible course scheduling such as evening/weekend/online/hybrid courses. We celebrate the diversity of the early childhood workforce and support each students’ unique journey, please reach out for a pressure free degree evaluation today!

Education Studies Major (non-licensure program) 

If you are interested in the field of education, but don’t want or need a teaching license, the education studies major may be the right degree program for you.  This degree prepares you to specialize in a broad range of education jobs outside a traditional public school classroom, and has a lot of flexibility in the course format and schedule.  This entire degree can be completed through evening/weekend/online courses, and you can choose to complete this degree through a part-time or full-time class schedule.  If you transfer to WOU with an AAOT degree from an Oregon Community College, you will be on track to get your Bachelor’s Degree in Education Studies in 2 years, if you attend full time.

Already have a Bachelor’s Degree?

WOU also offers flexible degree pathways for many of our graduate programs!

M.S. in Special Education (licensure program)

Interested in becoming a K-12 Special Education teacher and already have a Bachelor’s Degree? Our Flexible Special Education program can help you earn your Special Education license and/or endorsement in two years. The program is offered in a cohort model, and you will meet one evening each week with your cohort “virtually”.  All classes are online. A new cohort begins every Fall with applications due in early Spring. 

M.A. in Teaching (licensure program)

Interested in getting your initial teaching license and endorsement in a single subject area and already have a Bachelor’s Degree? In our M.A. in Teaching Program, you will earn your preliminary teaching license, including one single subject endorsement, in two years.  This program is mostly online with the exception of two face-to-face Saturday classes each term with your cohort.  Cohorts begin every Fall and Winter with applications due in late Spring for Fall and mid-Fall for Winter.  The Elementary (multiple subjects) endorsement is not available in this program.

M.S. in Education (non-licensure program)

Do you already have a teaching license or are you interested in pursuing an education related graduate degree for your future career goals? The M.S. in Education has a variety of focus areas, and can be completed fully online and at your own pace.  This program does not lead to a teaching license, but licensed teachers can imbed endorsements such as ESOL, Reading, or Elementary Mathematics Specialist into this degree. The program has rolling admissions which means that you can start any term. There are nine content areas to choose from and a list of them can be found following the link below. 

Seeking Non-Credit Professional Development?

WOU provides professional development opportunities, including an annual conference, to support paraeducators – instructional assistants, classroom assistants, and teacher’s aides.