Teaching Programs in Ohio
Teaching can be an extraordinarily wonderful experience. But it also requires an incredible amount of work, time, dedication, and preparation. As a prospective teacher in Ohio, you can get the training you need to become a teacher at any number of colleges or universities. Better still, you can complete the bulk of your training online.
If you’re an undergraduate student, you can enroll in an online teaching program in Ohio and finish your coursework from the comfort of your home. You’ll then complete student teaching at an approved site (provided the program leads to licensure). If you’re a graduate student, you might be able to complete the entire program online, making it much more convenient to get an advanced education.
Below are some of the popular options for enhancing your teacher training in Ohio. Explore each, learn more about what’s required to become a teacher, and forge a path forward toward your career!
Online Teaching Degrees in Ohio
Listed below are some of the popular schools offering online teaching degrees in Ohio:
- Mount Vernon Nazarene University
- Notre Dame College
- Franklin University
- Bowling Green State University
- Youngstown State University
- American College of Education
- National University
- American Public University
- Southern New Hampshire University
Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Online Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education
The Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Mount Vernon Nazarene University prepares you to teach students at the pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade levels. The program includes all the necessary components to get your teaching license, including a 12-week student teaching experience. This program is also accredited by the Ohio Department of Education, so you can rest easy knowing that your training translates to the state’s required qualifications for a teaching certificate.
This program offers the flexibility of entering as a first-year student or as a transfer student. If you’re a first-year student, you’ll first need to complete the necessary general education requirements. These courses explore many different broad subjects in the liberal arts and sciences, including the following:
- Natural sciences
- Social Sciences
- Mathematics
- English composition
- Communications
Roughly 60 credits of general education courses and free electives are necessary to complete this degree. Another 54 credits are required within the elementary education major. These courses begin with introductory topics like General Teaching Methods, Unit Planning, and Developmental Literacy.
The curriculum also includes subject-matter coursework, such as PK-5 Social Studies, PK-5 Science, and PK-5 Math. Furthermore, you’ll take classes like Content Area Reading, Elementary Language Arts and Writing Methods, and Basics of Phonics Instruction. Needless to say, this curriculum focuses heavily on language acquisition and development.
You’ll also gain the necessary teaching skills to run an organized and welcoming classroom. For example, you’ll take a Classroom Management class that explores effective strategies for promoting positive behavior in class while minimizing negative behavior. You’ll also take a class called Inclusion and Inclusive Curricular Practices, which teaches you how to develop learning activities that take each student’s unique background and experiences into account.
Furthermore, you’ll complete the following coursework to round out your teacher training:
- Introduction to Multicultural Education
- Urban/Diverse Field Experience
- Upper Elementary Field Experience
- Early Childhood Integrated Field Experience
- Student Teaching
You’ll notice that four of the five courses listed above are experiential. The three field experience classes are mostly observational. So, for example, you’ll spend time observing elementary teachers in urban or diverse areas to see first-hand how diversity, inclusion, and multicultural practices are put into place. You’ll do the same in the upper elementary and early childhood field experiences.
The student teaching component is where you’ll gain real-world experience as a teacher. You’ll have an experienced mentor teacher to help you get comfortable as a classroom teacher. Then, gradually, you’ll take over most of the teaching duties as you progress through the 12-week student teaching placement.
Throughout the program, you’ll benefit from having a team of advisors to help you with everything from course scheduling to financial aid. You’ll also have mentor teachers and experienced faculty members to help you develop your teaching skills and prepare for your elementary education career.
You can apply to this program online if it is of interest to you. When applying as a first-year student, you must meet the following requirements:
- Have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
- Submit official high school transcripts or equivalency scores.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
Since this is a religiously-affiliated university, you must also provide details about your religious preference.
Notre Dame College
Online Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education
Another option for completing a teaching degree for pre-kindergarten through the fifth grade is the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education from Notre Dame College. This 128-credit program typically takes four years to complete. However, Notre Dame College allows you to transfer up to 90 credits into the program, making it a top option if you started your degree elsewhere and need only a few classes to finish it.
If you’ve not started your college education, you’ll need to complete the general education requirements as described earlier. Though the specific courses you take might vary, generally speaking, you’re required to study fields like English composition, biology, trigonometry, public speaking, and psychology.
Once you’ve finished the general courses and electives, you can start the teacher education studies in earnest. There are numerous categories of classes you must take, including the following:
- Foundational Studies
- Division of Education Prerequisites
- Professional Education Core
- Early Childhood Education Core
According to Notre Dame College, the Foundational Studies component includes classes on a wide range of introductory subject areas. The purpose of these courses is to help you build the necessary knowledge and skills to be both academically and professionally successful.
Next, the Division of Education Prerequisites focus on essential topics for teachers. You’ll take classes like Introduction to Education, Educational Psychology, Psychology of Students With Special Needs, and General Psychology. Several of these classes have associated field experiences. For example, you’ll observe a special needs classroom as part of the Psychology of Students With Special Needs course.
The Professional Education Core is the next part of the program. These classes focus on classroom tasks and issues like Integrating Technology Across the Curriculum, Curriculum Principles for Pre-K-12, and Classroom Management. You’ll also take a course entitled Issues in Education, in which you analyze current issues in the U.S. educational system and devise solutions to those issues.
Another 37 credits of Early Childhood Education Core coursework is required. These classes focus mostly on literacy, educational foundations, and instructional methods. For example, you’ll take four literacy-related courses:
- The Role of Phonics in Reading
- Children’s Literature and Literacy
- Assessment and Correction of Reading Disabilities
- Developmental Reading
You’re also required to take Foundations of Early and Middle Childhood Education. This class provides a general overview of the American educational system, including its history, philosophy, and goals. You’ll learn how to create and implement developmentally appropriate classroom lessons as well.
Two instructional methods courses are included in the Early Childhood Education Core. On the one hand, you’ll take Instructional Methods in English/Language Arts and Social Studies, which focuses specifically on teaching children these topics in the fourth and fifth grades. You’ll have opportunities to study instructional methods, watch demonstrations of common instructional methods, and practice these methods, too. The second course, Instructional Methods in Science and Mathematics, follows the same footprint.
The final component of this program is the 12-credit student teaching experience. Your student teaching placement lasts fifteen weeks and takes place in an early childhood education classroom in a charter school. As is common for student teaching, you’ll work with a cooperating teacher who supervises your daily activities in their classroom. You’ll also have a college supervisor who provides support throughout the field experience.
The following admissions requirements must be met in order to apply:
- Have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
- Submit official high school transcripts or equivalency scores.
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
Furthermore, you must have a 2.75 GPA in all professional education coursework and pass a background check to gain admission to the teacher education program.
Franklin University
Online Bachelor of Science in Adolescence to Young Adult Education
Another interesting option for getting an undergraduate education degree is the Bachelor of Science in Adolescence to Young Adult Education from Franklin University. This 120-credit program focuses specifically on helping you develop the content knowledge and teaching skills needed to work in junior high and high school classrooms.
This degree takes four years to complete. However, Franklin allows you to transfer up to 75 percent of the 120 credits needed to graduate. This means you can transfer up to 90 credits and significantly shorten the time required to finish this program.
While in the program, you’ll take content-area and professional courses in six-, eight-, 12-, and 16-week formats. Assuming you’ve already completed the general education requirements as described earlier, you’ll focus your time on areas like Professional Education, in which you’ll learn how to plan lessons, integrate technology into your classroom, and devise assessments to gauge student learning. You’ll also learn how to collaborate with other educational professionals, differentiate curricula to address the unique learning needs of students, and apply educational psychology theories to improve classroom instruction.
You’ll supplement these studies with Major-Area Required courses and Foundations of Reading Courses. The Major-Area Required courses include a Professional Growth and Development class, which offers an in-depth look at teaching methods in a classroom setting. In fact, this class is a practicum, so you’ll have opportunities to watch practicing teachers plan and implement teaching strategies. You’ll also take one of the following three classes:
- Adolescence to Young Adult Language Arts Methods
- Adolescence to Young Adult Social Studies Methods
- Mathematics Methods and Materials for Adolescence to Young Adult Educators
Immersive learning opportunities are an integral component of this program. Field experiences begin your first semester and continue throughout your training. These field experiences are mostly observational and allow you to see experienced teachers plan lessons, develop curricula, manage their classrooms, and so forth. These experiences are in different grade levels and at different schools, which allows you to see how teaching and learning differ from one classroom and school system to the next.
This program further requires you to master the content areas you’ll teach. The 7-12 license stipulates that you are highly qualified in at least one major content area – English Language Arts, Social Studies, or Mathematics. Whatever content area you choose, you must complete 30 credits of studies in that field.
In addition to practicum experiences each semester, you’ll also complete a full semester of student teaching at an approved school in a 7-12 classroom. Franklin University has more than 200 partner schools in urban, rural, and suburban areas in Ohio. The school will work with you to find an appropriate placement near where you live.
You can apply to Franklin University online at any time. To do so, you must meet the following requirements:
- Have a high school diploma or its equivalent, an associate degree, or higher.
- Submit official high school transcripts or equivalency scores (if you are a first-year student or transfer student with fewer than 60 college credits).
- Submit official transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
You must also complete the American Education Studies program prior to being accepted to the School of Education.
Bowling Green State University
Online Master of Education in Curriculum and Teaching
At Bowling Green State University, you can complete a Master of Education in Curriculum and Teaching that builds on your undergraduate teaching degree with advanced studies that make you a more effective teacher. This part-time program requires 33 credits to graduate. Most students need about two years to finish this degree.
The program’s focus is on curricular innovation. Broadly speaking, you’ll learn how to develop 21st-century curricula and utilize cutting-edge teaching practices that align with the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and the Ohio Standards for the Teaching Profession.
Each class is just seven weeks long (summer classes are even shorter at six weeks). These classes fall into one of three categories: required courses, electives, and culminating experience.
The required coursework includes 18 credits focusing on curriculum, teaching, and research. For example, you’ll take Curriculum Inquiry, in which you investigate topics like foundational bases for curricula, outside influences on the design and development of curricular activities, and the implementation and evaluation of curricula in the classroom.
As another example, you’ll take an Advanced Pedagogy and Best Practices course that examines the effectiveness of research-based teaching techniques. Additionally, you’ll learn how to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of classroom teaching and how to become a more self-reflective educator. There is also a field experience with this course.
Other required courses include the following:
- Classroom Technology for Teachers or Technology in the 21st-Century Classroom
- Issues and Trends in Curriculum and Instruction
- Statistics in Education or Using K-12 Assessment Data to Improve Practice
- Qualitative Approaches to Classroom Inquiry
As you can see, this degree isn’t just theoretical in nature. Though you might discuss modern educational theories and techniques, the bulk of your time will be spent learning how to use data-driven approaches to improve your ability to teach.
This degree also requires 12 credits of electives. You have the freedom to choose any graduate-level course to fulfill these requirements. Though it might be most beneficial to select graduate certificate or endorsement courses focusing specifically on teacher education (e.g., Early Childhood, Middle Childhood, Reading), you can choose other elective courses from the graduate catalog if you prefer.
The last portion of this program is the Culminating Experience. Bowling Green State University gives you two options to choose from: Thesis Research or a Master’s Project in Curriculum and Teaching.
The thesis option revolves around detailed research on an educational topic of your choice. Your topic must be approved by your advisor prior to commencing with your research. You’ll spend at least a semester working on your thesis, which you must explain in a detailed graduate paper. You are also required to defend your thesis to a committee of faculty members.
The master’s project option also focuses on research. However, your research must generate new knowledge that’s beneficial for teaching and curriculum development. As with the thesis, you must have advisor approval before beginning the project. Your research will be summarized in a detailed research paper, but an oral defense is not required.
You must meet the following requirements to apply:
- Submit the application for admission linked above.
- Pay a $45 application fee
- Have an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
- Submit transcripts from every college or university you’ve attended.
- Submit any other documentation as required (e.g., GRE scores, a resume or curriculum vitae, a statement of purpose).