Education and Teaching Degrees at Concordia University of Portland
Concordia University Portland appears in our ranking of the Top 20 Best Online Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Education Degree Programs.
Concordia University of Portland has a number of education and teaching programs from which to choose. The university offers a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education, a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education, a Master of Education degree and a Doctorate of Education. Certificates are also available for those who wish to study more specialized education careers. Concordia University offers certificates in Teaching English Language Learners, Health and PE and Reading Interventionist.
All students at the undergraduate level at Concordia University must complete 50 hours of general education requirements. These courses include foundational courses, like Health and Fitness for Life and How the West Came to Be. They also include what Concordia University refers to as Spiritual Formation courses that include either Old Testament or New Testament and Faith for Life. All undergraduate students must also complete a minimum of six hours of foreign language.
Education majors must complete a minimum of 68 credit hours in their course of study. Those pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education will take courses that focus on early grades, like Intro to English Language Learning and Assessment Literacy. They will also have 20 hours of clinical experience that are spent observing and student teaching at the elementary level.
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education must take courses that focus on secondary education like Best Practices in Whole Class Instruction and Collaboration and Management in the Classroom Secondary. These students must also choose a secondary endorsement. They can choose between Biology, Chemistry, Health Education, Language Arts, Foundational Mathematics, Advanced Mathematics, Social Studies or English to Speakers of Other Languages. Students may instead pursue an endorsement in Physical Education.
A Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education requires fewer hours because it does not include the clinical hours and licensure that are required of Elementary and Secondary Education majors. Students pursuing this degree must complete 31 general education hours, 33 hours of lower-division ECE courses and 45 hours of upper-division ECE courses. Some of these classes include Development of the Young Child, Integrated Strategies of Teaching, Partnering with Families, Children as Scientists and Character and Ethics of the ECE Leader.
Master of Education degrees are one-year programs that are carried out online. Students can choose Master of Education in Educational Leadership or Career and Technical Education. Students can also choose a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with the option of choosing between 15 different concentrations. Those options include Adolescent Literacy, The Inclusive Classroom, STEAM and others.
The Doctorate of Education Degree can be achieved on campus or online. Most students can complete an EdD in three years.
Students can receive education certificates through Concordia University. These certificates include Preliminary Administrator License, Professional Administrator License, Teaching English Language Learners Endorsement, Health and PE Endorsement, and Reading Interventionist Endorsement.
About Concordia University
Concordia University in Portland is a private liberal arts college that is affiliated with the Lutheran church. It began as Concordia Academy in 1905. Only males were allowed in the school until 1968, a full 18 years after the academy added college-level courses. The academy and college split in 1977, with the first full-time students of Concordia College graduating in 1980. The school was renamed to Concordia University in 1995.
According to U.S. News and World Report, Concordia University is ranked at number 20 for Best Colleges for Veterans, number 27 for Best Value Schools and is tied at number 37 for Best Regional Universities in the west.
Concordia University Accreditation Details
Concordia University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. A full-scale re-evaluation for accreditation is completed every five years.
The College of Education is accredited by the Oregon Teachers Standards and Practices Commission.
Concordia University Application Requirements
Undergraduate applicants at Concordia University should apply online. While the school has rolling application dates, students who apply early have the best chance for admission. Students must also supply official high school transcripts, SAT or ACT scores, a written essay and two letters of recommendation.
Graduate students, whether planning to study on campus or online, must also complete online applications. These applicants should first contact the school to learn exactly which materials are needed in order to be accepted into their chosen program.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Undergraduate tuition is roughly $15,000 per semester for those students who are enrolled full-time in Elementary or Secondary Education programs. Students enrolled in Early Childhood Education programs can expect to pay about $13,500 per term. Any student wishing to live on campus will have an additional charge of about $2,500 to $3,000 per semester for residence hall living. They must also choose a dining plan, pay school fees and purchase books when and if necessary. Students at Concordia have an option to take private music lessons for an additional $450 per semester for 1/2 hour of instruction per week.
Freshman undergrads may be eligible for scholarships, loans, and grants. About 98 percent of the student body at Concordia receives some type of student aid. The type and amount of scholarship is based on the student’s high school GPA and SAT or ACT score. Students may also receive athletic, music or religious scholarships.
Students who complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, may receive grants based on need.
Graduate students can use the FAFSA to determine if they are eligible for grants. Graduate students may also be eligible for scholarships, particularly if they have served in the armed services, AmeriCorp or the Peace Corps. Graduate students who qualify can take out a Stafford Loan of up to $20,500. The university sometimes has promotions that allow graduate students to receive free books.
Those students who are 100 percent online may not be eligible for as many grants or scholarships as those students who spend at least some time in a classroom setting.
Students who wish to apply to Concordia University in Portland to study Education at any level should visit the university’s College of Education website.
