Learning to Teach at the University of Maine
The University of Maine is also featured in our ranking of the Top 20 Best Master’s in Reading and Literacy Online.
The opportunities at the University of Maine for students to study the art of teaching in various disciplines and other guises is truly spectacular. At the undergraduate level, the degrees available are in Athletic Training, Kinesiology and Physical Education, Child Development and Family Relations, both Elementary and Secondary Education, Art Education, and Music Education.
The Music Education degree requires 120-130 credits to complete, depending on focus. Students must select instrument, vocal, or both as their focus. Classes include Teaching Elementary General Music, Music History I and II, and Applied Music Lessons. Student teaching is the capstone project. The curriculum for the other undergraduate education degrees is roughly similar and includes relevant classes for the degree specialty.
When it comes to graduate school, the specializations in education become more pronounced. There are 11 different degree foci offered online alone, including Master of Education in Special Education with a focus on Early Intervention, Master of Education in Educational Leadership, and the Master of Education in Literacy-Individualized. These degrees require between 30 and 50 credits to complete and generally require a thesis. Students can also earn their Ph.D. in Education.
The University of Maine also allows students to “double up,” which means they can earn their bachelor’s degree and master’s degree at the same time. All of the education programs are eligible to be “doubled up,” although most require faculty approval. Students who follow this track have usually completed both degrees in five years rather than four.
Graduate students aren’t the only ones who can study online. The entire slate of undergraduate degrees is available online too.
About the University of Maine
In 1862, President Lincoln signed the Morrill Act, which awarded money to the states to fund various institutions of higher learning. Three years later, the Maine State College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts opened its doors. By 1871, the university was offering electives to go with its agricultural and engineering programs.
Almost immediately after that, the University of Maine began adding programs to its curricula. By 1897, the school had advanced to the point that it earned university status. That year, the board of trustees renamed the school the University of Maine.
Today, nearly 12,000 students study both at the campus and from all over the world online. The programs offered number in the dozens, and U.S. News and World Report ranks the University of Maine No. 177 among National Universities. The university is also the No. 97 public school and the No. 115 school for online graduate programs in education. The on-campus graduate school in education is ranked No. 127.
The student-to-faculty ratio is 16-to-1, and 40 percent of the school’s classes have fewer than 20 students in them. The school is somewhat selective and chooses about nine in 10 students for admission.
The Maine Black Bears are one of the nation’s most formidable hockey teams and have won two national titles.
University of Maine Accreditation Details
The University of Maine is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. Some of the departments at the university also hold academic accreditation from different organizations, including the:
- National Association of Schools of Art and Design
- National Association of Schools of Music
- American Chemical Society
- Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology Inc.
- American Psychological Association
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
- Society of American Foresters
- Society of Wood Science and Technology
- Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
University of Maine Application Requirements
All undergraduate applicants to the University of Maine who are 19 years of age or younger must score either 670 on the math portion of the SAT or a 29 on the math portion of the ACT to avoid the otherwise mandatory mathematics placement test. All applicants must submit high-school transcripts and also transcripts of any college classes up to a total of 12 credits. They must also compose an essay. The student’s school must also recommend the student for admission.
Graduate students must submit three letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose. Some programs require either the Graduate Management Admission Test, Miller Analogies Test, or Graduate Record Examinations for admittance. The Music Education graduate program does not, but the student must pass departmental music examinations prior to completing the 13th credit in the program. Students in other disciplines should check the website to determine if these tests are required or not.
Tuition and Financial Aid
Tuition at the University of Maine is calculated by the credit hour, and Maine residents pay a lesser amount than nonresidents. Assuming a fairly standard benchmark of 12 credits per semester, a resident freshman would pay $4,819 per semester. A non-resident would pay $12,943 per semester. Because of its proximity to the border, the University of Maine gives Canadian students who wish to attend a break. They pay $7,159 per semester. Graduate students pay $6,621 as residents and $18,813 as nonresidents. Canadians get a break again and pay $10,137.
There are 10 available meal plans. Students should check the website to see what they prefer. The unlimited plan costs $5,948 per year. Rooms are between roughly $5,000 and $8,000, depending on occupancy and residence hall.
The financial aid process begins with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which the student fills out to determine how much need-based aid is applicable if any. Such aid might consist of one or more of the following: subsidized loans, on which the student pays no interest while enrolled, grants, or scholarships. Students may also apply for as many private forms of aid as they wish.
The University of Maine provides exceptional education in education and fully prepares, and in some cases, licenses, students for lives in the 21st-century teaching world.
