Education Programs at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina is also featured in our ranking of the Top 20 Best Master’s in Reading and Literacy Online.
The University of North Carolina School of Education oversees the education programs available from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Those programs start at the undergraduate level and include options for students who want to become licensed teachers in the Tar Heel State. The Thrive@Education is a popular option because it teaches students how to thrive in an education program. Students take introduction courses as freshmen and transition classes in their later years.
A combined bachelor’s and master’s program lets students earn an undergrad degree and a Master of Teaching degree in only five years. It usually takes students six years to complete both programs. Other joint programs are available from the School of Education and other schools and departments, including one in science and teaching and another in human development and family studies. Students who want to teach music can enroll in the university’s K-12 music education program. It focuses on music performance and educating others on improving their music and singing skills.
Six programs are available from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for education majors. They can get a general Master of Education or a Master of Arts in Teaching or Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship. A different education program is open to experienced teachers and has a focus on early childhood intervention and family support. Students can also work on graduate programs in school administration or school counseling. Those with a bachelor’s degree can enroll in an add-on program and earn endorsements that let them teach different subjects at the secondary or elementary levels. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill also offers doctoral programs in education, leadership, school psychology and curriculum and instruction.
About the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is the flagship campus in the University of North Carolina System. Also known as UNC-Chapel Hill, some call the campus UNC or Carolina. It received a charter in 1789 and admitted its first students six years later, which makes it one of the nation’s oldest university campuses. UNC gained national attention in the 1960s due to the protests on and around its campus. Students today are still politically active and participate in rallies and demonstrations. Both Washington Monthly and ARWU rank UNC within the top 25 of American colleges, and other organizations rank it globally. Carolina also has a strong athletic presence as both its men’s and women’s basketball teams won multiple championships over the years.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Accreditation Details
UNC-Chapel Hill has full accreditation for all its education programs from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). This covers all of the university’s programs in elementary and secondary education and also the fieldwork that many of those programs require. The regional accreditation held by this branch of UNC comes from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), which lets students transfer their credits between UNC branches and to other schools. Students can also use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to get financial aid due to this accreditation.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Application Requirements
Fewer than 30% of the undergrads who apply to UNC-Chapel Hill will receive an acceptance letter. The university looks for students who prepared for college in high school with advanced classes in science, social sciences, math, and English. Students should also take at least one performing or visual arts class and have some experience with a foreign language. Before they submit the application, they will need to write an admissions essay and have a credit or debit card that they will use to pay the application fee. Prospective undergrads should also submit an ACT/SAT score, their transcripts and either a recommendation letter from a teacher or a statement from a guidance counselor.
Graduate students have two application deadlines that they can use. The first is February 12 and designed for those who need financial aid. Students who can afford to attend UNC-Chapel Hill without financial aid can submit their applications by June 11. The application is available on the Chapel Hill website and charges a $90 fee. Students can submit unofficial copies of their transcripts when they first apply, but they must provide official copies that show they earned a bachelor’s degree and maintained a GPA of at least 3.0 before they start an education program. The university also requires a 500-word statement of purpose, official GRE score, resume and contact information for three references, including their full names and email addresses. UNC-Chapel Hill recommends that students use two professional and one academic reference.
Tuition and Financial Aid
North Carolina undergrads attending UNC-Chapel Hill pay $4,490 per year. The university’s guaranteed tuition program freezes this rate when a student starts to help them avoid tuition increases for the next four years. Nonresidents pay $18,079 per year for full-time enrollment. Students taking online classes pay between $250 per credit hour as an NC resident and $1,167 per credit hour as a nonresident. The university charges similar rates for all part-time undergrads. Graduate students pay between $6,757 and $15,620 per year for most of the university’s education programs. Those in the innovation, technology and entrepreneurship program pay a higher rate of $10,257 and $19,120 each year.
The university believes that the cost of enrollment should not stop anyone from attending college, which is why it creates financial aid packages to help students pay all of their costs. Assistantships provide funds for graduate students and allow them to work as research, teaching or graduate assistants. Though UNC-Chapel Hill will pick students for some of these positions based on their individual merit, it also allows students to apply for those positions and other jobs. The FAFSA can also help students get aid, including some of the subsidized and unsubsidized loans available for all students and the grants and scholarships that go to undergrads. Scholarships are based on both need and merit and can significantly reduce a student’s overall cost. Some scholarships are also available for graduate students who need money to attend professional conferences and other events. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has grants and scholarships that go to education majors every year.
