If your goal is to:

• Become a professional educator.
• Change the lives of students.
• Contribute to your school, district and community.
• Be a part of an award-winning teacher preparation program.
• Obtain an excellent education for one of the lowest four-year tuition rates in the country.
• Be in charge of your education through online courses and flexible internship and student teaching placements. 

Then the Teacher Preparation Program at FHSU has something for you! 

Fort Hays Routes to the Classroom

Building Essential Skills Together (B.E.S.T) ELED Program (PreK-6)

• Requires 60 completed college credit hours, admission to the Teacher Education Program at FHSU, and additional pre-requisite classes.
• Declared FHSU major in Elementary Education with a Minor in Special Education
• Eligible for the LTAP license once accepted into the program.
• Must have an offer of employment in Kansas as an elementary teacher.
• Available 100% online.
• Leads to KSDE initial certification in Elementary Education and K-6 High Incidence Special Education. 
• Undergraduate program leading to bachelor’s degree.
• Dr. Chris Jochum – Program Coordinator – [email protected] 785-628-4204

Transition to Teaching (PreK-6)

• Requires a Bachelor’s degree to apply
• Eligible for a Limited Elementary Apprentice License (LERP) after successfully completing a “preliminary semester” of coursework
• Must have an offer of employment in Kansas as an elementary teacher to obtain a LERP License
• Available 100% online
• 36 credit hours: 10 hours (LERP licensure); additional 17 hours (full licensure); added 9 hours and comprehensive exam (MSE degree)
• Dr. Valerie Zelenka – Program Coordinator – [email protected] 785-628-4688

More Information

Apply Here

Special Education High Incidence or Low Incidence (PreK-12)

• Requires a Bachelor’s degree to apply
• Must be employed in Kansas for either High Incidence or Low Incidence SPED
• Will teach under a LRL (Limited Residency License) while completing the program
• MS degree completion required
• Dr. Jerrie Brooks, Assistant Professor, [email protected], 785-628-4738

More Information

Further questions about FHSU programs?

Program Information

• Dr. Valerie Zelenka – Program Coordinator – [email protected] 785-628-4688

Fort Hays State University National Science Teachers for Rural America

• A post baccalaureate STEM teacher licensure project
• For individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree in: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geosciences, Mathematics, or Engineering
• Fully on-line degree program
• Obligations include: you must teach in a rural school district & complete 2 years of teaching in a high-needs rural district within 8 years of program completion 

National Science Foundation Robert Noyce Scholarship Information – $24,788 stipend

K-State’s online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) is a flexible, practical, and convenient pathway to teaching and licensure for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree. 

• Pathways Include: Elementary (PreK-6), Unified Elementary + Special Education (K-6), or Secondary
  • Secondary Options:  English Language Arts (6-12), Math (6-12), Social Studies (6-12), Modern Languages (PreK-12), or Ag (6-12)
• Multiple Start Dates: Begin in summer, fall, or spring semesters. Applications are accepted year-round
• Quick and Personalized: Complete the program in as little as 12 months or go at your own pace
• Initial License Eligible: Completing the MAT degree and state-required test(s) leads to eligibility to apply for a Kansas Initial Teaching License

Two, flexible tracks

• Practitioner track: For students who pursue the MAT while teaching full-time. K-State will help MAT students who teach in Kansas to get a KSDE LEAP or Restricted license while they complete the degree program
• License-seeking track: For students who pursue the MAT while continuing their current employment or life adventures

Register for the monthly informational Webinar and Q&A.

MAT Elementary Pathway Website

MAT Secondary Pathway Website

MAT Unified Elementary + Special Education Pathway Website

More information

Apply Today!

Para to Teacher Pathway Project Grant

The University of Kansas Department of Special Education invites applications for a federally funded personnel preparation program that provides tuition and a stipend to prepare successful paraprofessionals to earn a teaching license in low-incidence disabilities.

Earn a Limited Residency License in Low-Incidence Special Education with an Optional Master’s degree in Special Education.

Qualifications

Scholarship Participant Benefits

• Tuition and fees paid
• Additional $3,000 stipend to cover other costs such as books, Wi-Fi, and dependent care in Fall and Spring semesters
• Extensive mentoring from KU faculty and staff, KU graduates, and school district personnel
• Funding to attend at least one national conference (out of state travel)
• Complete the program while you are teaching in your school

More Information

Eligibility for the Scholarship:

• Be a US citizen
• Be a Kansas Resident
• Meet KU Admissions eligibility requirements
  • Visit https://specialedu.ku.edu/academics/low-incidence-disabilities/masters/details and scroll down to “Low Incidence Disabilities Master’s Graduate Admission” for more information.
• Agree to and be eligible to fulfill US Department of Education service obligations
  • Visit https://pdp.ed.gov/OSEP/home/faq for more information.
• Earned a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university
• Completed at least one full year of experience as a special education paraprofessional working with students with low-incidence disabilities (“severe” disabilities)
• Can verify that a Kansas school will employ and support you as a low-incidence teacher

Other qualifications for the Limited Residency License (LRL):

Qualifications of Candidates

• Earned a Bachelor’s degree (from a regionally accredited university)
• Obtained a GPA of 2.50 on a 4.0 scale for the most recent 60 semester credit hours earned by the candidate 
• Completed a minimum of one full school year as a full‐time special education paraprofessional under the supervision of a special education teacher
  • Extensive long‐term special education substitute experience will be considered on an individual basis for equivalency to the described paraprofessional experience. 
• Verify that a local education agency (school district) will employ and support you in an appropriate low-incidence special education teaching assignment during the completion of the program under the LRL license. 

Teacher Education Handbook 

Para to Teach Program

Qualifications 

• Currently employed as a paraeducator

Information

• 100% Online
• Designed for working professionals to earn their Elementary Education Unified Degree
• Prepares future educators to teach students in general or special education
• Partners with community colleges and P-12 special education interlocals
• Can leverage your Associate’s degree or college credit hours to jumpstart degree

More Information

Early Childhood Unified (Birth-Kindergarten)

Information

• Prepares you to nurture babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergartners
• Graduates are eligible for a Kansas teaching license covering general and special education up to kindergarten
• Pitt State houses a preschool for local families, acting as a training lab for Child Development and Early Childhood Education majors

Elementary Education Unified Major

Information

• Students gain proficiency in teaching both general education and special education in grades K-6
• More than 50 percent of our students choose the Unified path 
• This path requires two additional special education courses in your academic plan  
• This plan will teach you to implement inclusive practices, instruct students with diverse learning needs, and conduct individual assessments of developmental milestones/academic achievement

Master of Arts Degree

Secondary 

Elementary

Information

• Designed for those making a career change to education 
• Leads to an initial teaching license and a Master of Arts degree

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from accredited institution
• 3.00 cumulative GPA
• Professional Disposition Assessment (includes personal interview)
• Background check

Course Delivery

• online courses
• 6 credit hours per semester
• prescribed sequence of courses

More Information

PSU College of Education 

Apply here

Limited Apprentice Program (LAP) in High Incidence Special Education, K-6 or 6-12

If you want to work with special education students, this program will help you earn the knowledge and skill to make a difference in the classroom. Our graduates now work in a variety of settings: self-contained classrooms, resource rooms, in consultation with others, in public or private schools, and in institutions including adolescent correctional facilities.

Qualifications & the Process

• Bachelor’s Degree (from a regionally accredited university)
• GPA requirement of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for the most recent 60 semester hours earned by the candidate
• Minimum of one full school year as a full-time special education paraprofessional under the supervision of a Special Education Teacher
• Those with extensive work as a long-term special education substitute will be considered on an individual basis for equivalency to the paraprofessional experience requirement, with the recommendation of local school district(s)
• Verification that a local education agency (LEA) will employ and support you in an appropriate Special Education High Incidence teaching assignment during the completion of this program
• Admission to Washburn University
• Admission to the Washburn University Department of Education Graduate Program in High Incidence Special Education

More Information

Apply Here

Wichita State TAP Program

Prepare for a licensure as a Kansas teacher with a flexible program of study, specially designed for Para Educators and Long-Term Substitutes to earn their Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Unified/Elementary Education.

This program leads to licensure only in the state of Kansas. The license options with this degree include:

• Early Childhood Unified (Birth-3rd Grade)
• Elementary Education (K-6th Grade)
• Early Childhood Unified & Elementary Education (Birth-3rd Grade, K-6th Grade)

More Information

Apply Here

MAT ECU/EEU – (Masters of Arts in Teaching – Early Childhood Unified with concentration in Elementary Education Unified Details)

The MAT ECU/EEU program is offered for students seeking initial KSDE licensure in early childhood unified with concentration in elementary education unified: birth through sixth grade

Information

• Emphasis in urban schools
• Prepares teaching residents to meet the needs of children with and without disabilities in varied settings
• Involves students working in the classrooms as paraprofessionals while working on their graduate degree and initial license 

Prerequisites

• Completed at least a BA/BS degree from an accredited higher education institution prior to entry into the program
• A GPA of 3.0 in the last 60 hours of graded coursework (or a 2.75 to be admitted on probationary status)

More Information
Program Information Sheet

Master of Education in Special Education High Incidence Alternative Certification

Information

• 37 credit hour program for individuals who have at least one year of experience as a paraprofessional and a Bachelor’s degree outside the field of education
• Certification to become a special education teacher
• Fully online (Cohorts starting in both the summer and fall semesters)
• Students earn field experience credit while working as the Special Education Teacher of Record
• Ongoing university mentoring support throughout the program is provided

Admission Requirements

• GPA of 2.75 or better
  • Applicants with a GPA below 2.75 are required to meet one of the following:
    • GRE scores of at least 150 in verbal reasoning, 148 in quantitative reasoning and 3.5 in analytical writing
• Full admission to the WSU Graduate School
  • Apply Here
• Email the following to Dr. Reagan Murnan
  • Signed documentation from a building or district administrator confirming work as a paraprofessional for at least one year
  • Letter of recommendation from a building or district  level administrator that highlights strengths as an educator and the school district’s commitment to mentoring
    • This letter must be on a school or school district letterhead

Course Requirements

• Preparatory course (7 credit hours) taken as a cohort during the first semester of the program while still employed as a paraprofessional (If summer start, employment as a paraprofessional is not required. Students must receive departmental permission to enroll in preparatory coursework by securing a teaching position to start by the second semester of the program and completing KSDE Form 24)
• Required Core Courses (23 credit hours)  – student must start full-time employment as a special education teacher of record at the start of their second semester

Apply now
More Information

The University of Saint Mary education courses are designed with busy working professionals in mind. Classes are offered in the evenings at the University of Saint Mary – Johnson County with virtual attendance options or asynchronously online. Benefit from small class sizes and 1-on-1 attention.

Registered Teacher Apprenticeship Program

• Who Should Apply: Candidates seeking a bachelor’s degree and Kansas licensure working full time in a school district.
• Licensure Pathway: The program leads to a bachelor’s in elementary education and Kansas initial teacher licensure.
  • Options for Elementary Unified or ESOL concentration, possible secondary options.
• Tuition Discount: $215 per credit hour
• Learn More: kdse.gov

Bachelors In Elementary Education

• Who Should Apply: Candidates seeking initial licensure while earning their bachelor’s degrees.
• Licensure Pathway: The program leads to a bachelor’s in elementary education and Kansas initial teacher licensure.
  • Options for Elementary Unified or ESOL concentration, possible secondary options.
• Tuition: $425 per credit hour

More Information

Apply Here

Graduate Education Programs

• Who Should Apply: Candidates who have a bachelor’s degree and are seeking Prek-6 licensure in Kansas while teaching.
• Licensure Pathway: Earn a Master’s in Elementary Education while working toward Kansas initial teacher licensure.
• Tuition Discount: Elementary Education is considered a high-need area in Kansas; therefore you may be eligible for scholarships to help offset some tuition costs. 

• Who Should Apply: Candidates who have a bachelor’s degree and are seeking Kansas licensure while working full time in a school district.
• Licensure Pathway: The program leads to a master’s in elementary education and Kansas initial teacher licensure.

• Who Should Apply: Candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in a content area that is equivalent to KSDE licensure areas in grades 6-12.
• Licensure Pathway: Earn a master’s that leads to Kansas initial teacher licensure. 

Secondary Restricted Licensure Program

• Who should apply: Open to candidates who have a bachelor’s degree and are seeking 6-12th grade licensure in Kansas while teaching.
• Licensure Pathway: Earn a Master’s in Secondary Education while teaching in a secondary classroom under a restricted license.
  • Instead of student teaching your last semester, you will enroll in internship courses that will help support you while working as a teacher.
• Tuition Discount: ELA, math, and science are considered high-need areas in Kansas; therefore you may be eligible for scholarships to help offset some tuition costs.

Apply Here

Questions? Contact Graduate Education Program Director Dr. Gwen Landever at [email protected]

At Emporia State University, we strive to offer the best value in academic excellence with our affordable online education programs. 

Online Degrees & Programs

Bachelor of Science in Education – Elementary Education 

• You should apply if you do not have an undergraduate degree and you want to earn your first teaching license in elementary education. 
• This program leads to licensure in elementary education (PK-6), allowing you to teach in the general education classroom. 
• Program Information
  • Gain experience in an elementary classroom while completing your degree: 
    • Registered Teacher Apprentice: Work as a Registered Teacher Apprentice while completing your degree, allowing you to be paid for your time in schools and receive scholarship toward your degree.  
    • Paraeducator Pathway: Continue your work as a paraeducator while completing your degree, up until the student teacher semester, allowing you to be paid for your time in schools. 
  • 100% online or face-to-face in Emporia, Kansas City, or Wichita
  • Combine multiple stackable scholarships to reduce your tuition cost
  • Free application
• More Information

Bachelor of Science in Education – Elementary Education Unified 

• You should apply if you do not have an undergraduate degree and you want to earn your first teaching license in elementary education unified (special education). 
• This program leads to licensure in elementary education unified, allowing you to teach in the general or special education classroom (K-6). 
• Program Information
  • Gain experience in an elementary classroom while completing your degree: 
    • Registered Teacher Apprentice: Work as a Registered Teacher Apprentice while completing your degree, allowing you to be paid for your time in schools and receive scholarship toward your degree.  
    • Paraeducator Pathway: Continue your work as a paraeducator while completing your degree, up until the student teacher semester, allowing you to be paid for your time in schools. 
  • 100% online or face-to-face in Emporia, Kansas City, or Wichita
  • Combine multiple stackable scholarships to reduce your tuition cost
  • Free application
• More Information

Bachelor of Science in Education – Secondary Education

• You should apply if you do not have an undergraduate degree and you want to earn your first teaching license in secondary education. 
• This program leads to licensure in secondary education, which may include art, biology, chemistry, earth and space science, English, health, mathematics, music, physical education, physics, science (5-8), social studies, speech/theatre,.
• Program Information
  • Gain experience in a secondary classroom while completing your degree: 
    • Registered Teacher Apprentice: Work as a Registered Teacher Apprentice while completing your degree, allowing you to be paid for your time in schools and receive scholarship toward your degree.  
  • Social studies and English content areas may be 100% online
  • Combine multiple stackable scholarships to reduce your tuition cost
  • Free application
• More Information

Master of Science in Elementary Education 

• You should apply if you already have an undergraduate degree in a field outside of education and you want to be a teacher. 
• This program leads to licensure in elementary education (PK-6), allowing you to teach in the general education classroom. 
• Program Information
  • 100% online 
  • Any student who has completed 6 credit hours in the program may be eligible to be an elementary classroom teacher (PK-6) while completing their degree, allowing them to be paid throughout the program.
• More Information

Master of Education in Teaching – Restricted Licensure for Secondary Education

• You should apply if you already have an undergraduate degree and you want to teach secondary education in the area of your degree. 
• This program leads to licensure in secondary education, which may include art, biology, business, chemistry, earth and space science, English, health, mathematics, music, physical education, physics, science (5-8), social studies, speech/theatre, Spanish.
• Program Information
  • 100% online 
  • Every Restricted Licensure student serves as a secondary education teacher while completing their degree, allowing them to be paid throughout the program. 
• More Information

Apply Here

Request More Information

From your first day in the School of Education through your first three years in the profession, faculty walk alongside aspiring teachers, equipping, praying, and instilling in them the knowledge and skills needed to have a lasting impact on the communities they serve and beyond.

Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education Unified

• Who Should Apply:  Candidates seeking Kansas initial licensure while earning their bachelor’s degrees.
• Licensure Pathway:  The program leads to a bachelor’s and a dual license, allowing graduates to teach in both traditional and special education classrooms, grades K-6
• Program Details:
  • 100% Online
  • School employees may be eligible to remain employed throughout the duration of the program
  • KSDE approved program option for RTAP program participants
  • Tuition: $250 per credit hour

More Information

Questions Contact:  [email protected]

Graduate Education Programs

Masters in Elementary Education Unified

• Who Should Apply: Candidates seeking Kansas initial licensure while earning their bachelor’s degrees.
• Licensure Pathway: The program leads to a master’s and a dual license, allowing graduates to teach in both traditional and special education classrooms, grades K-6
• Program Details:
  • 100% online program
  • School employees may be eligible to remain employed throughout the duration of the program
  • Tuition Discount: Elementary Education is considered a high-need area in Kansas; therefore, you may be eligible for scholarships to help offset some tuition costs. 
  • Tuition: $325 per credit hour

More Information

Questions Contact: [email protected]

Secondary Restricted Licensure Program

• Who should apply: Open to candidates who have a bachelor’s degree and are seeking 6-12th grade licensure in Kansas while teaching.
  • Must hold a Bachelor’s degree in a specific subject area or equivalent coursework
  • Must have a 2.75 GPA on the most recent 60 credit hours
  • Must pass the relevant content Praxis test
  • Must be hired as a teacher of record in Kansas in the qualified subject area (no student teaching)
• Licensure Pathway: 2-year program with coursework 100% online
• Certificate Option: 20 credit hours for licensure
• Master of Science in Education Option: 35 credit hours
• Tuition:
  • Discount: ELA, math, and science are considered high-need areas in Kansas; therefore, you may be eligible for scholarships to help offset some tuition costs.
  • Tuition: $325 per credit hour

More Information

Questions Contact: [email protected]

As the largest private Catholic college in Kansas, Newman University is dedicated to transforming society by cultivating caring and reflective practitioners, a mission rooted in the vision of our namesake, Saint John Henry Newman. Our School of Education offers a comprehensive suite of programs—from undergraduate and traditional graduate degrees to specialized Master of Science in Education (MSED) programs—designed to attract and transform quality students into exceptional educators and leaders.

Whether you are seeking initial licensure or career advancement, you can choose from various MSED concentrations like Building Leadership or Curriculum and Instruction. Recognizing the needs of the working adult, we offer unparalleled flexibility with programs structured for in-class, hybrid, or completely online delivery, ensuring you can pursue academic excellence while balancing your professional life. Explore our programs below and join a community committed to your success and to making a meaningful difference in the world.

Registered Teacher Apprentice Program (RTAP)

• Elementary Education PreK-6
  • Complete your degree in as little as 16 months
  • Flexible modalities: Evening classes, Zoom, or Fully Online
  • Designed for paraprofessionals with 60 credits or an associate degree
  • Available only in participating school districts

Program Information

• Early Childhood Unified (ECU)
  • Complete your degree in as little as 2 years*
  • Specialized preparation to teach children from birth through grade 3
  • Focus on inclusive practices and developmentally appropriate strategies
  • Flexible modalities: Evening classes, Zoom, or Fully Online
  • Designed for paraprofessionals with 60 credits or an associate degree
  • Available only in participating school districts

Program Information

• Secondary Education
  • Complete your degree in as little as 2 years*
  • Mathematics: Equip students with strong content knowledge and effective strategies for teaching middle and high school math.
  • English Language Arts (ELA): Prepare to teach reading, writing, literature, and communication skills.
  • History: Gain expertise in social studies and history instruction, engaging students in civic understanding and historical inquiry.
  • Flexible modalities: Evening classes, Zoom, or Fully Online
  • Designed for paraprofessionals with 60 credits or an associate degree
  • Available only in participating school districts

Program Information

Contact for Qualification 

Need Assistance? Jessica E. Bird – Interim Dean, School of Education & Social Work ([email protected])