Become a Teacher at EMU

At EMU we prepare future teachers who teach boldly in a changing world through an ethic of care and critical reflection. For these students, teaching is a calling, an act of service to the world.

Two key characteristics of our teacher education program are: sending future teachers into classrooms early, and reflective practice, which is woven into all education courses at EMU.

Graduate success

Employers know EMU teacher education graduates come from a high-quality program. In 2012, 96% of program graduates who sought teaching positions were employed to teach within six months of graduation and graduated with an average grade point average (GPA) of 3.38. 100% of program graduates pass the state licensure exams.

Professors attribute this success to the many various field experiences students have throughout the program; by the fourth week of classes, EMU teacher education students are in the field observing and putting their lessons into practice in classrooms. And EMU’s lab school, the Early Learning Center, also allows every early education (PreK-3) major to work “in the field” with community preschoolers.

More info

So, what kind of teacher will you be? Choose your field of study, learn more about the key elements of our teacher education program, and contact us with any questions!

Highest accreditation standards in the nation

Our teacher education program has carried the highest national accreditation standards in the nation for more than 30 years. EMU is one of only five private colleges in Virginia to be NCATE-certified.

Invitation for Third-Party Testimony

The Teacher Education Department at Eastern Mennonite University is hosting an accreditation visit by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), November 17-19, 2013. Interested parties are invited to submit third-party comments to the visiting team. Please note that comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of professional education programs offered, and should specify the party’s relationship to Eastern Mennonite University (i.e., graduate, present or former faculty member, employer of graduates).

We invite you to submit written testimony to:
Board of Examiners
NCATE
2010 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036-1023
Or by e-mail to: callforcomments@ncate.org

Correspondence, which must be received by NCATE no later than three months prior to visit, will be submitted to Eastern Mennonite University for response via NCATE’s Accreditation Information Management System (AIMS). NCATE will not upload anonymous comments to the NCATE Board of Examiners team or to Eastern Mennonite University.