Make a big difference for little learners.

Children have multiple influences, unique personalities, and different ways of reaching their potential. As a primary teacher, you can play a vital role in their development—and provide a brighter start to their education.

Whether you’re looking to work with students in pre-school or kindergarten or teach at the elementary level, the Primary Education major at John Carroll University will prepare you for success in the classroom.

Through coursework and field experiences, you’ll develop expertise in working with children ages three through 11, all under the direction of caring faculty and mentor-teachers. Rooted in values of justice, hospitality, and advocacy, our program will nurture you as you learn to nurture others.

Learn By Doing

Explore children's learning environments of all kinds. Participate in engaging field experiences in preschools, service agencies, elementary schools, and home.

Prepare for Licensure

Our program meets the standards for Ohio teacher licensure. All JCU education majors are accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Teacher Preparation.

Serve the Community

As an education major at JCU, you’ll have a chance to help underserved communities, whether through service-learning courses or summer internships.

Get Involved on Campus

Make connections and participate in professional development as a member of Pi Lambda Theta, an international education honor society. You can also join JCU Aspiring Educators, a local chapter of the Ohio Education Association.

Program Overview & Outcomes

Early childhood and elementary teachers enter the classroom with an incredible breadth of knowledge. You’ll leave the program ready to teach young minds about subjects ranging from language and literature to geography and geometry. You will learn how children develop and learn—and explore effective teaching, assessment, and classroom management strategies.

JCU also offers an Intervention Specialist concentration, which leads to a dual certification in special education.

Curriculum: What You Will Learn

You'll develop comprehensive knowledge and skills in primary education through core pedagogical knowledge, specialized content knowledge, and hands-on teaching experience. The program prepares you to be effective educators for students in grades P-5, with strong foundations in child development, literacy instruction, STEM education, and inclusive teaching practices.

Your Path Forward Starts Here

Plan your future from day one. Finish faster with accelerated degrees or secure your spot with early assurance partnerships.

4 Years

Bachelor of Arts

Prepare to make a big difference for little learners. Our Primary Education major blends child-centered methods, hands-on fieldwork, and caring faculty support to ready you for a joyful, effective career in the classroom.

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Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Combine your JCU bachelor's degree with a master's in business administration in just one additional year.

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Future in Focus

Nine graduate credits count toward both degrees—building executive-level skills while completing your bachelor's. You pay your undergraduate tuition rate with financial aid applied. An MBA for the cost of a few extra courses.

 
JCU's Distinct Promise

Pathways are just the beginning.
Onward makes them happen.

From your first semester forward, Onward connects your goals with the people, experiences, and support that help you build momentum with purpose.

Watch the Story

Quincy's Story

Starting in his first semester at John Carroll, Quincy Unger '26 found a team who helped him shape his ideas, find the right opportunities, and launch his own business.

Discover Onward

Where Our Alumni Go

Our education alumni teach in public and private schools in Ohio and around the country. Many advance into school and district leadership, and others use their teaching and curriculum development experience to serve community organizations.

us Schools
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