Best Bachelor's in Elementary Education Programs in Illinois

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign offers a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education for students seeking teacher certification in Champaign, IL. The on-campus program requires at least 120 credit hours and leads to Illinois teacher licensure for grades one through six. Students complete extensive field-based coursework, including School and Community Experiences across two semesters and a 12 credit hour elementary practicum, before student teaching. This elementary education program is approved by the Illinois State Board of Education for teacher licensure. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Illinois.

At Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, the elementary education major is designed to build confidence in the classroom gradually, leading to Illinois licensure for grades 1 through 6. Housed in the School of Educational Studies, the on-campus program adds field experience each year, moving from roughly 20 to 35 hours per semester in the early and junior years toward a full-time student teaching placement of 15 to 16 weeks, paired with a companion seminar, in the senior year. Candidates also develop a content area emphasis in a subject such as mathematics, science, or language arts, aligned with state and national standards. This mix of steady practice and subject depth prepares graduates, once they pass required state tests, to lead their own self-contained elementary classrooms. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Augustana College offers a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education for students preparing to teach grades 1 through 6. The on-campus program combines a professional education sequence with supporting content coursework and a progression of classroom experiences that culminates in student teaching. Completing the licensure track leads to an Illinois Professional Educator License, and students may add a Reading Teacher endorsement. Coursework and clinical placements prepare candidates for work in the elementary classroom. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Illinois's elementary school teachers.

At the University of St Francis, the Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education is built around getting candidates into real classrooms early, with field experiences that begin in the freshman year and continue through four progressive placements. That steady, hands-on rhythm culminates in Internships I and II during the senior year, both completed in supervised elementary settings. The College of Education designed the on-campus pathway to meet Illinois State Board of Education approval, so graduates move directly toward state licensure. Students who want to broaden their reach can layer on endorsements in areas such as special education, bilingual education, or English as a second language. The result is a program that treats classroom time as central rather than an afterthought. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Bradley University in Peoria, IL, offers a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, preparing graduates for Illinois teacher licensure in grades 1 through 6 with an embedded ESL endorsement for PreK-12 multilingual learners. Students begin clinical field experience in local classrooms during their first semester and keep gaining teaching hours throughout the program. The major is accredited through the Illinois State Board of Education and reports a 100 percent Illinois licensure pass rate, including the edTPA assessment, with an option to finish in three years. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Judson University's Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education in Elgin blends a liberal arts foundation with focused teaching methods, and it gets students into real classrooms early, with practicum experiences beginning as soon as freshman year. That head start means elementary education majors accumulate years of hands on practice long before graduation, learning the rhythm of a classroom by being in one. Along the way, candidates choose an endorsement such as bilingual education, ESL, or Learning Behavior Specialist I, tailoring their credentials to the students they hope to serve. All of it is aligned with the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards and delivered on the Elgin campus. Graduates leave prepared for Illinois teacher licensure to teach kindergarten through sixth grade, grounded in both broad learning and steady practice. As a bachelor's degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Olivet Nazarene University's Bachelor of Science in the School of Education leads to the Illinois Professional Educator License for K-12 teaching, with a philosophy centered on the whole child. Coursework in adolescent development, classroom management, and work with diverse populations keeps the focus on meeting students' academic, social, and emotional needs together rather than in isolation. Students can shape the degree through concentrations and endorsements in areas such as Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, and Special Education, tailoring it to the classroom they picture leading. The teaching faculty all bring PK-12 experience of their own, which grounds instruction in the realities of school life. That preparation shows in outcomes, with 98 percent of seniors passing the edTPA licensure exam. The program is delivered on campus. As a bachelor's degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Lewis University's Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, offered on campus through the Education Department, leads to the Illinois Professional Educator's License to teach grades 1 through 6, with an optional English as a Second Language endorsement. The program combines education coursework with a series of field placements that move from community and school immersion to classroom observation and a clinical practice with seminar. Students complete placements across dozens of school districts in the Chicago area. The program holds Illinois State Board of Education approval. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Illinois.

DePaul's B.S. in Elementary Education requires 192 quarter hours, split across roughly 68 hours of Liberal Studies, 96 major hours, and 28 hours of a required DePaul minor plus electives. Candidates complete a minimum of 155 to 170 hours of daytime field experiences and a full-time student teaching placement of at least 11 weeks with a capstone seminar. The program leads to the Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) with an Elementary endorsement for grades 1 to 6, requiring the Elementary Content Area Test (#305) and an edTPA portfolio. Delivered on campus with in-school clinical placements. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Illinois's elementary school teachers.

For students drawn to younger learners, Knox College offers an Elementary, grades 1 to 6, licensure track within its Bachelor of Arts in Educational Studies. Candidates layer about twelve credits of licensure coursework onto the major, capped by the EDUC 340 student teaching placement, and they join a program that reaches widely across campus, with roughly a third of Knox students taking educational studies courses at some point. Hands-on teaching starts close to home through College 4 Kids, a summer program in which Knox students teach local elementary pupils, and some candidates have arranged student teaching much farther afield, including at a Navajo reservation school in Arizona. The track leads to Illinois licensure to teach grades 1 to 6. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Illinois.

The University of Illinois Chicago builds its Bachelor of Arts in Urban Education, with an Elementary Education concentration, around the realities of city classrooms. The 120-credit degree splits fairly evenly between about 60 core credits and 60 education credits, and its final two years, known as Candidacy, are remarkably immersive, with candidates logging nearly 1,000 hours of fieldwork across four semesters before finishing with a 15-week student teaching placement beside a mentor in a Chicago Public School. That experience leads to the Illinois Professional Educator License and an Elementary Education endorsement for grades 1 through 6. Students can layer on optional endorsements in areas such as Early Childhood, Middle Grades, ESL and Bilingual, or Learning Behavior Specialist I special education. The program is delivered on campus in the heart of Chicago. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Illinois State University offers Elementary Education through the School of Teaching and Learning in the College of Education. The program prepares candidates for a professional educator's license to teach grades 1-6 and is offered along two bachelor's paths, a B.S. Major and a B.S.Ed. Major. Candidates complete over 300 hours of hands-on field experience prior to student teaching. Related specialization options include Early Childhood, Elementary Bilingual/Bicultural, and Middle Level programs. It awards more bachelor's-level elementary education degrees than any of Illinois's 43 ranked bachelor's-level programs, 320 in the most recent year. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL offers a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education that prepares undergraduates to teach grades 1 through 6. The program is delivered through the Wheaton Teacher Education Program, an on campus track approved by the Illinois State Board of Education, and requires at least 100 clinical hours plus four supervised practicums before a culminating student teaching placement. Candidates must also pass the Illinois Licensure Testing System elementary content exam and the edTPA to earn an Illinois Professional Educator License. Graduates leave Wheaton College with a clear path to teacher certification in Illinois elementary classrooms. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Illinois.

At Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education spreads clinical experience across all four years rather than saving it for the end, culminating in a full-time student teaching term in the final semester. The 120 credit hours through the School of Education move students from university core into the major and a Professional Education Sequence, with coursework in English Language Learner instruction reflecting the realities of today's classrooms. Practicum work draws on the campus Child Development Laboratories, giving candidates a consistent setting to apply what they study. Graduates earn the elementary endorsement for grades 1 through 6 on the Illinois Professional Educator License. Accredited by CAEP, the program is flexible about format, offered on campus, fully online, and at off-campus sites. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Illinois's elementary school teachers.

Blackburn College's Elementary Education program prepares candidates to teach grades one through six and carries them to a bachelor's degree with Illinois teacher certification. Coursework runs deep, combining seventy-one hours of education classes with divisional study in social science, humanities, and natural science, so future teachers know their subjects as well as their methods. Through the Department of Teacher Education, field experience is embedded from freshman year onward, with candidates logging at least two hundred hours in classrooms before a twelve-credit student teaching term and its seminar. Progress is structured rather than assumed, moving through four levels with GPA thresholds, background checks, and performance checkpoints along the way. Candidates must also pass the Illinois Elementary Content Area Exam before student teaching, confirming their readiness before they lead a room. As a bachelor's degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as elementary school teachers in Illinois.

This 120 credit Bachelor of Science in Education in Elementary Education (with a 60 credit 2+2 transfer track) uses Loyola's Teaching, Learning, and Leading with Schools and Communities (TLLSC) field-based curriculum across three phases. Phase Three is a one-year internship in an elementary classroom under a licensed cooperating teacher and university supervisor. Graduates are eligible for the Illinois State Board of Education Professional Educator License in Elementary Education, grades 1 to 6, plus ESL endorsement and an International Baccalaureate certificate. Delivered on campus in Chicago. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Built for students who want to lead their own elementary classroom in Chicago, North Park University's Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education keeps candidates in real schools from early on. The School of Education structures fieldwork as a steady climb, starting with classroom observations, moving into 70 or more hours of teacher aiding, then a seven-week mini-teaching placement, and finally at least twelve weeks of student teaching where candidates take full charge of a classroom. That progression is designed to build confidence in stages rather than all at once. The program is approved by the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois State Teacher Licensure Board, so graduates finish ready for state licensure. Candidates who want broader reach can add bilingual, ESL, or special education endorsements, and North Park's status as a Golden Apple Scholars partner school connects students to further support. As a bachelor's degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Millikin University's bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, offered on campus through the School of Education, immerses candidates in real classrooms early and often as they prepare to teach grades K-6 and earn Illinois teaching certification. Field experience builds in deliberate stages, opening with a semester-long Sophomore Block Clinical Internship, continuing through a Junior Block Internship, and culminating in a 14-week Supervised Teaching capstone that has candidates co-teaching alongside a mentor. Small classes give the program a personal feel, with close advising and faculty mentoring throughout. Students can round out the degree with optional endorsements such as Bilingual and ESL approval, a Health endorsement, or a Special Education K-12 endorsement. The result is a hands-on preparation grounded in steady classroom practice. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Illinois College's Education with Elementary Licensure major, offered through the Education Department, requires 62 credit hours in the major. Elementary licensure adds specific content-area coursework taken outside the department, and many required courses also fulfill the college's BLUEprint general education requirements. The program culminates in ED 434, the student teaching semester, which serves as the education major's capstone; students who do not pursue licensure complete an alternate capstone instead. The program is reported as approved by the Illinois State Board of Education. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Eastern Illinois University's Elementary Education B.S.Ed prepares candidates to lead a self-contained classroom for grades 1 through 6, working through the Department of Teaching, Learning and Foundations in Buzzard Hall. Field experiences in schools and social agencies run the length of the program rather than arriving all at once, and partnerships with local schools keep that practice grounded in real classrooms. Before earning their Illinois endorsement, candidates pass the ILTS 305 content-area licensure test that confirms they are ready to teach across subjects. The university frames its graduates as reflective teachers who lean on research-based strategies so every student can succeed. Delivered on campus, EIU's initial teacher preparation programs were most recently accredited by CAEP in 2018. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Northern Illinois University offers a Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.) in Elementary Education through its College of Education. The program prepares candidates to teach at the K-6 grade band and leads to Illinois teacher licensure. Coursework is delivered on-campus in DeKalb, with a cohort option available through Elgin Community College, including a bilingual emphasis pathway. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Illinois's elementary school teachers.

Aurora University's Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education is a straightforward route to Illinois teacher licensure, built on coursework in the School of Education and steady time in nearby classrooms. Student teaching happens locally, and the program carries Illinois State Board of Education approval, so candidates can trust the credential they are working toward. What sets it apart is breadth of specialization, with endorsements available in areas such as early childhood, special education, ESL and bilingual education, and middle school subjects. That flexibility lets future teachers shape a profile around the students and settings they most want to serve. Classes meet at the Aurora campus and at the University Center at McHenry County College in Woodstock, giving students in different parts of the region a place to study close to home. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Illinois.

North Central College's Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, offered on campus through the School of Education and Health Sciences, guides candidates through a steadily deepening sequence of classroom experience. Three field experience courses lay the groundwork before students step into an eight-credit Student Teaching Residency, a full 20-week placement in the fourth year that mirrors the demands of a teaching job. The program is approved for licensure by the Illinois State Board of Education, and CAEP standards frame how North Central assesses its education programs. Along the way, candidates demonstrate foreign-language competence for the BA, pass the ILTS Elementary content test, and complete the edTPA teacher performance assessment. It is a preparation that asks candidates to prove their readiness at every stage. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Illinois's elementary school teachers.

Trinity Christian College's Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, based at its Palos Heights, Illinois campus, prepares candidates to teach grades 1 through 6 and leads to an Illinois Professional Educator License with an elementary endorsement. A defining feature is the required minor that accompanies the major, letting students shape a focus in an area such as science, special education, Spanish, or educational technology, so no two graduates leave with quite the same profile. The campus sits close enough to Chicago that student teaching placements draw on a wide array of schools. Families weighing this option should note that the college's Board of Trustees announced on November 4, 2025 that Trinity will cease academic operations at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Chicago State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in Chicago, IL, leading to an Initial Illinois Professional Educator License for grades K through 6. The program pairs general education and content coursework with professional education courses and extensive field-based training, including pre-clinical and clinical fieldwork and a student teaching experience totaling 240 hours. Candidates must pass the Illinois Licensure Testing System exams and the edTPA portfolio to complete teacher certification requirements on CSU's Chicago campus. It carries the lowest in-state tuition among Illinois's 43 ranked bachelor's-level programs, at $8,040. Graduates of this elementary education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as elementary school teachers.

Built for future elementary teachers, the Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education at Governors State University in University Park prepares candidates for the Illinois Professional Educator License with an endorsement covering grades 1 through 6. What gives the program its reach is flexibility, since students can broaden their credentials by adding optional middle school endorsements in subjects such as English language arts, mathematics, or science. Most coursework unfolds during the day and in person, giving candidates a steady, face to face grounding in the craft of teaching. Approved by the Illinois State Board of Education and accredited by CAEP, the program carries the state and national backing families look for in a teacher preparation degree. The result is a pathway that balances a solid elementary foundation with room to grow into the middle grades. As a bachelor's degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Western Illinois University's Elementary Education, B.S.Ed. gives candidates room to specialize, letting them choose one of four options such as elementary education, early childhood, or multilingual education while preparing to teach grades 1 through 6. The clinical core is substantial: during a twelve-week field experience, candidates teach at least 30 lessons spanning subjects such as mathematics, reading, and social studies, then move into a sixteen-week student teaching placement in one of four Illinois regions. Those who are already working can pursue the elementary option online. Along the way, candidates pass the Illinois Elementary Education Content Test and complete the edTPA performance assessment before licensure. Offered through the School of Education and accredited through NCATE, the program keeps a steady focus on real classroom practice. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Illinois's elementary school teachers.

Monmouth College's Elementary Education major, offered through the Educational Studies Department, leads to Illinois teaching licensure for grades 1-6. The program front-loads real classroom time, asking students to log at least 100 recorded hours of field experience before they are even eligible for student teaching, which then arrives as a full-time placement, usually in the spring of senior year, either within about 60 miles of campus or through the Chicago Semester program. Candidates also complete the edTPA performance assessment. The Illinois State Board of Education has rated the program Exemplary, and Monmouth extends learning beyond the region through partnerships with the Teton Science Schools and the Rural Schools Collaborative, giving future teachers a wider view of the settings where they might one day teach. Graduates of this elementary education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as elementary school teachers.

McKendree University designed its Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education as a Paraprofessional+ Pathway, built specifically for the aides and assistants already working in classrooms who want to become licensed teachers. Delivered fully online and asynchronously through the School of Education, the program lets students keep their jobs while they study, with Fall, Spring, and Summer start terms and a timeline of roughly two years to completion. It leads to Illinois initial licensure for the K-6 grade band. Candidates can also pursue a wide slate of endorsement areas, from special education and early childhood to middle grades, secondary, ESL, and even driver's education. That flexibility makes the degree a practical next step for paraprofessionals ready to lead their own classrooms. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Illinois.

The University of Illinois Springfield offers a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education through its School of Education, paired with an approved academic content major. Students combine professional education coursework with a student teaching practicum and seminar, and the curriculum emphasizes restorative practices, cultural responsiveness, technology integration, and equity-focused instruction. The program leads to the Illinois Professional Educator License for teaching grades one through six and is delivered on campus. As a bachelor's degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Quincy University's Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education takes a hands on approach from the start, pairing coursework in teaching methods, curriculum design, classroom management, and assessment with field placements and a full student teaching experience. That practical grounding, coordinated through the School of Education and Human Services, is meant to have future teachers comfortable at the front of a room well before they seek their license. The program prepares graduates for Illinois teacher licensure covering kindergarten through grade 6, and students who want a wider reach can add an endorsement for middle school grades 7 and 8. Based in Quincy and approved by the Illinois State Board of Education, it meets the state's expectations for elementary teacher preparation. For aspiring elementary teachers, it is a practical, classroom focused route to the profession. Graduates of this elementary education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as elementary school teachers.

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education prepares candidates for licensure in grades 1-6 and backs that classroom goal with an unusually deep bench of school partnerships. The 123-credit degree, with at least 30 credits taken at SIUE, moves students through diverse field experiences, practice teaching, and a full student teaching placement, drawing on more than 380 regional partner schools and a Virtual Practice Professional Lab to give candidates varied real-world settings. Clear checkpoints structure the path, including passing the Illinois elementary content test before student teaching and completing a CPAST-based senior assignment. Students who decide licensure is not their aim can follow a non-licensure route instead. Offered through the Department of Teaching and Learning, the university's P-12 programs are CAEP accredited through December 2029. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Saint Xavier University builds its Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education for candidates who want to teach grades one through six, and the curriculum keeps literacy at its heart. Alongside the 64 credits of professional education coursework, students earn both an elementary education endorsement and a Reading Teacher endorsement on the Illinois Professional Educator License, a combination that signals real depth in how children learn to read. Field experience arrives in blocks across the sophomore and junior years and builds toward a capstone of student teaching, a seminar, and a literacy practicum, with a C required in every course. Offered on campus through the Education Division, the program holds Illinois State Board of Education approval, and Saint Xavier counts itself among the seven largest providers of teachers in the state. Graduates of this elementary education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as elementary school teachers.

Northeastern Illinois University's Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, offered through the Daniel L. Goodwin College of Education, keeps future teachers close to real classrooms from the start. Candidates log 200 clock hours of field experience in local schools before adding student teaching and clinical coursework, so theory and practice stay tightly linked. The degree is flexible in useful ways, letting students pursue a Bilingual Education Endorsement backed by a language proficiency test and a bilingual clinical placement, or add a Math and Science Concepts minor, with classes meeting days, evenings, and weekends to fit varied schedules. Completion satisfies Illinois State Board of Education licensure standards, with the usual caveat that requirements differ from state to state. The program is accredited by CAEP through the 2032-2033 academic year. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Dominican University's Elementary Education B.A. prepares candidates to teach grades 1 through 6, with a structure that rewards commitment and gives students steady contact with real classrooms. After a first year of foundational study, candidates apply for formal acceptance into the Teacher Education Program, and as seniors they spend a semester teaching in one of the university's partner elementary schools under the guidance of their professors. The curriculum spans the full elementary spectrum, from reading and mathematics to science and the arts, and is enriched by community-based learning and study-abroad opportunities. Students can strengthen their credentials by adding a minor or endorsement in a high-need area such as special education or English language learners. The program fully meets Illinois State Board of Education licensure requirements. Graduates of this elementary education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as elementary school teachers.

Benedictine University's Elementary Education Bachelor of Arts is offered through the School of Education in the Goodwin College of Business and Liberal Arts. It leads to the Illinois Professional Educator License with a Self-Contained General Education endorsement for grades 1 through 6. Candidates build classroom experience through several preclinical placements followed by a semester of student teaching, moving from early field observation toward leading their own elementary classroom. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Eureka College's Elementary Education bachelor's runs through the Teacher Education Program in the Burklund Education Center and leads to Illinois licensure in grades 1-6. Fieldwork builds across four years, from freshman and sophomore classroom observations and Response to Intervention work to junior and senior grade 1-6 placements evaluated with the Danielson Framework, culminating in a year-long senior internship model for student teaching with co-teaching and micro-teaching. Students may pursue an Elementary Education and Special Education double major. The program is organized around Five Core Components and a Universal Design for Learning framework. Graduates of this elementary education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as elementary school teachers.

Trinity International University is a private nonprofit institution in Deerfield, Illinois, where students can pursue an undergraduate program in elementary education. This bachelor's degree focuses on preparing future teachers to work with children at the elementary grade levels, combining the study of teaching methods with preparation for the classroom. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Students who want to teach in Illinois elementary classrooms will find Rockford University's Elementary Education degree, available as either a B.A. or a B.S., built around getting into schools early and often. Its 51-credit core devotes 21 hours to fieldwork, spreading candidates across three practicums and two elementary student teaching placements so that classroom practice runs alongside theory rather than waiting until the end. Coursework in the Education Department reinforces that hands-on emphasis, covering areas such as primary and intermediate literacy, integrated technology, and special education methods for diverse learners. For those drawn to multilingual settings, an optional Bilingual and English as a Second Language endorsement is available as a separate add-on, and the degree leads to Illinois licensure. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Illinois.

National Louis University's Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education carries a strong sense of purpose, fitting for an institution founded in 1886 to prepare teachers, and it leads to an Illinois Professional Educator License for self-contained classrooms in grades 1-6. The program is generous with classroom time, moving candidates through a staged practicum sequence before a substantial student teaching term. Students can also shape the degree to their interests by adding an optional teaching concentration in subjects such as English, mathematics, or science, giving their preparation an extra area of focus. Offered in both on-campus and online formats, it flexes to fit different students' lives without diluting the fieldwork at its center. The program is accredited by NCATE, reflecting a long-standing commitment to teacher preparation. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Illinois's elementary school teachers.

Concordia University-Chicago offers the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education through the College of Education, with roots in the Addison Teachers Seminary founded in 1864. Candidates prepare to teach grades K through six and complete a semester-long student teaching internship, managing their own classroom under a cooperating teacher with support from a university supervisor. A Theology Church-Work Studies minor is part of the program, which leads to K-6 licensure in Illinois. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Roosevelt University's Elementary Education program leads to a Bachelor of Arts in Education and prepares candidates to teach grades K through eight in Illinois. Students complete individualized coaching and field experiences across several semesters before a student teaching capstone. With planning, they can add endorsements in areas such as Bilingual/ESL, Early Childhood, Special Education (LBS1), Middle School, and Reading. The program is offered on campus in Chicago and at the Harper College campus in Palatine. As a bachelor's degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as elementary school teachers in Illinois.

Greenville University's Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education is a fully online program through the School of Education, and its design speaks directly to transfer students who are ready to finish a degree efficiently. Built for those who already hold an AA or AS from one of five Illinois community college partners, the 120-credit path accepts up to 90 transfer credits and can be completed in two years, which makes it a natural next step for community college graduates. The online format does not remove students from the classroom, since the program still requires 400 hours of practical classroom experience before licensure. Accreditation by CAEP and approval by the Illinois State Board of Education back the Illinois elementary teaching credential it leads to. The program also reports a 99 percent pass rate on the edTPA exam. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Illinois.