Best Bachelor's in Elementary Education Programs in Mississippi

Alcorn State University's bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, based in the Department of Education and Psychology, runs 124 semester hours across a full-time, four-year plan and is squarely aimed at Mississippi licensure. Its home unit is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, reaffirmed in 2022 for seven years, and Alcorn holds the distinction of being the first HBCU in the state to earn that recognition. Rather than saving practice for the end, the program opens with classroom observations and builds steadily toward student teaching, which the Office of Field Experiences coordinates and oversees. Candidates can also sharpen their expertise by adding a 21-hour concentration in an area such as mathematics, reading, or social studies, giving the degree some room to reflect a student's strengths while still meeting state standards. As a bachelor's degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as elementary school teachers in Mississippi.

Mississippi State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education that prepares teacher candidates to work with children across the elementary and middle grades. Students choose an Early Childhood concentration or a Middle School concentration, which shapes the certification and grade levels they pursue, and they can add endorsements in areas such as special education. The program includes two supervised teaching internships in elementary and middle-level classrooms, is taught on the Starkville campus, and leads to Mississippi teacher certification. It awards more bachelor's-level elementary education degrees than any of Mississippi's 13 ranked bachelor's-level programs, 214 in the most recent year. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Mississippi.

Mississippi College offers a Bachelor of Science in Education with an Elementary Education (K-6) track totaling 131 credit hours and leading to initial Mississippi Educator licensure in Elementary Education (K-6). After completing the University Core and interdisciplinary requirements, candidates enter Professional Education coursework, including EDU 299 Pre-Teaching Field Experience and EDU 300 Introduction to Education, and finish with four directed teaching courses (EDU 421-424) taken in a single semester. All educator licensure programs at the initial and advanced levels hold accreditation from the CAEP Accreditation Council. The program is delivered on campus in Clinton, Mississippi. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Mississippi.

The University of Mississippi's B.A.Ed. in Elementary Education, based in the School of Education, is a 124-hour program that leads to a K-6 Mississippi teaching license and is structured in three deliberate phases. Students start with early field placements alongside clinical instructors, advance to the EDLE 417 senior practicum two days a week, and finish with a full-time student teaching semester of at least twelve weeks, so responsibility ramps up steadily. A notable bonus is built right into the degree: every graduate also earns a K-12 endorsement in Mild/Moderate Disabilities, widening the range of classrooms they are qualified to lead. Candidates further tailor their studies by choosing two concentration areas, and the program is CAEP accredited through 2029. It is offered on campus at Oxford, Tupelo, DeSoto, Grenada, and Rankin, giving students several places to complete it. Among Mississippi's 13 ranked bachelor's-level programs, this one posts the highest graduation rate at 72%. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Mississippi.

William Carey University's Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education is aimed squarely at future K-6 teachers, and its structure reflects that focus, leading to Mississippi teacher licensure across a minimum of 121 hours. The plan of study moves from a liberal arts core into an interdisciplinary concentration and then into clinical and professional education courses, all reinforced by required field experience so classroom time accompanies the theory. Students who want to broaden their reach can add optional endorsements in subjects such as Reading, Pre-K, and mild to moderate disabilities. Because the program is written around Mississippi's licensure process, it does not by itself meet initial requirements in other states, a detail worth weighing for anyone planning to teach elsewhere. Traditional, virtual, and hybrid options give candidates room to fit the degree around their circumstances. As a bachelor's degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as elementary school teachers in Mississippi.

Blue Mountain Christian University offers a Bachelor of Science in Education with a major in Elementary Education, designed for students seeking a career as an elementary school teacher. The program leads to licensure and covers a K-3 or K-6 grade band, with two areas of concentration required for the K-6 option. Students must gain admission to the Teacher Education Program and meet continuation standards to remain enrolled. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Mississippi.

Jackson State University's Bachelor of Science in Education in Elementary Education prepares candidates to teach across the K-6 span, offered through the Department of Elementary and Early Childhood Education. The K-6 track recorded here sits alongside a separate K-3 option, letting students match their preparation to the grades they hope to teach. The program builds on standards from several national bodies, including NAEYC and the International Literacy Association, which signals a strong grounding in early reading and child development. That literacy focus is reinforced by campus resources students can lean on, from a Test Preparation Center to the Harris Gambrell Reading Center. Delivered on campus, the degree leads to K-6 teacher licensure and holds CAEP accreditation. As a bachelor's degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as elementary school teachers in Mississippi.

Belhaven University's on-campus B.S. in Elementary Education, based in its Undergraduate School of Education in Jackson, prepares candidates to teach grades K-6 over 124 hours, and it is unusually hands-on from start to finish. Field and clinical hours thread through the whole curriculum before building to two capstones: Clinical Practice I, a 120-hour internship in the fall of senior year, and Clinical Practice II, a 600-hour student teaching placement that spans the entire spring. The design also broadens what graduates are qualified to do, embedding a 15-hour reading endorsement and adding an 18-hour subject-area endorsement that reaches grades 7-12, with options including ELL among ten choices. Approved by the Mississippi Board of Education for both Initial and Advanced licensure, the program suits students who want deep classroom time and a credential that stretches beyond a single grade band. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Mississippi's elementary school teachers.

Mississippi University for Women's Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education prepares candidates for K-6 licensure through a School of Education that traces its teacher preparation back to 1884. The degree builds on a general education base and asks students to develop real depth in two subject concentrations of at least 18 hours each, chosen from English, general science, mathematics, or social studies, so future teachers bring genuine content knowledge to the elementary classroom. Practice is woven in through three embedded Elementary Residency courses and a full teacher internship, both requiring a criminal background check. Because all professional education courses must be completed at the university for a licensure recommendation, candidates finish their teacher preparation firmly rooted in the program's own sequence. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Mississippi.

Tougaloo College's Elementary Education, B.A. prepares educators to teach grades K-6 through its School of Education, Supervision and Instruction, grounding its work in the Educator Preparation Provider framework and the standards of the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. Because it operates under Mississippi Board of Education and Department of Education requirements, the program keeps candidates aligned with what the state expects of new teachers. Its structure builds toward the classroom gradually, layering multiple field observation and practicum components into earlier coursework so students gain experience before taking full responsibility. The capstone is a full-time, supervised student teaching placement in elementary classrooms, giving candidates a sustained stretch of real teaching before they graduate and step into K-6 licensure. Graduates of this elementary education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as elementary school teachers.

Mississippi Valley State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education through its Department of Education, delivered on campus in Itta Bena. The program prepares candidates to teach at the elementary level and leads to teacher licensure. All of the university's teacher certification programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. Students complete the university's general education requirements before advancing into the elementary education coursework. It carries the lowest in-state tuition among Mississippi's 13 ranked bachelor's-level programs, at $7,492. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Mississippi's elementary school teachers.

The University of Southern Mississippi's Elementary Education (Licensure) B.S. prepares candidates to teach grades K-6 through its School of Education, and it stands out for just how much time students spend in real classrooms. The 121-hour program packs in 840 hours of field-based instruction across three sequenced cohorts, moving candidates from early observation to two full days a week in K-6 schools and then into two student-teaching internships in diverse settings. Graduates leave with a minimum of two endorsements, and those interested in exceptional learners can add a Special Education minor. Flexibility is a real strength here, with delivery spanning the Gulf Park and Hattiesburg campuses along with fully online and hybrid formats, and even an option to student teach abroad in 13 countries. The program holds CAEP accreditation. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Mississippi's elementary school teachers.

Delta State University offers a Bachelor of Science in Education in Elementary Education, preparing students to teach kindergarten through grade 6. Delivered through the School of Teacher Education, the program combines general coursework with concentration study across subject areas and leads to Mississippi teacher licensure. A separate Professional Experience Pathway serves working teacher assistants and classroom educators through an online, synchronous HyFlex format. Graduates of this elementary education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as elementary school teachers.