Best Bachelor's in Elementary Education Programs in Wisconsin

Based in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, this 120-credit Bachelor of Science in Education in Elementary Education at UW-Madison leads to a Wisconsin teaching license covering kindergarten through grade 9. The professional sequence is immersive and tightly paced, running four consecutive semesters and pairing two practicum experiences of roughly 120 hours each across different grade levels with a culminating full-time student teaching placement in Madison-area schools. Students who want to widen their credential can add Early Childhood or English as a Second Language certifications. Before earning the license, candidates must pass the Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Test and satisfy the requirements of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The on-campus format keeps candidates close to the schools and cooperating teachers they work alongside. Among Wisconsin's 24 ranked bachelor's-level programs, this one posts the highest graduation rate at 90%. Graduates of this elementary education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as elementary school teachers.

Built around a minimum of 120 credits, this Bachelor of Science in Elementary/Middle Education at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse prepares candidates to teach the core subjects, from English and math to science and social studies, across grades K-9. The path is deliberately staged, beginning with courses open before admission and then moving into a professional block that requires School of Education admission, where students take on Field Experience I at the elementary level and Field Experience II at the middle level before an 11-credit student teaching semester. By the end, candidates log more than 1,000 hours of clinical work, a heavy investment in classroom time that reflects the program's hands-on emphasis. Completion leads to the Wisconsin K-9 Elementary and Middle School license, and students can add endorsements in areas such as special education, TESOL, or world language. The program aligns with CAEP and AMLE standards. It awards more bachelor's-level elementary education degrees than any of Wisconsin's 24 ranked bachelor's-level programs, 129 in the most recent year. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Wisconsin's elementary school teachers.

Carroll University's Elementary Education major, in the School of Education and Human Services, prepares candidates for Wisconsin licensure to teach elementary and middle school, grades K-9. The program includes a range of classroom observation and student teaching experiences through the Inclusive Teacher Residency Program (ITRP), with roughly 20 to 25 hours weekly in schools during the first residency semester followed by a 15-week student teaching placement. It is delivered on campus. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.

Viterbo University's Bachelor of Science in Education puts candidates in front of children early, opening classroom experience in the freshman year through partnerships with local schools. By the time formal student teaching begins, students have logged more than 100 hours in real classrooms, a hands-on emphasis that runs through the entire program in the School of Education. The degree points toward Wisconsin elementary teaching licensure across grades K-6 and carries approval as an Educator Preparation Program from the state Department of Public Instruction. Students can also tailor their preparation with minors in Cross-Categorical Special Education or Early Childhood Education, extending the range of learners they are ready to serve. The overall design favors steady, accumulating practice over a single culminating leap into the classroom. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.

Maranatha Baptist University's Elementary Teacher Education major is a Bachelor of Science offered on campus through the School of Education, spanning 136 credits across eight semesters. Its defining feature is a fieldwork sequence that grows steadily, starting with zero-credit Freshman Fieldwork and building through Sophomore Fieldwork, a junior practicum, and a 12-credit student teaching placement in the final semester, so candidates are in schools well before they graduate. The program meets Wisconsin state standards and is recognized by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for teacher certification, a state program approval rather than programmatic accreditation. Instruction is delivered from an explicitly stated biblical worldview. It fits students who want to prepare for the elementary classroom within a faith-centered setting and gain real teaching experience each year. As a bachelor's degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.

Built for students who want both breadth and depth, Marquette University's Bachelor of Science in Elementary/Middle Education pairs professional preparation in the College of Education with a required second academic major from either the arts and sciences or communication. That dual focus means candidates graduate with genuine subject expertise alongside their teaching credentials, spread across a 120 to 125 credit course of study. The experience culminates in a fifteen-credit senior student teaching placement, undertaken once the Office of Teacher Education signs off, at which point candidates are endorsed for a Wisconsin license covering grades K-9. Delivered in the traditional on-campus format, it keeps students close to faculty and to the Milwaukee-area schools where they practice. The result is a program that treats content knowledge and classroom skill as equally essential. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.

Concordia University Wisconsin's Elementary/Middle Education major leads to a Bachelor of Arts and Wisconsin licensure for grades 4K-9, taught on the Mequon campus through the School of Education. It asks for at least 120 credits overall, with a minimum of 20 education credits taken at Concordia, and it gives students room to shape the path. Some pursue regular education on its own, while others choose a dual certification that pairs it with cross-categorical special education, and the program recommends adding a subject-area concentration, minor, or second major on top. Field experiences begin early and build toward student teaching, so candidates spend real time in classrooms before finishing. All of Concordia's teacher education programs are approved by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, making it a flexible route into elementary and middle grades teaching. Earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education is a common route toward becoming one of Wisconsin's elementary school teachers.

This 120-credit Bachelor of Science in Elementary-Middle Education at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, housed in Teacher Education, prepares candidates to teach across the K-9 grade band and meets Wisconsin licensure requirements. The heart of the program is a 12-credit professional semester devoted almost entirely to student teaching, split into two nine-week placements so candidates experience both elementary and middle school classrooms before they graduate. A strong network of partner sites backs that fieldwork, with more than 150 cooperating schools and options for cultural immersion placements as far afield as Kenai, Alaska. Students looking to broaden their reach can add a double major in Teaching-Spanish for grades K-12. Coursework 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 Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Lutheran College's Elementary/Middle Education major, a Bachelor of Arts offered through its School of Education, leads to teacher licensure spanning the K-2, 3-5, and 6-9 grade bands. What sets it apart is how early and how deeply students get into schools: field placement begins as soon as the second semester, and candidates accumulate more than 150 hours of clinical experience outside the college classroom through partnerships with area schools. Students can go further still through an optional residency that has them spend 15 hours a week assisting a teacher in their eventual student-teaching district the semester before placement, easing the transition into full responsibility. The college reports that all graduates find placements in public, private, and charter schools. Instruction follows a traditional on-campus model. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.

Saint Norbert College builds its Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education around early and frequent time in real classrooms, starting in the first year and continuing all the way to senior student teaching. Offered through its Teacher Education department, the program leads to Wisconsin licensure across a K-9 grade band. Along the way, candidates complete a sequence of student teaching placements and a dedicated student teaching seminar that ties the field experience to coursework. The elementary pathway also asks students to add a Language Arts minor, strengthening the literacy foundation so central to teaching young learners. For those who want to broaden their reach, endorsement options extend to grades 4-12 and to K-12 music, and the whole program carries Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction approval. As a bachelor's degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.

Edgewood College offers a Bachelor of Arts in K-9 Elementary and Middle Education through its Division of Education. The on-campus program prepares candidates to teach across the elementary and middle grades and leads to Wisconsin teacher licensing. Classroom fieldwork begins in the sophomore year, placing students in public and private schools, including experience in multicultural settings, before student teaching. Candidates may add licensure in ESL, bilingual education, or cross-categorical special education. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.

The Elementary Education major at UW-River Falls is a fieldwork-heavy program that puts candidates in real classrooms well before they finish, preparing them for Wisconsin licensure in the Middle Childhood-Early Adolescence band. Housed in the Teacher Education department and taught on the River Falls campus, it asks for a minimum of 132 semester hours, with a large share of that dedicated to the major itself. The defining feature is a pair of intensive instructional blocks that together add up to roughly 300 hours in public schools, three days a week, ahead of a full student teaching term. Students also choose a required minor in an area such as mathematics, science, or language arts, and those who add an Early Childhood minor extend their reach down to the earliest grades. Admission to the Educator Preparation Program comes first, before any block coursework begins. As a bachelor's degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Elementary/Middle Education BSE, Dual Licensure Emphasis, is designed for candidates who want their reach to extend beyond a single classroom. Based in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction within the College of Education and Professional Studies, it leads to licensure to teach general education in grades K-9. What sets the emphasis apart is its pairing with an approved minor, in Bilingual/Bicultural and ESL Education, Library Media Education, or Adaptive Education, each of which can add a K-12 add-on license to the degree. Candidates put theory into practice through directed teaching and a series of field placements at both the elementary and middle levels. The result is a program that graduates teachers ready to serve a wider range of students and settings. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.

At the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education is built around choice, letting candidates shape a route that fits their goals for teaching grades K-9. Housed in the Teacher Education department, the 120-credit degree offers three paths: a standard license track, a dual-license option that adds an ESL or special education endorsement, and a non-licensure pathway for those who want the coursework without certification. The program culminates in a residency seminar and a full semester of student teaching, giving future teachers real time in front of a classroom. Along the way, students raise their GPA to 3.0 and pass the Foundations of Reading Test, both signals of readiness. Because the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction approves the program and it participates in NASDTEC reciprocity, the resulting license travels well beyond state lines. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.

Ripon College offers a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education leading to Wisconsin teacher licensure for grades K-9. The program meets Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction standards, and graduates qualify for a Tier 2 Wisconsin teaching license accepted by most other states. Students can add English as a Second Language to the licensure program, and an Elementary Education and Cross-Categorical Special Education option authorizes teaching K-12 students with intellectual, emotional-behavioral, specific learning, and other disabilities. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.

Marian University, a private institution in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, offers a bachelor's degree in elementary education and teaching. The program prepares undergraduate students to teach at the elementary grade levels, giving them the coursework foundation needed for a career in elementary classrooms. It sits within the university's broader offerings in the field of education. Graduates of this elementary education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as elementary school teachers.

Carthage College's Elementary and Middle School Education major prepares candidates for grades K-9 across 60 credits, and it puts them in front of students early. Clinical experiences are woven through the coursework, with placements in local schools starting the very first semester so candidates observe, plan, and teach from the outset. That runway leads to EDU 4900, a 12-credit student teaching seminar, and along the way students pick an elective such as Urban Education Immersion, English Language Learner Methods, or Culturally Responsive Instruction. The program keeps standards concrete, asking for a C- or better in all education courses and a passing FORT exam before student teaching. Fully approved by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, it leads to Wisconsin educator licensure for those aiming at the elementary and middle grades. This bachelor's-level elementary education program prepares graduates for work as elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.

UW-Platteville's Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education is a hands-on, classroom-centered path toward teaching at the K-9 level, and its 120 credits are split so that a focused major sits alongside a substantial block of professional education coursework. That balance signals a program that wants candidates grounded in both content and pedagogy before they run their own room. Through the School of Education, students test their skills in two practicum placements in nearby schools, a gradual on-ramp that leads into a full student teaching experience or an in-service teaching internship. The curriculum is approved by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, and candidates must pass the Wisconsin Foundations of Reading Test to earn a provisional license. The result is a licensure-ready degree that keeps future teachers close to real classrooms from early on. Graduates of this elementary education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as elementary school teachers.

The College of Menominee Nation offers a Bachelor of Science in Elementary/Middle School Education. Students study teaching methods across the core subjects, including reading and language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, art and music, and health and physical education, and take coursework in inclusion strategies for exceptional learners, classroom behavior and management, and cultural images in children's literature. The program concludes with a supervised student teaching placement spanning pre-kindergarten through grade 5. It carries the lowest in-state tuition among Wisconsin's 24 ranked bachelor's-level programs, at $6,000. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.

At the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, the Bachelor of Science in Elementary and Middle School Education prepares candidates to teach across grades K through 9 and leads to Wisconsin teacher licensure. Taught on campus through the Department of Teaching and Learning, the program is built around real classroom time, asking candidates to log at least 150 hours in K-12 schools before they begin student teaching. A four-gateway advising system gives the path a clear structure, guiding students through admission, program requirements, the student teaching application, and completion in turn. That sequence keeps candidates oriented at each stage rather than leaving them to navigate licensure alone. For now the degree is offered only on campus, with no online option, keeping students connected to faculty and local school placements. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.

Fieldwork sits at the heart of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point's Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education, an interdisciplinary major that prepares candidates to teach grades 4K-9. Through the School of Education, students spend six to eight weeks in the Elementary Methods Block in area schools the semester before their culminating student teaching placement, and those placements reach across Wisconsin and, when available, as far as Alaska's Lower Kuskokwim School District. That early, sustained classroom time gives future teachers a real feel for the work before they lead their own room. Students can broaden their reach by adding a double major in special education or early childhood education, or minors in areas such as health education or ESL. Approved by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the program leads to state licensure. Graduates of this elementary education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as elementary school teachers.

Alverno College's Education - K to Ninth Grade (KMS) major leads to a Wisconsin K-9 teaching license. Students get hands-on experience in real elementary and middle school classrooms early and often, with field experiences of roughly 4 to 5 hours per week that total more than 250 hours of classroom practice before full-time student teaching, drawing on 150-plus metro Milwaukee schools. Optional added licenses include Special Education, Bilingual/Bicultural education, Teaching English Language Learners, and a Montessori license through the Montessori Institute of Milwaukee. Alverno uses its assessment-based 8 Abilities framework rather than letter grades. A bachelor's-level path in elementary education, it builds toward a career among elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.

The University of Wisconsin-Superior's Elementary Education major leads to a Bachelor's degree and Wisconsin K-9 licensure, and it comes with an instruction minor built into the plan so candidates graduate with a defined teaching focus. The heart of the experience is a full semester of student teaching, observed at least three times each by a university supervisor and a cooperating teacher, with placements generally within a 400-mile radius. Before licensure, candidates must pass the Wisconsin Foundations of Reading test, a marker of the program's emphasis on literacy. Those who want to broaden their credentials can pursue additional licensure in early childhood, early childhood special education, or K-12 special education. Offered through the Education department either on campus or fully online, the program is reviewed each year by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Graduates of this elementary education program at the bachelor's level often go on to work as elementary school teachers.

Lakeland University's Bachelor of Arts in Education prepares elementary and middle school teachers for K-9 licensure through its Education Division. The professional sequence includes a field experience course, a 12-hour student teaching placement, and a seminar, with all candidates completing the edTPA portfolio assessment for licensure endorsement. Through a contractual partnership with Cooperative Educational Service Agency 7, graduates can add a K-12 Cross-Categorical Special Education license by completing four elective courses and an additional student teaching experience. Coursework is delivered on campus with placements in local school districts. As a bachelor's degree in elementary education, it is one of the programs that lead to careers as elementary school teachers in Wisconsin.