Curry School of Education

Ah, February, the month of never-ending applications. What forms am I currently filling out? Applications for leadership roles, summer internships, fall study abroad, and the list goes on. To follow up Shelby’s post about the Comm school, I thought I would talk about one application I am currently debating whether or not to send in: the Curry School of Education.

I entered UVa knowing I wanted to study English literature, flirting with the idea of Comm school, and happily undecided about a major. It wasn’t until I started tutoring through Madison House (a great resource for community service that deserves a blog post all to itself), that I discovered my love for teaching and passion for education. And so I find myself, at the very last moment, rushing to take the prerequisite course and working on the application that is due February 15 during your second year at UVa (a mere 4 days from now!).

The Curry School offers a five-year program, at the end of which graduates receive a Baccalaureate degree from the College of Arts and Science (B.A. in English, in my case), as well as a Masters of Teaching from the Curry School of Education, complete with licensure and endorsement for the area of education in which you train. Course work begins third year, incorporating valuable field experience with Curry school classes. The general core requirements for the program differ depending on which area of study you choose (Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, or Special Education), but everyone must enroll in one prerequisite class, titled Teaching as a Profession, and the accompanying field experience before entering the Curry School.

The application itself is simple compared to college applications. A transcript and summary of your academic progress at UVa is required, as well as four short essays focusing on your interest in education. They are looking for students who have successfully completed the prerequisite course with a recommendation from the course instructor, who display a high academic potential, and who have a passion for education.

UVa offers its students a plethora of options for achieving their academic goals. No matter what your interests, I promise UVa has a program for you. For most of us, the only problem is deciding which interests to pursue!

For more information on the Curry School, check out their website: http://curry.virginia.edu/