At the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, graduate students in the Cato College of Education have many different opportunities to expand their knowledge and skills in preparation for new educational roles and increased leadership responsibilities.  While many professional education programs lead to advanced NC licensure, other programs lead to both initial and advanced licensure, and still others are not associated with licensure.  The Cato College of Education is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), and the Counseling programs are accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs (CACREP).  All licensure programs are approved by the North Carolina State Board of Education.  Program graduates positively influence their peers, clients, and students; contribute to the development of effective schools and agencies for all children; and work to alleviate and prevent many of today’s educational and social obstacles.  The curricula of most of the Cato College of Education’s teacher education programs align with the core propositions, skill sets, academic language, and concepts from the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). 

One of the college’s most important functions is to serve as a regional resource in education, research, and service to help address the challenges of urban schools. The college has a strong partnership with the 12 school districts in the Southwest Education Alliance and is located within the bounds of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS), a large urban district.

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Graduate Programs

Art Education

• Teaching: Art Education, Graduate Certificate  

Child and Family Studies

• Special Education and Child Development, M.Ed.  
• Child and Family Studies: Early Childhood Education (Birth-Kindergarten), M.A.T.  
• Child and Family Development: Birth through Kindergarten, Graduate Certificate  
• Early Childhood Mental Health, Graduate Certificate  
• Applied Behavior Analysis, Graduate Certificate  

Counseling

• Counselor Education and Supervision, Ph.D.  
• Counseling, M.A.  
• Addiction Counseling, Post-Master’s Certificate  
• Play Therapy, Graduate Certificate  
• School Counseling, Post-Master’s Certificate  

Curriculum and Instruction/Middle Grades and Secondary Education

• Curriculum and Instruction, Ph.D.  
• Curriculum and Instruction, M.Ed.  
• Middle Grades and Secondary Education, M.A.T.  
• Common Core Instruction, Graduate Certificate  
• Teaching: Art Education, Graduate Certificate  
• Teaching: Middle Grades and Secondary Education, Graduate Certificate   
• Teaching: National Board Certification, Graduate Certificate  

Educational Leadership and School Administration

• Educational Leadership, Ed.D  
• Educational Leadership, M.Ed.   
• School Administration, M.S.A.  
• School Administration, Post-Master’s Certificate  

Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation

• Educational Research, Measurement, and Evaluation, Ph.D.  
• Qualitative Research, Post-Master’s Certificate 
• Quantitative Analyses, Graduate Certificate  

Elementary Education

• Elementary Education, M.Ed.  
• Elementary Education, M.A.T.  
• Teaching: Elementary Education, Graduate Certificate  
• Elementary Mathematics Education, Graduate Certificate  
• Instructional Coaching, Graduate Certificate  

English Education

• English, Concentration in English Education, M.A.  

Foreign Language Education

• Foreign Language Education, M.A.T.  
• Foreign Language Education, Graduate Certificate  

Learning, Design, and Technology

• Educational Leadership, Ed.D  
• Learning, Design, and Technology, M.Ed.  
• Learning, Design, and Technology, Graduate Certificate  

Mathematics Education

• Mathematics, Concentration in Mathematics Education, M.S.  

Reading Education

• Curriculum and Instruction, Ph.D.  
• Reading Education, M.Ed.  
• Advanced Literacy Instruction and Intervention, Graduate Certificate  

Special Education

• Special Education, Ph.D.  
• Special Education and Child Development, M.Ed.  
• Special Education, M.A.T.  
• Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG), Graduate Certificate  
• Applied Behavior Analysis, Graduate Certificate ​ 
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Graduate Certificate  
• Special Education: Adapted Curriculum, Graduate Certificate  
• Special Education: General Curriculum, Graduate Certificate  

Teaching English as a Second Language

• Curriculum and Instruction, Ph.D.  
• Curriculum and Instruction, M.Ed.  
• English as a Second Language, M.A.T.  
• Teaching English as a Second Language, Graduate Certificate  

University and College Teaching

• University and College Teaching, Post-Master’s Certificate  

Urban Education

• Curriculum and Instruction, Ph.D.  
• Urban Education, M.Ed.  
• Elementary Education, M.Ed.  
• Anti-Racism, Graduate Certificate