Concordia University-St. Paul

How You’ll Learn
This 120-credit program is fully online and self-paced, with flexible eight-week courses designed to fit your schedule.

• The entire program is 100 percent online and asynchronous—meaning no required class meetings.
• You’ll complete assignments, discussion posts and occasional small-group projects using D2L Brightspace (“MyCourses”).
• Each semester, you'll take two major courses, one at a time, for eight weeks each. This setup lets you focus on fewer classes at once while balancing school with work and life responsibilities.
• You can also take general education and elective courses as needed to complete your degree.

What You’ll Learn
You’ll be part of a supportive cohort of students with similar goals, helping you build lasting connections throughout the program.

Your field experience will take place near your home—and possibly even at the school where you already work as an educational assistant or paraprofessional. You’ll be supported by mentor teachers and onsite supervisors throughout your hands-on learning.

While completing your courses, you’ll gain hands-on experience in real classrooms through field placements. You’ll complete over 100 hours before your student teaching semester. Then, during your final semester, you’ll complete a 15-week student teaching experience where you’ll gradually take on all the responsibilities of a full-time teacher for at least four weeks, preparing you for a successful career after graduation.

You’ll take part in courses and experiences that prepare you to support diverse learners in inclusive classrooms. Two required courses—ED330 Human Diversity and Relations and ED439 The Inclusive Classroom—cover topics like trauma, mental health, special education and legal requirements. You’ll also learn how to support multilingual learners, students with disabilities and gifted students. Field experience hours are included.

During your pre-student teaching and student teaching semesters, you’ll be matched with a mentor teacher and a university supervisor. They’ll guide and support you through the experience, providing regular feedback and check-ins to help you grow and improve as a future teacher.

Concordia University, St. Paul is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and has been since 1959. The university’s most recent reaffirmation was in 2018, with the next scheduled for 2028.
All initial teacher licensure programs at Concordia St. Paul have been nationally accredited since 1969, first through NCATE, then CAEP, and now through the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation. CSP’s current AAQEP accreditation is valid through June 2029.
All teacher education programs are also approved by Minnesota’s Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board. The most recent approval was in October 2022. Students who complete their licensure program at Concordia St. Paul are recommended to PELSB for Minnesota teaching licensure.