UVM's Teacher Connection

List of Programs for Educators

Open Enrollment - Fall, Spring, and Summer
Each semester, students enroll in more than 400 Continuing Education courses offered at convenient times for working professionals and part-time students. Undergraduate and graduate-level courses are offered for individuals for professional and career advancement. Courses taken through Continuing Education can also prepare students to enter a UVM undergraduate or graduate degree program. There is no application process for taking an individual course, but we encourage students to always contact Continuing Education to aid in the course selection and registration process, especially for first-time students.

Browse courses offered this term.

Contract Courses
Education contract courses provide an opportunity for you to earn graduate credits conveniently around the state. Contract courses are offered at a reduced tuition rate in partnership with an individual school, a school district or other sponsoring organization. Enrollment in contract courses is approved by the sponsoring school or organization and is not open to all students, so contact your school or district if you are interested in a contract course.

Browse courses offered this term to view the types of courses available, and then contact your school or district about offerings in your area.

Online Courses
Are you too busy or distant to come to campus? Do you want to attend class when it’s most convenient for you at your own pace? Have you demonstrated that you are able to organize your time well? Then an online course may be right for you. We offer a growing selection of online courses each term in many subject areas.

Browse Online Courses offered this term.

In addition to credit courses, Continuing Education offers short courses to brush up on a topic area or explore a new one, often for less than $100 per course. We offer hundreds of engaging non-credit online courses for adults, covering every topic from Anatomy to Web Design. Affordable, fun, fast, convenient, and geared just for you.

Browse non-credit, online courses currently offered.

Teacher Travel
Imagine studying culture and sustainable communities in ecology and history in Costa Rica, or art and culture in Oaxaca, Mexico. How would that invigorate your teaching? How would it help you open up the curriculum for your students?

We offer travel courses specifically geared toward educators, allowing them to learn from university professors and local experts in foreign countries. We select our international destinations carefully, after consulting with our advisory board of teachers. They help us decide which destinations offer the best experiences for teachers and the most opportunities for connecting to the classroom.

All of our travel-study programs feature engaging lectures and on-site explorations, allowing teachers to learn about an area’s culture, history, art, language, natural environment and more. Take a travel course as part of your individual professional development plan, using tuition remission for an experience of a lifetime.

For more information on upcoming courses and to register, click here.

World Debate Institute

Debate Teacher/Coach Workshop (high school or college teachers and coaches)

This summer workshop is comprehensive preparation and curriculum for coaching college and high school debate, including an introduction to all major debate formats. Instruction is offered on how to design and implement a debate class. The workshop format includes small group seminars, judging workshops, sample debates, review of in-class activities. You also receive instruction in tournament hosting, recruiting, publicity, and travel management.

After this program you will be ready to teach a debate class or coach a debate team in any of the popular competitive formats used in the USA.

Parliamentary Debate Teacher and Coaches Workshop

The World Debate Institute's comprehensive instructional program in parliamentary debate is an intensive exposure to debate and argument theory and practice in a diverse educational environment. Separate portions of the program support both beginning and experienced parliamentary debaters as well as coaches.

Coaches will attend portions of the normal instruction program. The program uses the American World’s format for parliamentary debate training which is easily applicable to American parliamentary debating, Worlds school’s format debating for high schools and high school parliamentary debating formats (two-person teams, one team on each side of the question, two constructive speeches and one rebuttal speech per side, points of information). The program will also include instruction and practice in the World's or British format (two-person teams, two teams on each side of the question, one five or seven minute constructive speech per speaker, points of information), as well as televised and public debates.

For more information and to register, visit the World Debate website.

Course Sequences and Licensure Endorsements Programs

School Library Media Series
The University of Vermont has designed a series of six courses to help educators gain licensure as school library media specialists. The content of the coursework addresses the essential competencies required by the State of Vermont. These competencies are available as a PDF file on the Vermont Educator Licensing website.

While the sequence originated with practicing educators in mind, it is by no means aimed exclusively at teachers. For most educators who are already certified, the basic courses in the series will provide competencies leading to endorsement in library media. Those who are not currently certified educators will also have to demonstrate competencies that satisfy the sixteen principles included in the Five Standards for Vermont Educators (PDF). These competencies may require additional coursework in education. For licensed school library media specialists, courses in the sequence may serve as an important resource for professional development or recertification credits.

All the courses in the sequence are upper level/graduate courses. Where applicable, they may fit into a master's degree program, such as UVM's Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction.

View courses being offered in the sequence this semester or register.

Speech Language Pathology Assistant Program
This 7-course sequence for School-Based Speech-Language Pathology Assistants is designed to help individuals develop an understanding of communication disorders and intervention strategies for speech-language services for students in school settings. Coursework and practicum experiences follow guidelines set forth by the American Speech Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) for the training, use and supervision of speech-language pathology assistants. To further assist you we have provided a link to the ASHA website.

Students can use the course sequence to improve their employment opportunities in school settings or to advance their career as a speech-language pathology assistant. All courses within this sequence receive university credit and may be applied towards a UVM undergraduate degree. Some courses may serve as prerequisite courses for the graduate program in Communication Sciences. There is an application process for this program and students must be accepted before enrolling in the first course of the sequence.

View courses being offered in the sequence this semester and apply.

Education Technology Series
This 6-course Educational Technology series provides a base of courses that leads to endorsement as a Technology Integration Specialist in Vermont schools for those educators that are already licensed to teach in the state. All courses are available online and therefore provide easy access for busy professionals. This series can also lead to a Masters Degree in Curriculum & Instruction in Education and offer students an opportunity to become a technology literate educator. These courses can be taken in any order and are offered on a regular basis each semester.

Because of the online delivery of these courses, one must have access to the Internet, understand file and folder organization, upload document files and graphics, and use a word processor.

View courses being offered in the sequence this semester.

Administrative Endorsement: Education Leadership
Courses within the Education Leadership Master’s/Certificate of Advanced Study program lead to an administrative endorsement. With a Master’s degree, completion of the six required courses and K–12 experience, an educator can meet the requirements for various administrative positions, including principal, superintendent, director or supervisor. Many of these courses are offered in an intensive format over the summer, making them highly accessible to working educators. Completion of the administrative endorsement coursework is also a step in achieving the Master’s in Education, and thus a stepping stone to an advanced degree.

The program is designed to prepare leaders to think and act creatively, responsibly, and effectively in leadership roles.

Vermont Mathematics Initiative
Vermont Mathematics Initiative is designed to build K–8 mathematics teacher leaders across the state that are deeply knowledgeable in mathematics content and can apply their knowledge to improve mathematics instruction. In turn, these elementary and middle school teacher leaders serve as mathematics resources to all elementary and middle school teachers in their school and/or district in the teaching and learning of mathematics. Teachers have the option to gain a Master’s through the VMI program (referred to as "Phase 1") or complete the 80-hour course (referred to as "Phase 2"), which equals 6 graduate credits. These graduate credits can be transferred into a graduate program for any teacher who wishes to continue their mathematics studies. More information and an application can be found on their website.

Graduate Programs
No other Vermont institution can match our breath and depth of academic programs. As a comprehensive research university, UVM offers content from our seven colleges, 52 master’s degree, 21 doctoral degrees, an honors college and medical school. Yet, UVM feels like a small liberal arts college, with intimate classes that allow you to interact closely with your professors and student peers.

By choosing the College of Education and Social Services, you will study with researchers who are changing the way teachers teach in the classroom and learning in the only accredited teacher program in the State (nationally by the National Council for Accreditation for Teacher Education, NCATE).

For more information on specific CESS programs, use the following links:

• Master of Education: Curriculum and Instruction Program
• Educational Leadership
• Educational Studies (Master of Education)
• Interdisciplinary (Master of Education)
• Reading and Language Arts (Master of Education)
• Special Education (Master of Education)
• Master’s Degree in Social Work
• Educational Leadership (Post-Master's Certificate)
• Integrated Studies (Post-Master's Certificate)
• Special Education (Post-Master's Certificate)
• Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies