School of Education

Step 1: Complete the non-degree seeking admissions application

Step 2: Review the schedule of classes to identify the section and time that works for your schedule

Step 3: Register for your class through your new VCU eservices account

Step 4: Enjoy your class and contact soeinfo@vcu.edu if you have questions about applying to a future graduate program*

*There are limits on how many non-degree courses can be transferred to a future graduate program. Please review this VCU policy for more information and connect with soeinfo@vcu.edu for additional questions.

Per the Senior Citizens Higher Education Act*, Virginians age 60 or older may take courses without paying tuition or required fees**.

Enroll in our online and in-person courses today! To apply for non-degree status to enroll in future courses follow these easy steps:

• Step 1: Complete the non-degree seeking admissions application
• Step 2: Choose your class from some of the School of Education sections (note: courses 500 level and above require a bachelor's degree)
• Step 3: Complete the Senior Citizens Tuition Waiver form, and email to ssc@vcu.edu
• Step 4: Enjoy your class!

Check out the senior citizens tuition waiver program for more information, including income thresholds.

*Section §23-38.56 of the Code of Virginia.
**Additional course materials including textbooks and other course fees are a student’s responsibility.
***There are limits on how many non-degree courses can be transferred to a future graduate program. Please review this VCU policy for additional information and connect with soeinfo@vcu.edu for additional questions.

For teachers who might not be able to commit to one of our initial licensure programs that incorporate Virginia state teaching licensure requirements, we want to give you and your licensure specialist at your sponsoring school information on the courses you need for your specific situation.

Since the requirements vary greatly by teaching licensure type and the individual backgrounds of the provisional licensed teacher*, your licensure sponsoring school will be a critical approval partner for you to ensure you take courses that support your future license.

• Course Finder 

Teaching: common Virginia Department of Education requirements

• Classroom and Behavior Management
• Curriculum and Instructional Procedures
• Foundations of Education
• Human Growth and Development
• Reading in the Content Areas: Education

Please review our VCU Teaching course bulletin list of courses to identify the course that fits your school’s needs

• TEDU - Teacher Education courses
• EDUS - Educational Studies courses
• SPED - Special Education and Disability Policy courses

TEDU 101: Introduction to Teaching
An introduction to teaching and learning in elementary settings. Students will explore current educational reforms and their influences on elementary schools and students.

TEDU 103: Lifetime Fitness, Wellness and Nutrition
Learn the foundational knowledge specific to concepts related to the health- and skills-related components of fitness, functional fitness, energy balance and overall well-being.

TEDU 204: Outdoor Education
Great for the outdoor enthusiast! Cooperative and team-building practices will be emphasized as a way to promote increased collaboration, communication, critical-thinking and creativity while in the health and physical education environment.

TEDU 385: Teaching Writing Through Children’s Literature
Children’s literature is critical to growing young minds. This course teaches how to construct a successful community of writers in PK and elementary classrooms. Learn how children learn to think and write and examine your own personal writing processes.

TEDU 386: Children's Literature
Designed to give students an appreciation of the value of children’s literature, present a look at current trends and provide a wide range of reading from different literary genres and diverse authors. 

Note: Provisionally licensed educators, please connect with your HR representative expert to confirm prior to enrolling as a non-degree seeking student.

SEDP 630: Trends in Special Education
Prerequisite course qualifies those with an undergraduate degree for a provisional license in Special Education to teach in k-12 classrooms.

ENED 601: Young Adult Literature
Examination of literature written for young adults, literature appropriate for young people in middle schools and high schools. Focuses on the content, characteristics and teaching of such literature.

TEDU 385: Teaching Writing Through Children’s Literature
Children’s literature is critical to growing young minds. This course teaches how to construct a successful community of writers in PK and elementary classrooms. Learn how children learn to think and write and examine your own personal writing processes.

TEDU 386: Children's Literature
Designed to give students an appreciation of the value of children’s literature, present a look at current trends and provide a wide range of reading from different literary genres and diverse authors.

TEDU 425: Emergent and Early Literacy
An introduction to the theories, concepts, pedagogical approaches, methods and materials used to promote early literacy acquisition and development. Offered during the fall and spring semesters, online-asynchronous.

TEDU 525: Teaching Language Arts
Teaches techniques and materials for the developmental teaching of communication skills. Offered during the summer in an online-asynchronous modality.

TEDU 537: Secondary School Curriculum
Studies the background and objectives of the contemporary secondary school; basic issues, current trends and practices in curriculum construction and instructional planning are examined.

TEDU 552: Methods for Teaching Multilingual Learners
Provides students who plan to teach people whose native language is not English with a variety of instructional/learning strategies.

TEDU 561: Reading Foundations: Sociological/Psychological Perspectives
Multidisciplinary, multicultural aspects of reading instruction are stressed. Topics of particular importance to the classroom teacher are emphasized.

TEDU 562: Reading Instruction in the Content Areas
Prepares teachers to apply skills and methods of reading instruction to content areas in elementary, middle and secondary school curricula. The course is offered during the fall, spring and summer semesters in an online-asynchronous format.

TEDU 588: Classroom Management
Emphasis on application of classroom management, motivational and instructional theories. Offered during the fall, spring and summer semesters in online-synchronous and online-asynchronous modalities.

ADLT 601: Adult Learning and Development

An examination of the research findings from the applied behavioral sciences that affect adult learning throughout the lifespan. Addresses different learning styles, application of adult learning theories to practice.

ADLT 606: Design and Delivery of Adult Learning Programs

Provides a comprehensive understanding of the design, development and delivery process necessary to create a program, course or workshop for adult learners. Includes evaluation and assessment of effectiveness, including development of instructional strategies.

ADLT 610: Consulting Skills in Adult Learning

An introduction to the consultation skills necessary to effect change when the educator is in a position of influence, rather than direct control or management responsibility. Students gain practical experience by conducting an intervention as the major project assignment in the course.

ADLT 640 - Theory and Practice of eLearning and Digital Media

Students gain hands-on experience with digital tools, examining emerging media formats and learning to create, assess, and utilize digital media for effective communication and knowledge building in various adult educational settings. Prerequisite: ADLT 601. 

ADLT 642 - Design Challenges in Creating eLearning

Students skilled in instructional design and digital media tools explore design challenges, honing their eLearning skills and utilizing a platform to apply theoretical knowledge, ultimately creating effective online learning experiences for adults. Prerequisites: ADLT 640 and ADLT 643; or permission of instructor.

ADLT 643: Advanced Instructional Design for Adult Learning

Students will be introduced to a variety of instructional design models and other systems and tools they will encounter in the workplace. Students have the opportunity to evaluate online learning activities to evaluate the effectiveness of online learning initiatives. Prerequisite: ADLT 640. Approval to enroll without prerequisite is on a case-by-case basis.

ADLT 702: Seminal Readings in Adult Learning Literature

A seminal readings course to explore some of the prominent classics in adult learning literature. While prior participation in a master's-level adult learning theories class may be beneficial, it is not a prerequisite.

ADMS 707: The Politics of Education

Politics, for the purposes of this course, is defined as the intersection of power (who has it and how is it distributed?) and justice (who gets what and how). In this course, we will use that framing as we explore political theory in education, the macropolitics of education, and micropolitics.