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Studies & Degrees in Elementary Education

Elementary education is the degree that trains primary school teachers. The name is used above all in the United States, where elementary school covers kindergarten and the first grades of compulsory schooling; in Spain the equivalent is educación primaria and in the United Kingdom primary education. Teachers at this level instruct young pupils in basic subjects such as reading, writing, mathematics, science and social studies, usually as the single class teacher for most of the school day.

Students of elementary education learn how children develop and learn, how to plan and assess lessons in each subject area, how to manage a classroom and how to work with pupils of different abilities and backgrounds, including those who are learning the language of instruction or have special educational needs. Every programme includes supervised practice in real schools. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes this student-teaching period as work with a mentor teacher to gain experience in a classroom setting.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree in the United States. Public kindergarten and elementary school teachers typically need a bachelor's degree in elementary education, and all states require public school teachers to be licensed or certified for the grade level they teach. A typical degree has 120 credits over four years. Purdue University's Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, for example, has 120 credits over 8 semesters, with a field placement every semester and student teaching across two semesters. Illinois State University prepares students for a licence to teach grades 1-6 and includes over 300 hours of field experience before student teaching. DeSales University offers a 120-credit Bachelor of Arts in Education with an early childhood and elementary (PreK-4) option that prepares for Pennsylvania teacher certification.
  • Bachelor's degree in Spain. Primary school teaching is a regulated profession that requires an official bachelor's degree, the Grado en Educación Primaria, of 240 ECTS credits. It includes a supervised placement (Practicum) in primary schools, and universities may offer specialisations (menciones) of 30 to 60 credits.
  • United Kingdom. Teachers in England train towards qualified teacher status (QTS), either on its own or with a postgraduate certificate in education (PGCE), with school placements as an essential part of the training.
  • Other routes and master's degrees. In the United States, graduates of another subject can become elementary teachers by completing a teacher education programme, and all states offer an alternative route to certification for people who already hold a bachelor's degree. Some states require teachers to complete a master's degree after they are certified and employed.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 177 active schools for elementary education. The United States has by far the most, with 130, followed by Spain with 33 and the United Kingdom with 3. India and Germany have two each, and Canada, Bolivia, Portugal, China, Mexico, Poland and Slovenia one each.

The US schools range from large public universities, such as the University of Michigan, The Pennsylvania State University, Purdue University, Illinois State University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Florida Atlantic University, to private universities such as Vanderbilt University, the University of Miami, DeSales University and Avila University. Community colleges such as Tacoma Community College, Northeast Community College and the College of Lake County teach the first two years, after which students transfer to a university to finish the bachelor's degree. The list also includes primary and secondary schools, which teach children rather than train teachers.

The language of instruction follows the country: English in the United States and the United Kingdom, Spanish (or a co-official language) in Spain. A teaching qualification is tied to the place where it is awarded. US licences are issued by each state, and requirements vary by state, so students who want to teach in another country should ask its education authority how a foreign degree is recognised before they enrol.

Careers

Most graduates become class teachers in public or private primary schools. Others specialise in subjects such as art, music or physical education, teach English as a second language, or move later into school leadership, curriculum design, educational publishing or teacher training. Those who teach in US private schools typically do not need a licence.

According to the BLS, elementary school teachers held about 1.4 million jobs in the United States in 2025, 84 percent of them in local public schools, and kindergarten teachers about 111,200. Overall employment is projected to show little or no change from 2025 to 2035, but about 99,400 openings a year are expected, mostly to replace teachers who change occupation or retire. These figures describe the US labour market only.

Frequently asked questions

How long does an elementary education degree take?

Four years in most countries. A typical US bachelor's degree has 120 credits over 8 semesters, and the Spanish Grado en Educación Primaria has 240 ECTS credits.

Is the degree enough to work as a teacher?

In US public schools you also need a state licence or certification, which generally involves a bachelor's degree, a student teaching programme, a background check and certification tests. In Spain the official Grado en Educación Primaria is the qualification required for the regulated profession.

Can I become a primary teacher if my degree is in another subject?

Often, yes. In the United States you can complete a teacher education programme or an alternative route to certification, and in England graduates take postgraduate teacher training leading to QTS.