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Become the Teacher You Want to Be...

The Center for Urban Education, located at UNC’s Denver Center at Lowry, offers a Bachelor of Arts degree with or without teacher licensure in:

Early Childhood Education: This program focuses on teaching children from birth through age 8 in a variety of settings. Through meaningful and authentic coursework and field experiences, students connect theory, research and practical information.

Elementary Education: This program focuses on teaching children in grades kindergarten through six. Through meaningful and authentic coursework and field experiences, students gain strong preparation in the academic content areas of English, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education, and the arts.

Special Education: This program prepares preservice teachers to teach students with a variety of exceptionalities, ages 5-21. Through meaningful coursework and ongoing field experiences, students connect theory, research and practice.

Center for Urban Education in the News

UNC Students Share Why They're Pursuing Teaching:
Denver 7 ABC (KMGH-TV) profiled two Center for Urban Education students, Belen Gomez Ruelas and Morgan Farley, who shared their motivations and the impact they are preparing to make in their careers. Gomez Ruelas and Farley were joined in 2020 by a new group of CUE students that was 16% larger than the previous year.

How the Center for Urban Education in Denver is Reimagining Teacher Preparation Programs:
New America brought awareness to how the Center for Urban Education is reimagining teacher preparation to create on-ramps for non-traditional teaching candidates. Through these efforts, more than 70 percent of our students identify as students of color and over 90 percent are first-generation college students. 

Challenges to Diversifying the Education Workforce in Colorado: 9News NBC (KUSA-TV) reported on the challenges that Colorado – particularly the Denver metro area – faces while trying to diversify the teacher workforce. Our center works toward this goal everyday, and we were thrilled to share our story as part of these efforts. CUE student Cedric Miller and Center Director Rosanne Fulton contributed to this story.

Provide Awareness and Opportunities for Diverse Teacher Candidates

You can help CUE and Colorado address the teacher diversification challenge by sharing our bachelor's degree options to people of color who may be interested in sharing their talents and experiences in the classroom.

Growing Our Own for Urban Classrooms: The Paraprofessionals-to-Teachers Pipeline

The Center for Urban Education is thrilled to begin a new initiative: Growing Our Own for Urban Classrooms: The Paraprofessionals-to-Teachers Pipeline. Thanks to a $125,000 grant award from the Colorado Department of Education's Plan Into Action grant program, we will have the opportunity to recruit, develop and retain a diverse teacher corps that supports strong learning outcomes for all students in urban environments and throughout Colorado. This grant will help the Center for Urban Education...

  • Recruit and develop additional teachers from underrepresented communities;
  • Increase our sustainable teacher pipeline through which graduates are hired into partner schools;
  • Increase partnership opportunities with area school districts; and
  • Provide professional development to help area educators develop culturally-responsive curriculum.

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