Education students at UNC Charlotte begin their training in year one. In addition to university general education credits, education students take an Introduction to Education and Diversity in Schools course and an Introduction to Learners with Special Needs during their first two semesters. Students have the opportunity to participate in early clinical experiences at a variety of schools, work with their advisor to establish professional goals and create a four-year academic plan, and determine what grade level/subject fits them best.

Students continue to take general education courses, and as they approach the 30-45 credit hour mark, also make plans to declare their major. Some students elect to declare an academic minor in the Cato College of Education, which leads to additional licensure areas.

Most students enter their professional education courses, including courses focused on instructional design, diversity, child development and teaching practice. Students participate in a variety of clinical experiences in regional schools and practice what they are learning in their professional education coursework.

Students continue to take professional education coursework and focus their clinical experiences within the context of a year-long internship. Fourth-year students spend one to two days a week at their internship site in semester one and move into full-time student teaching with their clinical educator in the second semester. They also use university-provided resources to prepare for and take licensure exams as required by the State Board of Education.  

One of the primary goals of the Cato College of Education is to give future teachers genuine, hands-on classroom experience before they graduate. From their first course in the program, students are involved in clinical experiences at a variety of different schools and are able to work with master teachers to rehearse and practice the concepts they are learning in the classroom. Students in their final year in a program participate in a year-long internship experience. In the first semester, students are in the classroom approximately one to two days per week, getting to know the school and classroom climate and continuing to practice what they are learning. This culminates in a 16-week student teaching experience during the second semester. Students work closely with trained clinical educators, site supervisors and university faculty to rehearse best practices and gain confidence and experience.

The Cato College of Education at UNC Charlotte strives to be a leader in educational equity, engagement and excellence. Our faculty members are engaged in cutting-edge research related to students with special needs, struggling readers and culturally relevant instruction. Because of our commitment to diversity, we host an on-campus speaker series and conferences specifically focused on fostering equity, diversity and social justice that are open to faculty, students and the greater community. 

All of our students take Foundations of Education and Diversity and Introduction to Learners with Special Needs within their first year. Additionally, we offer courses such as Theories and Practice for Equity in Diverse Education and Modification Instructions for Learners with Diverse Needs.

As a part of the internship experience, our students are assigned a current practicing teacher, referred to as a clinical educator, to work alongside over the course of the year. Additionally a site supervisor is assigned to the student to help coach and guide them throughout the process—particularly during student teaching. The site supervisor visits the school frequently and provides students with feedback as they work to hone their skills. The clinical educator and site supervisor collaborate to work closely with students and help them develop into impactful educators.

The Cato College of Education is committed to continuous improvement and is working to make sure that our students have the best experiences possible. Our Office of School and Community Partnerships (OCSP) has identified schools in local districts, based on data, to form a partner school network that will house the core of student clinical experiences. The partner school network is a collection of principals and school leaders. Student teachers will be placed within the partner school network, and UNC Charlotte will provide summer training for the teachers that work alongside them. Site supervisors affiliated with the Cato College of Education will be placed at the partner schools to help supervise and coach student teachers as they practice.