Options for Undergrads

Whether you are interested in becoming a teacher, learning about education issues, or preparing for graduate study in the field of education, Penn GSE offers multiple avenues for undergraduates at Penn and partner institutions to take courses.

Urban Education Minor

This minor is open to Penn undergraduates in all disciplines. The College of Arts and Sciences and the Graduate School of Education sponsor an interdisciplinary minor in Urban Education. This seven-course undergraduate minor offers students a unique opportunity to bridge learning between the classroom and the community.

Students choose from among three concentrations (Urban Education Minor: Policy, Research, and Practice; Urban Education Minor: Elementary /Middle Years Education; or Urban Education Minor: Secondary Education) depending on interest in pursuing urban teaching certification immediately or developing a strong foundation in the issues of urban schools. Students in all three concentrations take two core courses. The additional five requirements vary depending on the concentration. Note that education (EDUC) courses will be counted towards your 4-course limit on classes taken outside of the School of Arts and Sciences.

Urban Education minors may apply for the Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Program and take courses in the Penn GSE master's programs during their junior or senior year, and count up to four courses toward the Master’s degree. The allowed courses vary by program, so meeting with the advisor is necessary.

Questions about the program?

We are here to help. Please contact the program advisor:

Patrick Sexton, Ed.D.
Assistant Dean, Teacher Preparation & Undergraduate Education
Certification Officer
University of Pennsylvania, GSE
Office: 215-898-9336
Email: pgsexton@upenn.edu

Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Degree Program

The Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s Degree Program (Accelerated Program) at Penn GSE is a unique opportunity for University of Pennsylvania undergraduates and undergraduates from select partner schools to explore graduate education and apply GSE graduate courses to both degrees - at no additional cost. Through the Accelerated Program, you can begin taking coursework that will apply to your graduate degree, saving money and possibly time. To take full advantage of this opportunity, students are encouraged to apply for the Accelerated Program during their sophomore or junior year.

Penn undergraduates can apply to enroll in up to four courses from any of the programs listed below.

Please note that students in the Accelerated Program remain solely in their undergraduate status until their bachelor’s degree is conferred. After completing the bachelor’s degree and confirming their intent to enroll in the Penn GSE master’s degree, the student will become an official graduate student at Penn GSE.

Bryn Mawr College and Haverford College Undergraduates
All Bryn Mawr College and Haverford undergraduates, regardless of their major, are invited to apply to the Accelerated Program and take coursework within any of the 14 programs listed above. Bryn Mawr and Haverford students can take up to three graduate-level GSE courses, which will count towards both their undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Swarthmore College Undergraduates
Swarthmore undergraduates can apply to the Accelerated program and take up to two courses specifically within the Urban Teaching Apprenticeship Program. These two graduate-level GSE courses will count towards both their undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Compare Undergrad Options to Become a Teacher

	Urban Education Minor	Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's Program (Urban Teaching Apprenticeship, M.S.Ed.)
Courses	7 undergraduate courses	11-12 graduate courses*
Enrollment format	Full-time, in-person	Full-time, hybrid
Master’s degree	–	✓
Degree & Certification	PA Instructional I	M.S.Ed. + PA Instructional I
Grade level preparedness and concentrations (one or more)	• Pre-K-4 • 4-8 • 7-12 • Urban Education, Policy & Practice	• Pre-K-4 • 4-8 • 7-12
Learn while working in a school	–	✓
Student teaching experience	full-time apprenticeship in 9th semester	apprenticeship with 800+ hours of hands-on fieldwork–nearly a full year
Assigned a mentor	✓	✓
Teaching setting	urban public or charter	urban public or charter

*As undergraduates, Penn students can complete 4 courses and Tri-College Consortium (Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Swarthmore) students can complete 2 courses.