2× the time student-teaching compared to other teacher education programs
Our students graduate with a year of teaching experience on their résumé. Our apprenticeships begin in the summer and span 10 months, with over 800 hours of fieldwork.

Earn initial PreK–12 certification in 10 months while apprenticing in an experienced teacher’s classroom in a wide range of schools in Philadelphia.
Experience a transformative teacher education program emphasizing urban education, student-centered practices, and innovative methodologies.
The Urban Teaching Apprenticeship, M.S.Ed. program (UTAP) goes beyond a series of courses and student teaching experiences. The program emphasizes student-centered and culturally responsive pedagogies tailored to the needs of urban learners, with carefully selected classroom teacher-mentors to guide apprentices in developing their teaching practice.
Rolling Application Deadline
Summer Entry Term
Full-Time Enrollment Format
10 Course Units
10 Months Duration
On Campus Modality
Urban Teaching Apprenticeship students refine their skills through a dynamic blend of coursework, hands-on classroom engagement, mentor feedback, consultations with instructional coaches, and collaborative discussions with cohort members and faculty. The program begins in July, when apprentices teach in a summer learning program for Philadelphia students—building relationships and gaining insight into the informal learning experiences that shape student life in urban centers.
Unlike most pre-service teacher programs, UTAP offers a year-long apprenticeship with more than 800 hours of fieldwork, providing nearly a full academic year of teaching experience. Apprentices are placed in Philadelphia public or charter schools and work alongside highly skilled classroom mentors who open their classrooms daily to share practice and feedback. Instructional coaches from UTAP’s clinical faculty co-teach courses and lead school-based studio days to model effective instruction in real time.
Penn Mentors—experienced educators with deep knowledge of urban schooling—meet weekly with apprentices to connect coursework with classroom practice and offer ongoing, personalized support. UTAP’s cohort-based model fosters a strong sense of community among apprentices, with smaller, specialized cohorts focused on specific grade levels and content areas.
At the heart of UTAP’s approach is a commitment to teacher leadership, equity, and inquiry. Apprentices develop the habits of reflective practitioners who use their classrooms as spaces for research and advocacy. Graduates are equipped to teach, lead, and advocate for students, especially those in marginalized communities.
Applicants to the Urban Teaching Apprenticeship, M.S.Ed., are eligible to receive the Penn GSE Empowerment Through Education Scholarship. |
The PA Student Teacher Support Program encourages committed individuals to prepare for and pursue teaching positions in Pennsylvania’s urban, charter, independent, and private schools. It provides financial assistance to students enrolled in a Pennsylvania Department of Education-approved teacher preparation program, such as UTAP, who are completing their student teaching requirements. Funding for this support is provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education/PHEAA and is not administered by the University of Pennsylvania.
Application Requirements and Deadlines Tuition and Fees Financial Aid
Our students graduate with a year of teaching experience on their résumé. Our apprenticeships begin in the summer and span 10 months, with over 800 hours of fieldwork.
Our students graduate with a year of teaching experience on their résumé. Our apprenticeships begin in the summer and span 10 months, with over 800 hours of fieldwork.
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | Location: Online
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm | Location: Online
The Urban Teaching Apprenticeship Program offers three M.S.Ed. options which align with the Pennsylvania Department of Education certification bands: elementary (grades PreK–4), middle level (grades 4–8), and secondary (grades 7–12) education.
For more information on courses, program requirements, and certification requirements, visit the Urban Teaching Apprenticeship M.S.Ed. program in the University Catalog.
Our program also offers multiple ways for undergraduates at Penn to engage with GSE. Learn more about our minor in urban education and accelerated education opportunities.
We're happy to help! Contact the Program Manager, Maureen Cotterill, maureenc@upenn.edu.
The year-long UTAP apprenticeship differs from traditional teacher education programs where students might spend only a short period—perhaps as little as 12 weeks—student teaching. Our apprenticeships begin in the summer and span 10 months, with over 800 hours of fieldwork, immersing our apprentices in the teaching environment.
Mentored field experiences are the core of UTAP’s practice-based approach to teacher preparation.
Classroom Mentors are highly-skilled, practicing teachers who share their classrooms and knowledge with apprentices every day.
Instructional Coaches are key members of our clinical faculty who co-teach courses and facilitate school-based studio days with partner schools to model practices in real-time with real students.
Penn Mentors work with apprentices at the school site weekly to provide ongoing support and help bridge university coursework to the field. Most Penn Mentors have 10 to 30 years of teaching experience in urban classrooms.
The UTAP program is cohort-based: all apprentices begin and move through the program together, sharing classes and experiences in their schools. Grade level and content area specializations allow for smaller cohorts with a shared focus. We seek to build a diverse cohort of students who have demonstrated commitment to urban education and student-centered teaching.
UTAP prepares graduates to take on leadership roles, particularly those that position teachers as advocates for all students, effectively advocating for students within marginalized communities.
UTAP models an inquiry stance, in which our apprentices see themselves not only as consumers of research but generators of it, using their own classrooms as sites for ongoing research and self-reflection to support deep student learning of content.
Our program prepares ethical, reflective, collaborative, and visionary educational leaders. Our prospective teachers leave the program prepared to use the power of teaching to deepen student learning, transform schools, increase educational equity, and move into leadership roles. We are guided by the following commitments:
The Urban Teaching Apprenticeship program asserts that: 1) diversity is a strength; 2) we have a role in preparing participants in a diverse, democratic society; 3) by preparing the next generation of teachers, we can contribute to disrupting cycles of injustice in today’s culture and society.
We cultivate teacher capacity to engage in inquiry about their teaching practice and the systems that support and hinder student achievement. Apprentices conduct research in their classrooms, becoming not only consumers of research but also generators of it.
Teacher education and development need to focus on the practice of teaching—not just building teacher knowledge. Penn GSE as a research university is uniquely positioned to generate research to identify core teaching practices that apprentices learn and adapt to a range of classroom and school contexts.
Cross-institutional partnerships are essential to the growth of new teachers and the schools and communities they serve. Our program collaborates with key stakeholders, community organizations, and schools to provide professional development, develop curricula, and place apprentices to support student learning. Learn more about our school partners in the Penn GSE in Philadelphia map.
Too many reform efforts in teacher education are insufficiently studied to determine quality and impact on student learning. Through a partnership with the Penn GSE Collaboratory for Teacher Education, our program is committed to drawing on research to inform practice and conducting the rigorous research necessary to determine the impact of our teacher preparation program on student learning.
The Urban Teaching Apprenticeship Program partners with the School District of Philadelphia, working together in over 25 schools throughout the district.
Our partner schools vary from year to year, so we cannot guarantee any specific school placement. However, during the past year, our partner schools have included:
Our alumni work in public service as teachers, principals, superintendents, foundation program officers, school board members, community leaders, and international educators. They advocate for inclusive curricula, equitable resource allocation, and progressive policies aimed at providing quality education to underserved or marginalized communities.
When our apprentices seek employment after graduation, they already have a full year of teaching experience on their résumé.
A graduate degree from Penn GSE opens up whole new worlds, intellectually as well as professionally. If you are a passionate, innovative, impactful leader—or aspire to be one—Penn GSE is the place for you.
Melissa Donner
Gillian Maimon
Stephanie Tisdale
Do you have questions about the application, financial aid, or requirements? We're happy to help!