Louisiana Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide

This teacher preparation guide is designed to help those looking for teaching degrees in Louisiana. There are several colleges and universities that offer programs that prepare students to work as a new teacher or advance in their current teaching career. This page contains useful information on teaching schools in Louisiana as well as a table of top-rated teaching programs, a list of accredited teacher preparation programs, and student reviews. Whether you’re fresh out of college or looking to change careers, use this guide to find a Louisiana teacher preparation program that fits your individual needs and career goals.

Quick Facts

• There are 20 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in Louisiana.¹
• No colleges offer an associate’s degree in education.*¹
• 19 colleges and universities offer a bachelor’s degree in education.*¹
• 17 colleges and universities offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.*¹
• 2 schools ranked in Kiplinger’s Best Values in Public Colleges in 2017.²
• 3 schools ranked in US News Best Graduate Education Programs in 2017.³
• 2 schools ranked in US News Best Online Graduate Education Programs in 2017.⁴
• 19 not-for-profit teacher programs are accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP.

*For not-for-profit colleges and universities with teacher degree programs.

Top-Ranked Schools with Education Programs in Louisiana

Kiplinger’s Best Values in Public Colleges 2017*

• Louisiana State University (#65 in-state, #85 out-of-state)
• Louisiana Tech University (#78 in-state, #72 out-of-state)

*Institution-wide ranking.

US News Best Graduate Education Programs 2017

• Louisiana State University (#112)
• Louisiana Tech University (#172)
• University of New Orleans (#179)

US News Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2017

• Northwestern State University of Louisiana (#155)
• University of Louisiana-Lafayette (#158)

Teacher Preparation Programs Accredited by the NCATE, TEAC, or CAEP

• Centenary College
• Grambling State University
• Louisiana College
• Louisiana State University at Alexandria
• Louisiana State University-Baton Rouge
• Louisiana State University-Shreveport
• Louisiana Tech University
• McNeese State University
• Nicholls State University
• Northwestern State University
• Southeastern Louisiana University
• Southern University Baton Rouge
• Southern University New Orleans
• Tulane University
• University of Holy Cross
• University of Louisiana Lafayette
• University of Louisiana Monroe
• University of New Orleans
• Xavier University of Louisiana

Read more about the CAEP, NCATE, and TEAC accrediting bodies.

Comparison of Teacher Preparation Programs

We have designed the following table to help you compare teacher preparation programs in Louisiana according to various factors. All of the schools included are not-for-profit institutions approved by the Louisiana Department of Education for the preparation of teachers. Completing a state-approved teacher preparation program is an important step towards earning licensure.

While accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) is not a requirement for licensure, it is included in the following table as CAEP provides a highly-regarded accreditation that is accepted in many states. We have also included rankings from the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ), a research and policy group that scores teacher preparation programs at the national level using key standards chosen to measure students’ preparation for success in teaching. For further information on the NCTQ’s program rankings, please see the notes below the table.

You will also find data on teacher preparation program enrollment, completion, and licensing exam pass rates by institution for the 2014-2015 academic year in this table. These data points are collected from annual US Department of Education records under Title II (Teacher Quality) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which provides for reporting that holds institutions and state departments of education accountable for increasing academic achievement through improvements in teacher quality.

Programs that are not ranked, or for which data is not available, in a given category are denoted as “-“.

*The NCTQ rated undergraduate elementary teaching programs in 2016 and undergraduate secondary teaching programs in 2017 by national percentile based on their overall scores on the NCTQ’s standards for teacher education. Schools that do not provide data on all key standards or that fall below the top 50% of schools nationally are not included by the NCTQ in their ratings. Visit the NCTQ website for more information on its standards and methodologies.
**Net price is per year for undergraduate tuition as calculated by the National Center for Education Statistics based on the cost of attendance (tuition, books, room and board, and related expenses) for students who qualify for in-state tuition and fees, less the average financial aid award (including grants and scholarships).

Profiles of Well-Known Schools

Grambling State University: Grambling State University, located in Grambling, Louisiana is home to the highly regarded Grambling State College of Education. The College consists of three distinct departments including Curriculum and Instruction, Kinesiology, Sport and Leisure Studies, and Educational Leadership. Each department has its own unique educational offerings while all intensely engaging in cutting-edge coursework and projects that are geared towards developing the best educators in the nation. What separates Grambling State’s College of Education are the three laboratory schools of Alma J. Brown Elementary, Grambling Middle Magnet School and Grambling High School that offer GSU students with real-world and innovative learning experiences that are congruent with GSU COE learning outcomes. Students have ample opportunity to spend plenty of time in the classroom observing and assisting licensed teachers as soon as their sophomore year. Grambling State University College of Education graduates work in every state as well as internationally.

Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Louisiana

Centenary College of Louisiana
2911 Centenary Blvd
Shreveport, LA 71134-1188
(318) 869-5011

Dillard University
2601 Gentilly Blvd
New Orleans, LA 70122
(504) 816-4640

Grambling State University
403 Main St
Grambling, LA 71245
(318) 247-3811
www.gram.edu

Louisiana College
1140 College Dr
Pineville, LA 71359
(318) 487-7011

Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA 70803-2750
(225) 578-3202
https://www.lsu.edu/

Student Review: “The LSU Geaux Teach program was a phenomenal experience for me. The program allowed for me to get acquainted with the classroom very early with observation hours being required the first semester of the program, which began junior year. I was able to experience multiple classrooms throughout the three semesters of observations, both high school and middle school classrooms from various student levels. The last semester was spent student teaching. Spending all of this time in the classroom allowed me to be fully aware of the expectations of a teacher and what the job required. I enjoyed the program and the experiences immensely.” -Jayd B., student at Louisiana State University

Student Review: “I liked that this program is set up for full-time educators to attend classes in the evenings. The program is also set up in a cohort model which means you take the same classes with the same people throughout the program. I liked this to assist in building a network of local education leaders, many of whom I still have regular contact with today. The program also had an internship component which I really enjoyed as I got to learn under a strong leader at one of the top-performing schools in our area. It also allowed for a great deal of learning through participation in school leadership projects, which is hard to do when simulating or reading things in the classroom. The program has changed in the years since I completed my degree but at the time there was one professor who taught 18 of the 22 required courses. The curriculum was not particularly challenging but the value of any program directly correlates to the effort put in. There were constant readings and assignments and the attention paid to these ultimately dictated what stuck with me.” – Student at Louisiana State University

Louisiana State University-Shreveport
One University Pl
Shreveport, LA 71115-2399
(318) 797-5000
http://www.lsus.edu/

Louisiana State University-Shreveport
One University Pl
Shreveport, LA 71115-2399
(318) 797-5000

Louisiana Tech University
305 Wisteria
Ruston, LA 71272
(318) 257-2000
https://www.latech.edu/

Student Review: “The Louisiana Tech alternative certification program for teaching was an enlightening two-year experience for me. The coursework was rigorous and at times fairly difficult, but in hindsight, I needed it to prepare for my job as a teacher. I took a number of courses, both in-person and online, and the professors in both cases were always available and willing to assist in any way they could. I felt that what made Louisiana Tech stand out was that the professors in their education department really showed a passion for teaching, and imparted that passion to their students. If I could improve one thing, it would be the way they handled posting grades; there was always a significant delay of several weeks between class closures and grade postings, and I’d have rather not waited as long. Other than that, however, Tech was great and I’m glad to have earned my master’s degree from it!” – Student at Louisiana Tech University

Student Review: “The education program at Louisiana Tech University is apparently the highest rated school in the state of Louisiana to have the best education program. Not only are the Professors friendly and understanding but education major students have the opportunity to experience schools and classes hands on. Louisiana Tech University has a charter school for lower level students. It gives the students an opportunity to experience a different world of teaching and education than a normal school. The students are set in classrooms that meet their age/grade level. By this I mean the classroom is specifically designed to better the education for these students. For example, a kindergartner would be in a classroom that would have age appropriate sections. The chairs and tables as well as the posters are all placed strategically so that it is easy for the child to view and/or use. The whole experience is completely different than what I was used to growing up. I think it is a great way for college students to find out if they really do want to work with children or be an educator because it is more than just a textbook its hands on.” – Student at Louisiana Tech University

Louisiana Technical College-Baton Rouge Campus*
3250 North Acadian Thruway East
Baton Rouge, LA 70805
(225) 359-9201

Loyola University New Orleans
6363 Saint Charles Ave
New Orleans, LA 70118-6143
(504) 865-2011
http://www.loyno.edu/

Student Review: “My time at Loyola was fantastic for my professional and personal growth. My classes were always small (less than 40 people) and the professors took time to make sure that the information presented was useful for us (for the most part). New Orleans is an incredible city, with all the entertainment that any student could ever need. The student body can be a little bit homogenous (affluent, Catholic), but there is a distinct group of the students with music majors, and they lend a different spirit to the school. I really enjoyed being a part of Greek life, though I understand that the administration is currently doing what they can to end that part of campus life. I would say that is a shame, but the real strength of the school (it’s tie to New Orleans) will always be available to students.” -Patrick T., student at Loyola University New Orleans

Student Review: “I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Loyola University, New Orleans’ music education/teacher preparation program. One of the most appealing factors was the student to teacher ratio, and I often found I had classes with only 10 people in them. We had plenty of pragmatic experience in the classroom and in schools in the area. While we did have plenty of opportunities to be connected with local schools, I was disappointed that some of our core classes needed for the certification were conducted by universities outside of Loyola. Subsequently, I felt that we could have had more experience working in more “urban” education settings; we often were placed in private schools rather than public schools, and that experience would have been very beneficial.” – Student at Loyola University New Orleans

McNeese State University
4205 Ryan St
Lake Charles, LA 70609-2215
(337) 475-5000
www.mcneese.edu

Nicholls State University
University Station Hwy 1
Thibodaux, LA 70310
(877) 642-4655
/https://www.nicholls.edu

Student Review: “I transferred to Nicholls State University during my junior year, just as I was beginning my core educational courses. I loved the small classes, excellent professors, and home-town community. I was placed in a sixth-grade classroom during my semester of “student teaching” and received outstanding one-on-one assistance from my supervising teacher. I realized how much I enjoyed working with middle school students during that fall semester and accepted a job teaching 6th grade in January. Three years later, I went on to receive a Masters Degree in Education from Nicholls. I have been teaching middle school students for a number of years now, and credit my success in the classroom to the excellent preparation I received from Nicholls State University.”-Student at Nicholls State University

Northwestern State University of Louisiana
College Ave
Natchitoches, LA 71497-0002
(318) 357-6011
www.nsula.edu

Southeastern Louisiana University
548 Western Ave
Hammond, LA 70402
(985) 549-2000
http://www.southeastern.edu/

Student Review: “The secondary education program at Southeastern Louisiana University was par for the course compared to what peers from other universities talked about at their respective schools. The teaching program is a companion curriculum to your individual course of study. I was a communications major, and I was getting certified to teach the very basics of computers (think Microsoft Office). The training was great for what it was, and you definitely feel like you’re progressing at the rate you need to progress throughout, but wow – the student teaching phase was absolutely brutal. It feels like you’re more or less thrown to the wolves and expected to take on all of the responsibilities of a teacher with none of the power. I can’t even count on both hands how many times I was directly threatened over the course of the semester with no repercussions for the guilty party. After 4 months of this, I decided I would no longer be pursuing a career in teaching, not because the university necessarily did anything wrong, but because the program didn’t prepare me for what I was ultimately going to face.” – Student at Southeastern Louisiana University

Southern University and A & M College
Southern Branch Post Office
Baton Rouge, LA 70813
(225) 771-4500
www.subr.edu

Southern University at New Orleans
6801 Press Dr
New Orleans, LA 70126
(504) 286-5000

Sowela Technical Community College*
3820 J Bennett Johnston Ave
Lake Charles, LA 70616
(337) 491-2698

University of Louisiana Monroe
700 University Ave
Monroe, LA 71209-0000
(318) 342-1000
www.ulm.edu

University of Louisiana at Lafayette
104 University Cir
Lafayette, LA 70503
(377) 482-1000
https://www.louisiana.edu/

Student Review: “The education program at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette was certainly an extremely unique experience because of the faculty members that I encountered while I was a student there. As you may or may not know, Louisiana is entrenched in the Deep South, where Jim Crow laws were prevalent until halfway through the 20th century. I bring this up because there were professors there that had lived through this era and brought a unique teaching perspective about desegregation in the school system. There were (I no longer know if they are still there) multiple teachers that afforded me a point of view that I feel I would not be able to attain anywhere else, especially considering the fact that I intended to teach in the South. The instructors were also obviously not too interested in just coming to work and going through the motions. While I was there, I felt that they cared about my progress through higher education, and more than once, I was provided with extra help after normal class hours had ended. It truly seemed as if they cared deeply about my future, and for that, I will never forget my experiences there.” – Student at University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Student Review: “I was a student at ULL in the Elementary Education department. The University did not prepare me at all for my career as a teacher. As far as a classical education goes, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette did more than prepare me. The courses I took as an undergraduate in English, Mathematics, Sciences and History gave me the background I needed to complete any other programs successfully. But the Education Department was manned by such an older group of former teachers that I was not prepared in any way to face a group of modern children. The University Education program concentrated on individual instruction, not on the Common Core programs that exist today. I learned how to create a learning center, how to individualize reading, how to pick a great book to read- but not to teach a group of students hungry for instruction in today’s world. The setting and background of ULL are great, but the Education Department had miles to go.” – Student at University of Louisiana at Lafayette

University of New Orleans
2000 Lakeshore Dr
New Orleans, LA 70148
(504) 280-6000

Xavier University of Louisiana
One Drexel Dr
New Orleans, LA 70125-1098
(504) 486-7411
www.xula.edu

An asterisk (*) denotes a two-year or certificate program in education. While a two-year degree will not qualify graduates for teacher certification, it can be a good starting point for a teaching career. To learn more about what you can do with this degree, see our guide to associate’s degrees in education.

References:
1. National Center for Education Statistics College Navigator: https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
2. Kiplinger’s Best College Values: https://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-public-colleges/
3. 2017 US News Best Graduate Education Schools: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings
4. 2017 US News Best Online Graduate Education Schools: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/rankings
5. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): http://caepnet.org/provider-search
6. National Council on Teacher Quality 2014-2016 Teacher Preparation Program Review: https://www.nctq.org/review/home
7. US Department of Education 2016 Title II Reports: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx