Utah Teacher Colleges and Degrees Online Guide

The state of Utah requires all teachers to complete an approved teacher preparation program before becoming eligible to work in the state’s school system. Fortunately, there are plenty of options for those pursuing teaching degrees in Utah. In order to find the best school option for a long and enjoyable career in education, take a look at our lists of top-rated teaching programs, table of accredited, state-approved teacher preparation programs, and student reviews. Whether you’re looking to start a brand new career as a teacher or thinking about moving up the ladder in your current educator position, use this guide to help you find the best teaching preparation program for your individual needs.

Quick Facts

• There are 11 colleges and universities with teacher degree programs in Utah.¹
• 5 colleges and universities offer an associate’s degree in education.*¹
• 9 colleges and universities offer a bachelor’s degree in education.*¹
• 8 colleges and universities offer a master’s or advanced degree in education.*¹
• 2 schools ranked in Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019.²
• No schools ranked in Princeton Review’s Great Schools for Education Majors 2020.³
• 3 schools ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019.⁴
• 1 school ranked in US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019.⁵
• 3 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 Utah

Kiplinger’s Best College Values 2019*

• Brigham Young University (#58)
• University of Utah (#232)

*Institution-wide ranking.

US News & World Report’s Best Graduate Education Programs 2019

• Utah State University (#30 tie)
• University of Utah (#64 tie)
• Brigham Young University-Provo (#78 tie)

US News & World Report’s Best Online Graduate Education Programs 2019

• Utah State University (#3 tie)

School Programs for Becoming a Teacher in Utah

Comparison of Teacher Preparation Programs

We have designed the following table to help you compare teacher preparation programs in Utah according to various factors. All of the schools included are not-for-profit institutions approved by the Utah State Board 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. Read more about the CAEP, NCATE, and TEAC accrediting bodies. 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 2017-2018 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

University of Utah: The University of Utah is located in Salt Lake City and is home to the UT College of Education that consists of the Departments of Education, Culture and Society, Educational Leadership and Policy, and Special Education. The University of Utah is known as a tier one research institution and is always seeking new and innovative ideas and methodologies that improve the educational landscape at both a macro and micro level. To showcase much of their research, the College of Education has several programs and centers set up including the Urban Institute for Teacher Education, Educational Assessment and Student Support Clinic, and the Utah Education Policy Center. The university offers a variety of degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels in nearly 100 majors.

Utah State University: Utah State University is located in the city of Logan and is home to the Emma Eccles College of Education. The EECOE is widely regarded as the finest education college in the state of Utah and is the only graduate education department to appear in the top 50 spots on the US News & World Report rankings of top education schools. The College of Education moved up five spots from last year’s rankings to number 24. The College of Education is made up of several departments including the Instructional Technology & Learning Sciences, School of Teacher Education and Leadership, and Special Education and Rehabilitation. The majority of students are enrolled in the teacher education department, which is responsible for educating current and future teachers, administrators, and counselors.

Weber State University: Students at Weber State University can earn a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Early Childhood Education. The degree requires 129 credit hours including general education requirements. Graduates meet the requirements for a teaching license in the state of Utah for the lower elementary grades (K-3). A double major of Early Childhood Education and Elementary Education can qualify graduates to teach up to 6th grade. The Early Childhood Education program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and boasts a high historical job placement rate. The Moyes College of Education, in which the Early Childhood Education program is housed, offers many other teaching degree options from the associate’s to the master’s level, including an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Early Childhood and a minor in Child Development.

Schools with Teaching Degree Programs in Utah

Brigham Young University
Main Campus
Provo, UT 84602
(801) 422-4636
https://www.byu.edu/

Student Review: “One of the great things about the elementary education program is the internships. Instead of student teaching, there is an option to teach full-time for an entire year in your very own classroom. I did this program and it was very rewarding and educational. The interns are paid half of a regular teacher’s salary (better than the nothing you get from student teaching) and the schools get teachers at a discounted rate. Having my own class (with mentors of course) was a great way for me to really learn the ins and outs of teaching in an elementary classroom. I did not have the greatest of mentors which made a lot of things difficult that shouldn’t have been, but all in all, it was worth it. It was a very difficult year, but I graduated knowing exactly what I was getting myself into. I could have graduated as someone ready to start teaching, but instead, I was able to graduate as a teacher.” -Student at Brigham Young University

Student Review: “The Biology Teaching Program at BYU was an exceptional teaching program. I was very prepared for my teaching experience after graduation. Throughout the program we had it drilled into us that as science teachers we need to be teaching students how to learn by inquiry-based activities (learning by asking questions and actually doing science). This knowledge was invaluable to me as a new teacher coming into a school where science was mostly being taught through reading facts in a textbook. (Not that science-based literacy isn’t important too!) The program directors were always available for help and truly cared about the students in their program. Being an athlete in college brought time constraints for me when it came to student teaching, however my program advisor was able to come up with a creative solution to the problem. The one thing that I wish the program had spent more time on was classroom management skills. General classroom management was covered well, however I had no idea how to manage the few and far between extremely hard to manage students my first year teaching.” -Student at Brigham Young University

Student Review: “BYU’s Special Education program provided me with almost everything I needed to feel prepared as I entered the world of teaching. I learned the process of qualifying a student for special education as well as completing all of the paperwork. I learned how to break down tasks into teachable chunks as well as how to keep my interactions with students positive. We also spent a good deal of time on best practices in classroom management and made our own plans to bring with us into our first classrooms. The most valuable experiences in the programs were the ones in the classroom. It was learning by doing that prepared me the most, and I only with that there was more of it. I think that my only complaint about the program, besides wishing that I was in the classroom more, is that a few of the professors, while teaching us how to maintain a positive environment were not using those practices in teaching us. In a practicum, one made me cry in debriefing me on how I did on a lesson. All in all however, I felt very prepared and have no regrets in studying Special Education at BYU.” -Student at Brigham Young University

Student Review: “I went to Brigham Young University and knew before I even got accepted that I wanted to be a teacher. This college offers year-round classes within the education department, so I was able to finish certain classes necessary before being allowed to teach in actual classrooms to actual students. The reason I rated my experience a 3 out of a 5 is because I felt like the program waited until the very last possible moment to actually put you into a classroom or to work with actual teachers in the field. For the first three years that I was in the program, we only did case studies and read about being a teacher in the classroom. I felt like I would have been more prepared had I been given the opportunity to teach in a classroom sooner.” -Student at Brigham Young University

Davis Applied Technology College*
550 E 300 S
Kaysville, UT 84037-2699
(801) 593-2500

Snow College*
150 E College Ave
Ephraim, UT 84627
(435) 283-7000
www.snow.edu

Southern Utah University
351 West University Blvd
Cedar City, UT 84720
(435) 586-7700
https://www.suu.edu/

Student Review: “I enjoyed my educational experience at SUU. I really appreciated the fact that my class sizes were small and I could interact with many of my future colleagues and professors. After teaching for five years now, and doing some post-graduate work, I have found that the techniques, skills, and theories I was taught in college were in the vanguard in education. I appreciate that I was so well prepared. My one qualm with the program was that there was one class that the professor was awful, and even though the department chair seemed to be aware, nothing was done. Instead, when the chair taught the capstone course, he spent most of the semester re-teaching what we should have gotten earlier from the previous course.” -Trevor P., student at Southern Utah University

Student Review: “Southern Utah University was a great experience. The small campus and small class sizes ensured that individual attention was given to each student. It was not uncommon to see your friends going to and from classes. Everything on campus was taken care of and clean and there were many events and activities available for students. The classes I took were very fun and interesting. It was usually easy to find a professor if you needed to talk to him or her.” -James M., student at Southern Utah University

University of Utah
201 Presidents Cir
Salt Lake City, UT 84112-9008
(801) 581-7200
www.sa.utah.edu

Utah State University
Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-1400
(435) 797-1000

Utah Valley University
800 W University Pkwy
Orem, UT 84058-5999
(801) 863-8161
www.uvu.edu

Weber State University
3848 Harrison Blvd
Ogden, UT 84408-1137
(801) 626-6000
https://www.weber.edu/

Student Review: “Weber State University was an eye-opening change for me from my prior education. The professors I worked with were helpful and friendly any hour of the day or night. I was often given opportunities to study or discuss coursework outside of class, whether in an office hour or at the local pizza parlor. Every member of the faculty and staff seemed devoted to the idea of helping their students succeed. School activities outside of classwork were myriad, and even though I wasn’t a sports fan, I still got caught up in basketball every semester.” -Ben P., student at Weber State University

Westminster College
1840 South 1300 E
Salt Lake City, UT 84105
(801) 484-7651
www.westminstercollege.edu

Western Governors University
4001 South 700 East
Suite 700
Salt Lake City, UT 84107
(801) 274-3280
https://www.wgu.edu/

Student Review: “I made the choice to take online classes through Western Governors University. At the start of my first semester, I didn’t know what to expect. Most people would say online colleges are jokes because you can easily cheat your way through. I didn’t want that kind of experience, I wanted to be able to actually learn so that I could become the best teacher I could be. After my first semester was complete, I realized most people were wrong. Now, in my senior year, I can honestly say that WGU has challenged me more than any traditional college ever could. First of all, there is no possible way to cheat. When you have to take an exam, you have to go to a local college and take it in front of someone. The assignments you are given won’t be accepted until they are at least B+ level. This made the college quite difficult at times, and I admit there were times I wanted to quit and give up, due to the amount of work given to me and the high expectations expected of me. I stuck to it, and I’m very grateful I did. I have learned more through this college than people who go to traditional colleges. I now believe when I graduate in a couple of months, I will be fully prepared to teach.” -Veronica R., student at Western Governors University

Student Review: “I have never been the type of person who can sit in a boring lecture for longer than 45 minutes. This is why I didn’t think I would do well in College. I found Western Governors University when doing a search, and after doing research, I decided to enroll. That was the best decision I ever made for myself. WGU prides itself on being an accredited Teacher Prep Program. For an online college, the work was extremely rigorous. However, for me it worked, because I did not have to sit in on a 2 hour lecture. Instead, you have to complete a series of assignments in order to pass a class. Along with the assignments, there are monitored tests that you have to pass along the well. For me personally, doing assignments helps me retain information much better. The assignments are long and their grading is tedious. You have to follow their guidelines to a T. You cannot pass the course without passing each assignment. I spent many hours daily doing these assignments, but it helped. Also, once a week you get a phone call from your mentor. The mentor helps to guide you through the program, gives encouragement, and tells you what you need to do in order to succeed. I finished the program in 3 years, as opposed to 4. It took me a lot of hard work, but I was able to get it done. I was also able to pass all 3 of my NYS Teaching Certification exams, thanks to my studies at WGU. I am now a teacher, and owe it all to the school and the program. One aspect of the program that can be improved is the layout of the assignments. Some of them were very confusing, and hard to figure out. Other than that, there are no complaints. This is an excellent school that should be taken seriously.” – Student at Western Governors University

Student Review: “The teacher educator program at Wester Governors University has been extremely helpful in my preparation to become an elementary school teacher. The strong faculty support through weekly meetings with a student mentor who is with me throughout my time at the university as well as course mentors who provide help and support during each course has helped me stay motivated and on task. The classes are rigorous and challenging, but I know that I will be prepared once I am licensed and begin working in my own elementary classroom. The competency based grading method helps adult learners like me use previous experience to get through a course. If I know something, I do not need to waste time studying it over again as my knowledge is tested through objective and/or performance assessments.” – Student at Western Governors University

Student Review: “Western Governors University’s teacher prep program was a really great experience for me. I felt the curriculum was challenging and pushed me to reach my highest potential. I really excelled thanks to the flexible format. I could complete my studies any time of the day and anywhere I needed to. I was able to speed up in areas I was strong and slow down in areas I needed to focus more time on. The assessments, both performance and objective, truly focused on what we needed to know and I did not feel like it was just “fluff” work. I enjoyed taking the proctored exams at home, though I was really nervous at first because it is via webcam. But, it was really quite painless. I just finished my 4th year as a teacher. I feel like WGU prepared me well for my career.” -Student at Western Governors University

Student Review: “I had a great experience at WGU. I enjoyed being able to work at my own pace and found their competency based curriculum time and cost effective. I was well supported by all departments at WGU especially the Teacher Education department. WGU provided a low stress environment which prevented anxiety through their strong student support. I was well informed of which state standard test I needed to take to prepare myself for demonstration teaching and felt well prepared and support throughout my pre-clinical experience and demonstration teaching. WGU also provided strong support for the edTPA. Successful completion of the edTPA is required for my state teaching license and WGU has provided tremendous support until successful completion of the edTPA. WGU provides a convenient and cost effective teacher education program that successfully prepares you for a career in education.” -Student at Western Governors University

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-best-college-values-college-finder/index.php#Tile
3. The Princeton Review. The Best 385 Colleges, 2020 Edition. The Princeton Review, 2019.
4. US News & World Report Best Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings
5. US News & World Report Best Online Graduate Education Schools 2019: https://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/education/rankings
6. Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP): http://caepnet.org/provider-search
7. National Council on Teacher Quality Teacher Preparation Program Review: https://www.nctq.org/review/home
8. US Department of` Education 2018 Title II Reports: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Home.aspx