Middle Level Education Program at CUNE

The Middle Level Education program at Concordia University, Nebraska will equip you with exceptional knowledge about young adolescents and their developmental abilities in and out of the classroom. 

The transitional years between childhood and older adolescence are critical to a child’s development. As a Middle School teacher, you can be an important part of facilitating the transition from childhood to young adulthood. You can help your students delve more deeply into different subjects and, in the process, learn more about themselves and the world.  

In the Middle Level Education program at Concordia University, Nebraska, you’ll gain a deep understanding of young adolescent development and how they learn. So, you can deliver exciting, high-quality instructional experiences that help your future students reach their full potential.  

The Middle Level Education program at Concordia Nebraska connects theory with practice to prepare you to teach grades 5 through 9. This can be done in both self-contained and departmentalized classrooms. As a Middle Level Education major, you will choose two content areas of endorsement. One of the content areas will include math, science, social sciences, or language arts.

The second content area can be selected from one of those or from Spanish, Physical Education, and English as a Second Language.  This opportunity to choose a subject focus allows your passion for teaching to connect with your subject-area passions. Then you are able to pass on this passion to your students and share it with them. This gives you an even better opportunity to live on mission as you lead and share the Gospel in your future schools. 

One of the most important characteristics of a successful Middle School teacher is being able to build great relationships with students.  Middle School students are young adolescents, typically ages 10 to 15 years old, who are experiencing amazing changes in their minds and bodies.  Having knowledgeable, caring, and understanding teachers who work to build relationships with them is one of the most important things in a young adolescent’s life.   

The Middle Level Education program at Concordia University focuses on preparing teachers to teach and engage with students. This means understanding your students academically, socioemotionally, and spiritually.  The coursework focuses on understanding young adolescents' cognitive, emotional, and spiritual development. It then teaches you to use that understanding to develop leadership strategies and instructional practices to be the best Middle School teacher possible.  

In addition to teaching in Christian, Lutheran, or public schools, with a degree in Middle Level Education, you will also have the opportunity to choose a career working with youth and families in varied non-school settings.  Many Middle Level Education majors pursue opportunities to work full-time in camps and outdoor education settings, as well as community education settings, including local YMCAs and Youth Services Offices. If your passion is working with youth who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, there are jobs specifically related to that. A Middle Level Education degree will also provide you with the groundwork to pursue careers in Social Services, Correctional Services and Foster systems.  Having a heart for working with young adolescents is a unique characteristic. However, taking advantage of that passion can bring many opportunities to help young people reach their full potential.  

Concordia Nebraska offers both a stand-alone Middle Level Program and a Middle Level endorsement within either Elementary Education or Secondary Education. In our program, you will gain exceptional knowledge about young adolescents and their developmental abilities in and out of the classroom.