Belhaven Launches New Online Program to Prepare Mississippi Elementary Teachers
JACKSON, Miss. (May 21, 2025) – Belhaven University is impacting Mississippi’s teacher shortage by launching a fully online K-6 Elementary Teacher Education Preparation Program that leads to a Mississippi teacher license. This new option gives future educators across the state a flexible, high-quality path to the classroom, without the need to attend on-campus classes.
Created in response to Mississippi’s ongoing teacher shortage and rising demand for online learning, the program mirrors Belhaven’s traditional on-campus offering and includes strong academic support and local field experience opportunities.
“Our goal is to remove barriers for individuals who feel called to teach but need a more accessible path,” said Dr. David Hand, Belhaven University’s Dean of the School of Education. “We are confident that this innovative online Teacher Preparation Program will play a vital role in addressing Mississippi’s elementary teacher shortage. It also opens the door for individuals who are unable to attend a traditional campus-based program.”
Belhaven University created the online program in response to Mississippi’s teacher shortage, a new partnership with the state’s community colleges, and the increasing demand for flexible, remote teacher preparation options among prospective educators across the state.
Hand points out that a degree in elementary education can open the door to a variety of rewarding careers in the field of education and beyond. Graduates of Belhaven’s online bachelor’s program are prepared to become licensed K-6 classroom teachers, shaping young minds in Mississippi’s public and private schools.
Beyond traditional teaching roles, this degree also provides a strong foundation for careers such as reading specialists, curriculum coordinators, education consultants, instructional coaches, children’s ministry, nonprofit education programs, and more.
The program is available exclusively to Mississippi residents. Belhaven will partner with local school districts, principals, and clinical educators to facilitate the required field and internship experiences in each candidate’s community.
This new offering builds on the university’s success with its online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Alternate Route program. According to Hand, it has already helped hundreds of teachers enter the profession. “Our experience and success with the MAT Alternate Route program have demonstrated the effectiveness of online education, and it serves as a supportive model for our new undergraduate offering,” observed Hand.