University of Chicago Urban Teacher Education Program website

The University of Chicago Urban Teacher Education Program prepares teachers of the highest caliber for Chicago Public Schools while empirically testing a model for urban teacher preparation. Graduates engage in teaching as a highly intellectual career and are classroom-based instructional leaders and agents for educational equity in their schools and community.

Chicago UTEP is a two-year graduate program accredited by the Illinois State Board of Education that awards a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree. Alumni then receive up to three years of post-graduation supports, making Chicago UTEP a unique five-year experience. The program offers three certification pathways:

  • Elementary, certifying teachers for grades K-9, with middle-grade (5-8) endorsements available in general science, language arts, mathematics, and social sciences (Illinois Initial Elementary Type 03)
  • Secondary Biology, certifying teachers in general science for grades 6-8 and biology and related sciences for grades 9-12 (Illinois Secondary Type 09)
  • Secondary Mathematics, certifying teachers in all areas of mathematics through calculus for grades 6-12 (Illinois Secondary Type 09)

Ninety-six percent of Chicago UTEP graduates are still teaching in Chicago Public Schools or urban school districts after five years. This retention rate far exceeds the national average for urban public school teachers, which is approximately fifty percent.

Chicago UTEP is a unit of the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute.

Grinnell alum Ellen Zaander '09 is currently enrolled in the UTEP program and is willing to answer any questions you might have about Chicago UTEP. You can contact her at: zaandere@gmail.com

Application Requirements: 

Chicago UTEP is a highly selective, two-year MAT program. Applicants must have college transcripts that reflect coursework in the humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and science, and show evidence of strong reading, thinking, and writing skills; typically applicants have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. We seek candidates who are committed to teaching in Chicago Public Schools, and especially those who have experience working with children or youths from underresourced communities. We look for candidates who demonstrate persistence, habits of inquiry, and the capacity to lead. All candidates must be dedicated to working toward effecting educational equity and social change in urban schools.

Elementary applicants enter Chicago UTEP with a wide variety of undergraduate majors and minors, with demonstrated success in the liberal arts. An undergraduate degree in education is not required. See more about the Elementary prerequisites.

Secondary Biology applicants have a college record that demonstrates an academic commitment to science. They typically hold or are working toward completing a college degree or minor in a biology-related field. See more about the Secondary Biology prerequisites.

Secondary Mathematics applicants typically hold or are working toward an undergraduate degree with a major or minor in mathematics. They must have taken proof-based courses such as abstract algebra, analysis, and number theory. See more about the Secondary Mathematics prerequisites.

Benefits: 

Chicago UTEP graduates who commit to teaching two to four years in Chicago Public Schools can receive the following tuition assistance, applied during the residency year.

A $20,000 stipend from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Innovation and Improvement Teacher Quality Partnership Scholarship Program is given to all students who commit to teaching in Chicago Public Schools for three years.

Residents who commit to full-time teaching in a high-need field, such as mathematics or science, for four years receive a $6,000 tuition discount from the Teacher Education Assistance for College & Higher Education (TEACH) grant. To qualify, an undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 is required to receive a TEACH grant and a GPA of 2.0 is required for all other federal monies.

Secondary residents may receive a $10,000 grant as part of the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program. This grant is also contingent upon a commitment to full-time teaching for at least two years in a high-need field in Chicago Public Schools.

Note: Chicago UTEP is one of the participating graduate programs affiliated with the Woodrow Wilson Rockefeller Brothers Fund Fellowship for Aspiring Teachers of Color and prospective students interested in teaching Biology, may want to inquire about the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation Fellowships.

Additional information about costs, aid and benefits is available on the Chicago UTEP website.