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Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education

Please note: Although we are no longer accepting applications for this undergraduate program, we encourage you to explore the minor in contemplative education.

Yes, teachers change lives. At Naropa, your life will change too as you learn how to become a teacher in a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education program that brings mindfulness to the classroom. You’ll graduate with fully accredited professional licensure and the ability to meet the needs of diverse students with compassion.

If you’re seeking a degree to become a teacher, choose an undergraduate program that prepares you to teach in both today’s classroom and the classrooms of the future. Our Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education is grounded in contemplative practices and values cultural and linguistic diversity.

Complete your bachelor’s in elementary education and become an elementary school teacher who celebrates diversity and addresses children’s social emotional intelligence with courage and compassion.

Elementary Education

Courses You Could Take

in the Minor in Contemplative Education

Learn how from award-winning faculty who are deeply committed to the field of education. Courses in the Minor in Contemplative Education include:

HOLISTIC & CONTEMPLATIVE TEACHING METHODS
NATURE & EDUCATION
MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION & CONTEMPLATIVE CRITICAL PEDAGOGY
MULTICULTURAL CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

The Naropa Difference

Among schools of education, Naropa is unique in its inclusion of mindfulness practices. Our
contemplative approach, when integrated with traditional methodologies, prepares you for
the needs of today’s world.

Personal Growth

Not all degrees in teaching address the self-care skills you’ll need to support yourself as you support the emotional growth of your elementary school students. Pedagogical methodology and content knowledge are crucial, but when you choose teaching as a career, you also need tools to stay inspired and connected with your students. Transform yourself as you learn how to become a teacher. Then, transform the world through teaching.

Commitment to Equity

At Naropa, we believe that education requirements for teachers should be rigorous, introspective, and culturally responsive. Throughout our undergraduate program curriculum, you’ll engage in culturally and linguistically diverse coursework.

Interdisciplinary Opportunities

Our Minor in Contemplative Education appreciates students who are highly motivated to serve.

Student Transformed

“Naropa's elementary education program emphasizes mindfulness and self-exploration and focuses on anti-racist, multicultural, and critical pedagogy. It’s an opportunity for those passionate about entering the field of teaching to dive deep into why we teach in the first place. I am eager to see this program’s ripple effects on public education as the self-transformation that is taking place at Naropa spreads to elementary schools around the country.”
Rachel Boyle
Rachel BoyleBA in Elementary Education, 2020

Student Transformed

“Naropa's elementary education program emphasizes mindfulness and self-exploration and focuses on anti-racist, multicultural, and critical pedagogy. It’s an opportunity for those passionate about entering the field of teaching to dive deep into why we teach in the first place. I am eager to see this program’s ripple effects on public education as the self-transformation that is taking place at Naropa spreads to elementary schools around the country.”
Rachel Boyle
Rachel BoyleBA in Elementary Education, 2020

Majors that Complement
a Minor in Contemplative Education

BA in Interdisciplinary Studies

Build a major that looks like you and you alone.

Read More

BA in Art Therapy

What if you could combine your love of making art with studying the workings of the mind?

Read More

BA in Yoga Studies

Align your major with your practice. 

Read More

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Academics

Contemplative education brings together the best of Western scholarship and Eastern world wisdom traditions. Therefore, your pursuit of wisdom at Naropa means learning both about academic subjects and about your own place in the world. This innovative approach places Naropa on the cutting edge of the newest and most effective methods of teaching and learning.  

Admissions & Aid

If you’re seeking an education that resonates with both personal fulfillment and global impact, Naropa could be your top choice. At Naropa, you will experience a comprehensive curriculum that integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational approaches. Explore how Naropa can fuel your journey of intellectual and spiritual development.

Life at Naropa

Through its incredibly vibrant and welcoming community,  “Naropa offers a home for those who aren’t willing to conform to convention—the mystic, the healer, the prophet, the rebel, the artist, the revolutionary, the oddball—those who are incredible contributors to the evolution of society and of our planet.”—Core Associate Professor Zvi Ish-Shalom

The Naropa Difference

How is Naropa different from other universities? At Naropa, a liberal arts education balances rigorous academics with powerful interpersonal skills and self-awareness to educate the whole person. Naropa’s contemplative approach is inspired by Buddhist philosophy and the conviction that we can build a diverse, contemplative, enlightened society when we have transformed education to affirm the basic goodness of every person. 

About Naropa

Located in Boulder, Colorado, Naropa University is a Buddhist-inspired, nonsectarian liberal arts university that is recognized as the birthplace of the mindfulness movement. Naropa offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs that emphasize professional and personal growth, intellectual development, and cultivating compassion. 

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Naropa Campuses Closed on Friday, March 15, 2024

Due to adverse weather conditions, all Naropa campuses will be closed Friday, March 15, 2024.  All classes that require a physical presence on campus will be canceled. All online and low-residency programs are to meet as scheduled.

Based on the current weather forecast, the Healing with the Ancestors Talk & Breeze of Simplicity program scheduled for Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday will be held as planned.

Staff that do not work remotely or are scheduled to work on campus, can work remotely. Staff that routinely work remotely are expected to continue to do so.

As a reminder, notifications will be sent by e-mail and the LiveSafe app.  

Regardless of Naropa University’s decision, if you ever believe the weather conditions are unsafe, please contact your supervisor and professors.  Naropa University trusts you to make thoughtful and wise decisions based on the conditions and situation in which you find yourself in.

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