Educational Foundations for Elementary Teachers is a Bachelors of Arts degree that prepares students for a career in education, with the option of pursuing teacher certification in elementary education (Kindergarten-Grade 6). The course of study includes theories of learning, assessment, and human development, as well as key social, historical, and philosophical trends in American schools. It is designed to enhance students’ core content knowledge in essential subject areas of Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. As such, our program provides its graduates with rigorous educational and content knowledge necessary to teach in elementary school classrooms.
Different from other majors, our program is comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, concise, and targeted; with only 120 credit hours to complete the degree. Admission to the Teacher Education program is a separate process. Students interested in earning a K-6 certification will find that our program provides a seamless transition and alignment with the course of study needed for certification. Alternatively, for those individuals who do not intend to pursue certification, our program includes 27 credits as free electives, to provide students with a range of options to earn another major or minor.
Degree Requirements Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| New Student Seminar | 1 | |
| SEEDS General Education Requirements | 9-12 | |
| Major Requirements | 76 | |
| Free Electives | 34-31 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Foundations | ||
| EDFD 180 | Foundations of Education: Social, Cultural, and Political Contexts | 3 |
| EDFD 200 | Psychological Foundations of Education | 3 |
| EDFD 220 | Philosophical Orientation to Education | 3 |
| EDFD 221 | Historical Foundations of American Education | 3 |
| EDFD 300 | Assessment, Learning Sciences and Ethics | 3 |
| EDFD 449 | Current Issues in American Education | 3 |
| or EDFD 445 | Human Rights Education | |
| Required Courses in Mathematics | ||
| MTHM 201 | Mathematics in Elementary Schools I | 3 |
| MTHM 302 | Mathematics in Elementary Schools II | 3 |
| With advisor approval, select one 400-level mathematics class. | 3 | |
| Required Courses in Sciences | ||
| BIOL 100 | Biological Sciences | 4 |
| EAES 170 | World Geography | 3 |
| ECEL 300 | Scientific Inquiry in Elementary Schools I (PreK-6th Grade) | 3 |
| ECEL 301 | Scientific Inquiry in Elementary Schools II (PreK-6th Grade) | 3 |
| Required Courses in Social Sciences | ||
| HIST 117 | Foundations of America | 3 |
| HIST 118 | Emergence of the Modern United States | 3 |
| PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| With advisor approval, select one course at the 300- or 400-level in History, Political Science and Law, or Anthropology. | 3 | |
| Required Courses in Literature/Language Arts | ||
| READ 399 | Early Literacy Development and Instruction (Only available if admitted into Teacher Education. Otherwise take one of the listed electives with advisor approval.) | 3 |
| or ANTH 390 | Anthropology of Childhood and Youth | |
| or CHAD 340 | Current Social Issues in Child Advocacy | |
| or POLS 416 | Special Topics in Political Science | |
| or SOCI 311 | Urban Sociology | |
| READ 408 | Literacy in the Elementary Grades (Only available if admitted into Teacher Education. Otherwise take one of the listed electives with advisor approval.) | 3 |
| or ANTH 390 | Anthropology of Childhood and Youth | |
| or CHAD 340 | Current Social Issues in Child Advocacy | |
| or POLS 416 | Special Topics in Political Science | |
| or SOCI 311 | Urban Sociology | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| College Writing II | ||
| Introduction to Literature: The Short Story | ||
| Select one of the following or any 200-level English course: | 3 | |
| The Golden Age of Children's Literature | ||
| Art of Poetry | ||
| Women Poets | ||
| Young Adult Literature | ||
| Shakespeare: Comedies-Histories | ||
| Shakespeare: Tragedies-Romances | ||
| Fairy Tales from Grimm to Disney | ||
or GERM 226 | Fairy Tales from Grimm to Disney | |
| Mythology | ||
| Additional/Collateral Coursework | ||
| CMST 101 | Fundamentals of Speech: Communication Requirement | 3 |
| ECEL 200 | Perspectives on Early Childhood and Elementary Education in a Democracy | 3 |
| FSHD 214 | Child Development I | 3 |
| FSHD 314 | Child Development II: Adolescence | 3 |
| Total Credits | 76 | |
New Student Seminar
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Students in the Adult Learner program must take GNED 100. | ||
| Complete one course from the following. Some courses may be restricted by major. Consult with an academic advisor. | 1 | |
| Pathways to Success | ||
| Freshman Seminar in Chemistry | ||
| First Year Seminar | ||
| Adult Academic Success Seminar | ||
| New Student Seminar | ||
| Freshman Seminar in Health and Physical Education | ||
| Pathways to Adult Learning | ||
| New Student Seminar | ||
| New Student Experience for Mathematical Sciences | ||
| Freshman Seminar for Music Majors | ||
| Introduction to Nursing | ||
| Freshman Seminar in Political Science and Law | ||
SEEDS General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill the SEEDS requirements.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Foundations | ||
| Effective Writing I | ||
| Complete one Effective Writing I course. | 3 | |
| Effective Writing II | ||
| Complete one Effective Writing II course. | 3 | |
| Interactive Communication | ||
| Fulfilled by CMST 101 in the major. | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Fulfilled by MTHM 201 in the major. | ||
| Political and Civic Life | ||
| Fulfilled by ECEL 200 in the major. | ||
| World Language | ||
| Complete two sequential classes in one World Language when starting at the Beginner I or Beginner II level. Complete one class when starting at the Intermediate/Advanced Level. | 3-6 | |
| Exploration | ||
| Complete one course from four different Exploration categories: | ||
| Analyzing Cultures and Societies | ||
| Fulfilled by PSYC 101 in the major. | ||
| Creative Expression | ||
| Ethical Inquiry | ||
| Fulfilled by EDFD 220 in the major. | ||
| Historical Thinking | ||
| Fulfilled by EDFD 221, HIST 117, or HIST 118 in the major. | ||
| Literary and Artistic Analysis | ||
| Scientific Reasoning | ||
| Fulfilled by BIOL 100 in the major. | ||
| Total Credits | 9-12 | |
Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion
This recommended degree plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years and 120 credits. This plan is a recommendation and MUST be used in consultation with their academic advisor. Important note: Students should be aware this plan assumes no pre-requisite coursework is required. If pre-requisite coursework is needed, students may have additional requirements to fulfill which do not appear on the plan.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SEEDS: Effective Writing I | 3 | SEEDS: Effective Writing II - may be fulfilled by WRIT 106 in the major. | 3 |
| HIST 117 (Fulfills SEEDS: Exploration - Historical Thinking) | 3 | HIST 118 (Fulfills SEEDS: Exploration - Historical Thinking) | 3 |
| CMST 101 (Fulfills SEEDS: Interactive Communication) | 3 | EDFD 221 (Fulfills SEEDS: Exploration - Historical Thinking) | 3 |
| EDFD 180 | 3 | PSYC 101 | 3 |
| New Student Seminar | 1 | BIOL 100 (Fulfills SEEDS: Exploration - Scientific Reasoning) | 4 |
| 13 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SEEDS: World Language 1 | 3 | SEEDS: World Language 2 or Free Elective | 3 |
| EDFD 200 | 3 | MTHM 201 (Fulfills SEEDS: Quantitative Reasoning) | 3 |
| EDFD 220 (Fulfills SEEDS: Exploration - Ethical Inquiry) | 3 | FSHD 314 | 3 |
| ECEL 200 (Fulfills SEEDS: Political and Civic Life) | 3 | EAES 170 | 3 |
| FSHD 214 | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| EDFD 300 | 3 | EDFD 449 or 445 | 3 |
| MTHM 302 | 3 | 400 level MATH elective | 3 |
| ECEL 300 | 3 | ECEL 301 | 3 |
| 300-400 level Science elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Elective in English | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 1 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||