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.
Program Requirements Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 14 | |
| World Languages and Cultures Requirements | 3-6 | |
| Major Requirements | 76 | |
| Free Electives | 27-24 | |
| 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 | |
General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A. New Student Seminar | ||
| Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar course. | 1 | |
| C. Communication | ||
| 1. Writing | ||
| WRIT 105 | College Writing I | 3 |
| or HONP 100 | Honors Seminar in Great Books and Ideas Part I | |
| 2. Literature | ||
| Fulfilled in the major. | ||
| 3. Communication | ||
| Fundamentals of Speech: Communication Requirement (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| D. Fine and Performing Arts | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course. | 3 | |
| F. Humanities | ||
| 1. Great Works and Their Influences | 3 | |
| 2. Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | ||
| Philosophical Orientation to Education (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| G. Computer Science | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course. | 3 | |
| H. Mathematics | ||
| Mathematics in Elementary Schools I (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| I. Natural Science Laboratory | ||
| Biological Sciences (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| J. Physical Education | ||
| Complete a 1 credit Physical Education course. | 1 | |
| K. Social Science | ||
| 1. American and European History | ||
| Historical Foundations of American Education (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| 2. Global Cultural Perspectives | 0 | |
| 3. Social Science Perspectives | ||
| Introduction to Psychology (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| L. Interdisciplinary Studies | ||
| Perspectives on Early Childhood and Elementary Education in a Democracy (Fulfilled in the major.) | ||
| Total Credits | 14 | |
World Languages and Cultures Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| World Languages | ||
| Based on placement exam, complete one or two sequential courses in a single language. | 3-6 | |
| Total Credits | 3-6 | |
Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion
This four-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years. This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| WRIT 105 or HONP 100 | 3 | WRIT 106 or ENGL 111 | 3 |
| BIOL 100 (or other BIOL course) | 4 | HIST 118 | 3 |
| CMST 101 | 3 | EDFD 221 | 3 |
| GNED 199 | 1 | EAES 170 | 3 |
| EDFD 180 | 3 | PSYC 101 | 3 |
| HIST 117 | 3 | ||
| 17 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| World Language 1 | 3 | MTHM 201 | 3 |
| EDFD 200 | 3 | FSHD 314 | 3 |
| ECEL 200 | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION (D) Fine and Performing Arts | 3 |
| EDFD 220 | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION (G) Computer Science | 3 |
| FSHD 214 | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION (J) Physical Education | 1 |
| World Language 2 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| EDFD 300 | 3 | ECEL 301 | 3 |
| Elective in English | 3 | ANTH 390, CHAD 340, POLS 416, or SOCI 311 (READ 399 must be taken if admitted into Teacher Education.) | 3 |
| MTHM 302 | 3 | EDFD 449 or 445 | 3 |
| ECEL 300 | 3 | Social Science Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ANTH 390, CHAD 340, POLS 416, or SOCI 311 (READ 408 must be taken if admitted into Teacher Education.) | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Elective in MTHM | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | Free Elective | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 12 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||