Educational Foundations for Elementary Teachers (B.A.) (Combined B.A./M.A.T. with Teacher Certification in Grades K-6 and Teacher of Students with Disabilities)

A Combined Degree program enables undergraduate students to enroll in graduate courses in their senior year, which can be counted towards the completion of both their Bachelor's and Master's degree requirements.  The ability to take these "swing courses" allows students to earn both their Bachelor's and Master's degrees in a shortened period of time, typically within five years.  Undergraduate students interested in this option can find more information regarding program requirements on the University's Combined Programs website.

Program Requirements Overview

General Education Requirements14
World Languages and Cultures Requirements3-6
Major Requirements76
Additional Requirements for Teacher Certification9
Graduate Swing Courses9
Free Electives9-6
Total Credits120

Major Requirements

The graduate portion of this combined program can be found here.
Educational Foundations
EDFD 180Foundations of Education: Social, Cultural, and Political Contexts3
EDFD 200Psychological Foundations of Education3
EDFD 220Philosophical Orientation to Education3
EDFD 221Historical Foundations of American Education3
EDFD 300Assessment, Learning Sciences and Ethics3
EDFD 449Current Issues in American Education3
Required Courses in Mathematics
MTHM 201Mathematics in Elementary Schools I3
MTHM 302Mathematics in Elementary Schools II3
With advisor approval, select one 400-level mathematics class.3
Required Courses in Sciences
BIOL 100Biological Sciences4
EAES 170World Geography3
ECEL 300Scientific Inquiry in Elementary Schools I (PreK-6th Grade)3
ECEL 301Scientific Inquiry in Elementary Schools II (PreK-6th Grade)3
Required Courses in Social Sciences
HIST 117Foundations of America3
HIST 118Emergence of the Modern United States3
PSYC 101Introduction to Psychology3
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 399Early Literacy Development and Instruction3
READ 408Literacy in the Elementary Grades3
Select one of the following:3
College Writing II
Introduction to Literature: The Short Story
Select one of the following: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
Fairy Tales from Grimm to Disney
Mythology
Additional/Collateral Coursework
CMST 101Fundamentals of Speech: Communication Requirement3
ECEL 200Perspectives on Early Childhood and Elementary Education in a Democracy3
FSHD 214Child Development I3
FSHD 314Child Development II: Adolescence3
Total Credits76

Additional Courses Required for Teacher Certification

ECEL 279Foundation and Philosophy of Inclusive Education3
ECEL 375Special Topics in Early Childhood and Elementary Education1-3
ECSE 305Development and Learning in Children With and Without Disabilities3
Total Credits7-9

Graduate Swing Courses

A combined degree program allows students to complete 6-12 graduate credits ("graduate swing courses") while enrolled as an undergraduate. These courses count for both their bachelor and master’s degrees.  Graduate swing courses will count toward undergraduate free electives, unless noted otherwise.

The Graduate Swing Courses for this program:

ECSE 523Communication, Collaboration and Consultation in Inclusive Early Childhood and Elementary Contexts3
ECSE 536Observation and Assessment of Elementary Age Children with Disabilities3
READ 515Literacy Strategies for the Inclusive Elementary Classroom3
Total Credits9

General Education Requirements

Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.

A. New Student Seminar
Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar course.1
C. Communication
1. Writing
WRIT 105College Writing I3
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 Influences3
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 Perspectives0
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 Credits14

World Languages and Cultures Requirements

Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.

World Languages
Based on placement exam, complete one or two sequential courses in a single language.3-6
Total Credits3-6

Recommended Roadmap to Degree(s)

This recommended five-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within five years.  This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.

Fifth year courses are taken at the graduate level, after matriculation into the graduate portion of this combined degree program.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
GNED 1991ENGL 111 or WRIT 1063
WRIT 1053EAES 1703
CMST 1013HIST 1173
BIOL 100 (or other BIOL course)4World Languages I3
GENERAL EDUCATION: (J) Physical Education1EDFD 2213
EDFD 1803 
 15 15
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ECEL 2003GENERAL EDUCATION: (D) Fine and Performing Arts3
EDFD 2003GENERAL EDUCATION: (G) Computer Science3
EDFD 2203ENGL 255, 260, 294, 305, 353, 354, GERM 226, GRIN 226, or HUMN 2853
HIST 1183FSHD 2143
PSYC 1013MTHM 2013
 15 15
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
FSHD 3143ECEL 3753
ECEL 2793ECSE 3053
READ 3993ECEL 4083
MTHM 3023ECEL 3013
ECEL 3003World Languages II (or Free Elective)3
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ECSE 3393ECSE 5233
READ 4083ECSE 5363
EDFD 3003READ 5153
Elective in MTHM (400 Level)3EDFD 4493
Elective in Social Science (300-400 Level)3Free Elective3
 15 15
Total Credits 120
Fourth Year
SummerCredits  
ECSE 5803  
ECEL 6913  
ECSE 5083  
 9  
Fifth Year
 FallCreditsSpringCredits
 ECEL 5102ECEL 5116
 ECEL 5021ECEL 5043
 ECEL 5173 
 ECSE 5423 
 Comprehensive Exam (GRAD CMP section 72) 
  9 9
Total Credits 27