Psychology with Teacher Certification in Elementary School Teacher in Grades K-6 (B.A.)

Students who wish to pursue K-6 teacher certification in Elementary Education must apply to and be admitted to the Teacher Education Program. Please visit the Teacher Education Program website for the required professional sequence of courses and other important Program requirements, guidelines, and procedures. Students also are strongly advised to review the Teacher Education Program Handbook.

120 credits of coursework is required for the baccalaureate degree with a minimum 3.0 overall GPA.  Major GPA requirements differ depending on field of study. Consult the Teacher Education Program Handbook for more information.

Psychology majors must earn a grade of C- or above in all Psychology courses. Psychology course in which grades of less than C- are earned must be repeated and brought up to a minimum grade of C- or they will not count toward the major.

 

Program Requirements Overview

General Education Requirements18
World Languages and Cultures Requirements3-6
Major Requirements35
Teacher Education Program Requirements60
Free Electives4-1
Total Credits120

Major Requirements

Complete the following with minimum grades of C-:

Required Courses
Introduction to Psychology (Credits for this course are counted in the Teacher Education sequence.)
PSYC 203Introduction to Psychological Research3
PSYC 220Introduction to Statistical Methods in Psychology4
PSYC 301Experimental Psychology4
Lower Level Electives (200-level)
Complete one course from the following:3
Psychology of Aggression
Hispanic/Latino Psychology
Psychology of the Black Experience
Psychology of Women
Complete one 200-level course from the list below.3
Upper Level Electives (300-400 level)
Biological Basis of Behavior
Select one of the following:3
Physiological Psychology
Perception
Drugs and Behavior
Comparative Animal Behavior
Motivation
Cognition
Select one of the following:3
Cognition
Human Learning and Memory
Psycholinguistics
Personality
Select one of the following:3
Developmental Psychology I
Psychological Foundations of Personality
Abnormal Psychology
Social/Applied
Select one of the following:3
Health Psychology
Social Psychology
Psychology Of Work: Personnel Psychology
Psychology 0f Work: Organizational Psychology
Clinical Psychology
School Psychology
Additional Advanced Electives
Complete two 300-400 level courses from the list below.6
Total Credits35

Electives

200-Level Electives
PSYC 201Child Psychology3
PSYC 202Adolescent Psychology3
PSYC 204The Good Life: The Science of Positive Psychology3
PSYC 224Children's Rights and Child Advocacy3
PSYC 225Psychology of Adjustment3
PSYC 227Psychological Aspects of Human Sexuality3
PSYC 235Psychology of Exceptional Children and Youth3
PSYC 248Psychology and Law3
PSYC 250Introduction to Community Psychology3
PSYC 264Multicultural Psychology3
PSYC 268Psychological Aspects of Aging3
PSYC 288Introduction to Cognitive Science3
PSYC 294Psychology of Leadership: Theory and Application3
300- and 400-Level Electives
BIOL 319Genes, Brains, and Behavior4
BIOL 320Social Neurobiology3
PSYC 300The Teaching of Psychology3
PSYC 310Introduction to Psychological Testing3
PSYC 314Psychology of Judgment and Decision Making3
PSYC 330Forensic Psychology3
PSYC 360History and Systems of Psychology3
PSYC 375Evolutionary Psychology3
PSYC 402Systems of Psychotherapy3
PSYC 404Stereotyping and Prejudice3
PSYC 421Data Science for Social Scientists3
PSYC 496Psychology Honors II4
PSYC 499Motivational Interviewing3
If not already used, the following may be taken:
PSYC 302Health Psychology3
PSYC 304Social Psychology3
PSYC 305Physiological Psychology3
PSYC 306Psychology Of Work: Personnel Psychology3
PSYC 307Psychology 0f Work: Organizational Psychology3
PSYC 308Perception3
PSYC 311Drugs and Behavior3
PSYC 313Cognition3
PSYC 320Developmental Psychology I3
PSYC 332Psychological Foundations of Personality3
PSYC 340Human Learning and Memory3
PSYC 348Psycholinguistics3
PSYC 353Comparative Animal Behavior3
PSYC 354Clinical Psychology3
PSYC 355Motivation3
PSYC 365Abnormal Psychology3

Teacher Education Program Requirements

Teacher Education Program Requirements (Teacher Certification in Elementary School Teacher Grades K-6)

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 3
2. Literature
Experimental Psychology (Fulfilled in the major.)
3. Communication
Fundamentals of Speech: Communication Requirement (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.)
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 Teacher Education sequence.)
G. Computer Science
Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course.3
H. Mathematics
Mathematics in Elementary Schools I (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.)
I. Natural Science Laboratory
Complete a 4 credit Natural Science Laboratory course that also fulfills the Teacher Education Health/Hygiene requirement.4
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 Teacher Education sequence.)
2. Global Cultural Perspectives
Fulfilled in the major.
Psychology of Aggression
Hispanic/Latino Psychology
Psychology of the Black Experience
Psychology of Women
3. Social Science Perspectives
Introduction to Psychology (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.)
L. Interdisciplinary Studies
Perspectives on Early Childhood and Elementary Education in a Democracy (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.)
Total Credits18

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 one language.3-6
World Cultures
Fulfilled in the major.
Psychology of Aggression
Hispanic/Latino Psychology
Psychology of the Black Experience
Psychology of Women
Total Credits3-6

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
FallCreditsSpringCredits
GENERAL EDUCATION: (A) New Student Seminar1GENERAL EDUCATION: (C2) Literature3
GENERAL EDUCATION: (C1) Writing3GENERAL EDUCATION: (C3) Communication3
 4 6
Total Credits 10