Educational Foundations for Elementary Teachers (B.A.)

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

General Education Requirements14
World Languages and Cultures Requirements3-6
Major Requirements76
Free Electives27-24
Total Credits120

Major Requirements

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
or EDFD 445 Human Rights Education
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 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 408Literacy 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
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

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
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 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 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
WRIT 105 or HONP 1003WRIT 106 or ENGL 1113
BIOL 100 (or other BIOL course)4HIST 1183
CMST 1013EDFD 2213
GNED 1991EAES 1703
EDFD 1803PSYC 1013
HIST 1173 
 17 15
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
World Language 13MTHM 2013
EDFD 2003FSHD 3143
ECEL 2003GENERAL EDUCATION (D) Fine and Performing Arts3
EDFD 2203GENERAL EDUCATION (G) Computer Science3
FSHD 2143GENERAL EDUCATION (J) Physical Education1
 World Language 23
 15 16
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
EDFD 3003ECEL 3013
Elective in English3ANTH 390, CHAD 340, POLS 416, or SOCI 311 (READ 399 must be taken if admitted into Teacher Education.)3
MTHM 3023EDFD 449 or 4453
ECEL 3003Social Science Elective3
Free Elective3Free Elective3
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ANTH 390, CHAD 340, POLS 416, or SOCI 311 (READ 408 must be taken if admitted into Teacher Education.)3Free Elective3
Elective in MTHM3Free Elective3
Free Elective3Free Elective3
Free Elective3Free Elective3
Free Elective3 
 15 12
Total Credits 120