Unique among undergraduate teacher education programs, this degree creates teacher-leaders with deep content knowledge in all elementary disciplines with a special emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics for a strong STEM-focused instruction.
Program Description
Graduates from our program are prepared to be leaders who have an unwavering commitment to serving children. Our rigorous STEM-based approach requires successful completion of at least 27 credit hours of courses focusing on STEM content, including:
- Calculus for Elementary Teachers
- Conceptual Physics for Elementary Teachers
- Design Thinking
- Biology, chemistry, and more
- Pedagogy courses include two methods courses each in mathematics and science
Prospective teachers also graduate with a firm literacy foundation, taking at least two courses concentrating on reading and one on language arts, as well as engineering methods focused on children’s designs and inventions, along with courses in diversity, special education, and social studies. Students learn arts integration and to incorporate STEM subjects with other curricula while planning lessons and units.
Beginning in the junior year, students are accepted into the program as a cohort. The program is specifically designed to encourage collaboration between students through coursework and classroom experiences.
Field Placements & Blocked Schedule
Field placements are an important part of pre-service teachers’ training beginning sophomore year, and culminate in a year-long student teaching placement in the senior year. During junior and senior years, all professional courses are assigned to students, and there are no menu or course selection options. Courses are held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. This allows students to spend large blocks of time in elementary classrooms and working in collaborative groups.
Course of Study
Faculty
Program Faculty
- Sarah J. Carrier
- Jill Grifenhagen
- Michael Jarry-Shore
- Jill Jones
- Elizabeth Knight
- Joanna Koch
- Kari Kuebel
- Jordan Lukins
- James Minogue
- Keith Walkowiak
- Temple Walkowiak
- Angela Wiseman
Admission Requirements
- Internal transfer students must have a grade point average (GPA) of 2.5.
- Information on external transfer
Additional Info
To continue in the program, students in Elementary Education must:
- Earn a B- or higher in ELM 250
- Earn a C or better in all Professional Education coursework
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher
- Have a successful assessment of field experience each semester
- Have a successful assessment of dispositions in field and university settings
To student teach, students must:
- Meet all requirements for Admission to Teacher Candidacy (ATC) and the Professional Year
It is highly recommended that students in the Elementary Education program finish all general education program (GEP) requirements and any additional required courses before the start of the professional program in their junior year.
Junior and senior years will require full-time commitment to education courses and field experiences. If a student has not finished all GEP and required courses by junior year, we recommend summer school rather than taking additional hours beyond the required 15 credit hours and accompanying fieldwork of the professional semesters. If the student does need to take an additional course during the fall or spring semester, it cannot overlap with ELM courses or field experiences.
For complete information on the Elementary Education Undergraduate Program, including a program overview, required courses, professional semesters and our disposition intervention process, please review our most current Student Handbook.