Elementary Education (Bachelor of Science in Education, B.S.E.)
The Department of Education faculty is committed to the professional preparation of teachers for employment in elementary education programs. The goals are to prepare teachers who are:
- Classroom leaders, professionally prepared to accept responsibility for student learning (MWSU Conceptual Framework);
- Highly knowledgeable in their cognitive areas (MoSPE/MWSU/INTASC Standards);
- Skilled in the techniques and methods of teaching across a diverse student population (MoSPE/MWSU/INTASC Standards);
- Practiced in the application of six domains of positive teacher dispositions (MWSU Disposition).
Admission Requirements
- ACT composite score of 17 or higher
- Overall GPA of 2.50
- Professional GPA of 3.0
- Content GPA of 3.0
- Completion of EDU 202 with a C or higher and credit in EDU 203
*Contact the Department Chairperson for guidelines and procedures regarding alternative pathways to certification.
Students who choose this bachelor degree program will have no more than 6 years from admission or subsequent declaration to meet the requirements listed below. If certification, accreditation or statutory requirements change and additional requirements become effective during this time, the new requirements take precedence.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies | 42 | |
| Students must complete General Studies courses | ||
| Major Requirements | 71 | |
| EDU 150 | Psychological Development for Children & Adolescents for Educators | 3 |
| EDU 202 | Introduction to Education | 3 |
| EDU 203 | Participation in Teaching I | 1 |
| EDU 225 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| EDU 230 | Science Content for Elementary Teachers | 3 |
| EDU 250 | Assessment & Data Analysis for Teachers | 2 |
| EDU 308 | Multicultural Education | 3 |
| EDU 315 | Psychology and Education of the Exceptional Child | 3 |
| EDU 325 | Introduction to Reading and Language Arts Methods | 5 |
| EDU 328 | Children's Literature | 3 |
| EDU 330 | Science Methods for Elementary Teachers | 3 |
| EDU 331 | Instructional Media and Technology | 2 |
| EDU 332 | Teaching in the Integrated Areas | 3 |
| EDU 340 | Social Studies Methods for the Elementary and Middle School Teacher | 2 |
| EDU 351 | Mathematics Methods for Early Childhood and Elementary Educators | 3 |
| EDU 360 | Assessing and Individualizing Reading | 3 |
| EDU 370 | Behavior Management | 3 |
| EDU 375 | Teaching Reading in the Elementary School | 3 |
| EDU 376 | Applied Teaching Methods and Management | 3 |
| EDU 377 | School Experience in Teaching | 2 |
| EDU 403 | Seminar in Elementary Education and Human Relations | 3 |
| EDU 408 | Elementary Student Teaching III | 9 |
| MAT 352 | Mathematics for Elementary and Middle School Teachers I | 3 |
| Select one of the following concentrations: | ||
| Early Childhood-Special Education (birth to grade 3) | 13 | |
| Early Childhood Education (birth to grade 3) | 12 | |
| Special Reading (K-12) | 21 | |
| English Language Learners (ELL) (K-12) | 28 | |
| General | 6 | |
NOTE: In addition to the above major coursework, students may be required to take an Orientation Workshop, EDU 110. Also, upon Education Department determination, some students will be required to enroll in EDU 200 for state certification requirements.
Concentrations:
Early Childhood- Special Education (Birth to Grade 3)
Early Childhood Education (Birth to Grade 3)
Special Reading (K-12)
English Language Learner (ELL) (K-12)
General
The Professional Semester - Elementary Education
A student enrolled in Elementary Student Teaching will assume the daily teaching schedule of the cooperating teacher.
Elementary Student Teaching (EDU 408 Elementary Student Teaching III) is to be taken during the student’s senior year. Seminar in Elementary Education and Human Relations (EDU 403 Seminar in Elementary Education and Human Relations) is to be taken concurrently with Elementary Student Teaching. A passing score on the Content Area Assessment is required before enrollment in EDU 403 Seminar in Elementary Education and Human Relations or EDU 408 Elementary Student Teaching III.
Course work during the professional education semester is usually limited to EDU 403 Seminar in Elementary Education and Human Relations and EDU 408 Elementary Student Teaching III. Petition for any additional course work must be submitted to the Education Department in the semester prior to Elementary Student Teaching.
The Area of Concentration
The elementary major must also select one area of concentration to broaden one’s expertise in at least one area related to education. The requirements for each subject concentration are determined by the MWSU Education Department in consultation with the various academic departments.
Four of the concentration areas also yield an additional teaching certification (called an added endorsement) approved by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Those four areas are:
- Early Childhood-Special Education (birth to grade 3);
- Early Childhood Education (birth to grade 3);
- Special Reading (K-12); and
- English Language Learners (ELL) (K-12).
The General Concentration will consist of 6 total credits of coursework in Education that are not already counted as elementary major coursework.
Added Endorsements for Certified Areas of Concentration (Missouri Certification Required)
Early Childhood-Special Education (birth to grade 3)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration Requirements | ||
| EDU 342 | Evaluation of Abilities and Achievement | 2 |
| EDU 357 | Introduction to Early Childhood Special Education: Curriculum Development | 3 |
| EDU 411 | Methods of Teaching the Student with Cross-Categorical Disabilities | 3 |
| EDU 461 | Experience in Early Childhood Special Education | 2 |
| EDU 474 | Collaborating with Families and School Personnel for Inclusion | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 13 | |
Early Childhood Education (birth to grade 3)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration Requirements | ||
| EDU 300 | Introduction to Early Childhood Education | 3 |
| EDU 344 | Early Childhood Assessment | 3 |
| EDU 348 | Language Development for Educators | 3 |
| EDU 374 | Literacy Development in Early Childhood | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 12 | |
Special Reading (K-12)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration Requirements | ||
| EDU 348 | Language Development for Educators | 3 |
| EDU 374 | Literacy Development in Early Childhood | 3 |
| EDU 474 | Collaborating with Families and School Personnel for Inclusion | 3 |
| EDU 483 | Practicum in Elementary Reading | 3 |
| EDU 484 | Practicum in Secondary Reading | 3 |
| EDU 511 | Content Area Literacy | 3 |
| EDU 521 | Teaching Students with Reading Deficits | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 21 | |
NOTE: Candidate applies for certification after 2 years of classroom teaching experience.
English Language Learners (ELL) (K-12)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Requirements | ||
| A valid Missouri permanent professional certificate or license to teach | ||
| Concentration Requirements | ||
| EDU 308 | Multicultural Education | 3 |
| or COM 342 | Intercultural Communication | |
| EDU 311 | Secondary Reading Techniques | 3 |
| EDU 430 | Teaching Students with Reading Deficits | 3 |
| EDU 470 | English Language Learners Elementary Practicum | 2 |
| EDU 475 | English Language Learners Secondary Practicum | 2 |
| ENG 232 | Language Awareness | 3 |
| or EDU 348 | Language Development for Educators | |
| TSL 459 | Policy, Curriculum, and Instruction for ELLs | 3 |
| TSL 467 | Second Language Acquisition | 3 |
| TSL 468 | Methods of Teaching Second Language Students | 3 |
| TSL 469 | Materials and Assessment for ELL | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 28 | |
General Concentration
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Any six Education Department credits not already required for the Elementary major | 6 | |
Program Graduation Requirements
- Earn a grade of C or higher in all major and concentration coursework.
- Earn an overall GPA of at least 2.50 and a major GPA of 3.0.
University Graduation Requirements
- Earn a minimum of 120 credit hours (100 level and higher, maximum of 6 CED credit hours applicable).
- Earn a minimum of 30 credit hours in upper-division courses. Lower-division transfer courses accepted as meeting upper-division departmental course requirements cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.
- Earn 30 of the last 45 credit hours at MWSU in institutional coursework (exclusive of credit by examination).
- Participate in required departmental and campus wide assessments.
- Fulfill the Missouri Constitution requirement.
- Successfully pass the Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement exam.