Elementary Education Requirements

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A Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Elementary Education entitles students to apply for the State of Illinois Professional Educator License with an Elementary Education endorsement, which will allow them to teach in first grade through sixth grade.

Admission

All students who plan to major in Elementary Education must apply to the Teacher Education Program in the School of Education. To be eligible for the Curriculum and Instruction methods courses and the Professional Education Sequence, elementary education majors must (1) be admitted to the Teacher Education Program; and (2) have completed 30 semester hours with an overall grade point average of 2.75 (4.0 scale). In addition, elementary education majors entering the methods/professional sequence must have successfully completed the following University Core Curriculum courses with a grade of C or better: (a) POLS 114, HIST 110 and (b) ENGL 101, ENGL 102, CMST 101, SCI 210A and SCI 210B, MATH 220, or equivalent.

Advancement

Advancement in the major is based not only on continued satisfactory academic performance (grade of C or better for methods and professional sequence courses) and satisfying requirements of the Teacher Education Program, but also on acceptable professional behaviors and competencies as reflected in the state standards for licensure: the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, Elementary Education Standards, and Social Emotional Standards for all teachers. These standards are deemed essential for competent and effective educators. Students are required to demonstrate their achievement of these standards through their performance in their courses and in the field. The elementary education program is designed to be taken over four semesters with each semester containing a field experience.

To continue in the elementary education program, a student must maintain a 2.75 GPA in the major, earn a C or better in the elementary and professional core courses, and demonstrate appropriate progress toward meeting the Illinois Professional Teaching and Content standards. Students in the elementary education major may repeat the same Curriculum and Instruction course only once. Students must have the consent of the program to register for a repeat course.

To be eligible for the professional semester (student teaching), and completion of the program, the student must have attained a minimum grade point average of 2.75 in the major and a minimum overall grade point average of 2.75; completed CI 225, CI 337, CI 361, CI 362, CI 388, CI 389, CI 418, CI 419, CI 426, CI 427, CI 431, CI 432, CI 433, and CI 434 with a grade of C or better; have made application for the professional semester; and be approved by the program based on performance in all major courses.

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Elementary Education Degree Requirements

Degree RequirementsCredit Hours
University Core Curriculum Requirements 39
To include MATH 108; ENGL 101, ENGL 102; SCI 210A, SCI 210B; POLS 114; HIST 110; EDUC 211; CMST 101; UNIV 101; 3 credit hours in Fine Arts and 6 credit hours in Humanities.
Elementary Education Major Requirements 54
CI 220/MATH 220, CI 225, CI 337, CI 361, CI 362, CI 388, CI 389, CI 418, CI 419, CI 426, CI 427, CI 431, CI 432, CI 433, CI 434; KIN 202; MATH 282, three-hour elective.
Professional Education Sequence 27
EDUC 214, EDUC 301, EDUC 302, EDUC 303, EDUC 308, EDUC 313, EDUC 319, EDUC 401A, EDUC 401C.
Total 120