Undergraduate Elementary Education Program
The undergraduate program in Elementary Education, which leads to endorsement to teach grades preK - 6, requires a dual concentration. Students are required to complete a departmental or interdisciplinary concentration in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences as a primary concentration. They are also required to complete 35 semester hours in professional education courses in Elementary Education. Complete the application, attach the essay, and an unofficial transcript.
Program Requirements in the Elementary Education Program (pre K-6):
Program requirements in the undergraduate program in Elementary Education [pdf] include courses in general studies, an Arts and Sciences concentration, and professional studies in Elementary Education that constitute a second major. These categories of courses are delineated on checklists used for advisement of Elementary Education majors. The sequence of Course Requirements below includes all course work necessary to satisfy general studies and professional studies requirements for the Elementary Education (preK-6) program. Arts and Sciences courses should be selected to meet simultaneously the State's general studies requirements for certification and the the College's General Education Requirements and concentration requirements for the degree. Additionally students must be able to show verification of a current tubercular examination (TB test) prior to beginning their first semester.
General Education Course Requirements:
Elementary Education students must include course work specified below, as part of, or in addition to, the College's General Education Course Requirements for the baccalaureate degree. You must take at least one three-credit course in each of the following:
- Study of the English language (English 220/ANTH 204 is recommended; LCST 201 or ENGL 303 are also options)
- Literature (LCST 201 is recommended) but any 200-level or above English literature course is acceptable.
- American History or American Government
- Geography (either Geology 110 or Government 381 is recommended; any course identified under Geography in the undergraduate catalog is acceptable)
Students seeking licensure in Virginia must complete training in Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting. For students who take and pass EDUC 310, this requirement is met. If a student is exempted from EDUC 310 for any reason, then he or she must contact the Office of Teacher Education & Professional Services in order to complete a training module in these competencies.
Additional policies and procedures that govern students in the teacher preparation programs during their field experiences are included in the Handbook for Practica and Student Teaching Experiences, which is available in the Office of Professional Services. Only 35 credit hours can be applied toward the Elementary Education major, and any additional Education credits will not count toward the 120 credits required for graduation.
