As an elementary educator, you can introduce children to the pleasures of reading and writing, math, science, social studies, and the arts. You’ll learn about how children develop and learn, explore options for teaching a wide range of content areas, and develop the skills and knowledge to inspire lifelong intellectual curiosity in the students you teach.
The Education Department offers a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a choice of an area of concentration.
The Areas of Concentration
Elementary majors select one area of concentration from a possible set of six areas to broaden their expertise in at least one area. The requirements for each subject concentration are determined by the Missouri Western 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 consists of 4 total credits of coursework in Education that is not part of the major requirements.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies | ||
| 42-47 | ||
| Major Requirements | ||
| 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 303 | Experience in Teaching II | 2 |
| EDU 304 | Applied Methods and Management | 3 |
| 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 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 403 | Seminar in Elementary Education and Human Relations | 3 |
| EDU 408 | Elementary Student Teaching III | 9 |
| ENG 403 | Literature for Children | 3 |
| MAT 352 | Mathematics for Elementary and Middle School Teachers I | 3 |
| Concentration | ||
| Select an area of concentration | ||
- 1
Course is within the Professional Sequence.
- 2
See Professional Semester for prerequisites and requirements.
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 from a possible set of five areas to broaden one’s expertise in at least one area. 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 8 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 |
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 |
- 1
Elementary Education Degree Requirement
Special Reading (K-12)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration Requirements | ||
| EDU 311 | Secondary Reading Techniques | 3 |
| EDU 312 | Secondary Reading Techniques Practicum | 1 |
| EDU 342 | Evaluation of Abilities and Achievement | 2 |
| EDU 348 | Language Development for Educators | 3 |
| EDU 474 | Collaborating with Families and School Personnel for Inclusion | 3 |
| EDU 483 | Practicum I in Reading: Diagnosis of Reading Difficulties | 3 |
| EDU 484 | Practicum II in Reading: Remediation of Reading Difficulties | 3 |
| EDU 521 | Teaching Students with Reading Deficits | 3 |
| ENG 503 | Literature for Children | 3 |
NOTE: Candidate applies for certification after 2 years of classroom teaching experience.
- 1
Elementary Education Degree Requirement
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 311 | Secondary Reading Techniques | 3 |
| EDU 308 | Multicultural Education | 3 |
| or COM 342 | Intercultural Communication | |
| 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 |
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.
Are you ready to declare this major? Download, sign and submit the form(s) to the Education Department.
- Major: B.S.E. Elementary Education
- Pre-Major: B.S.E. Elementary Education
Mapping your degree plan is an important task for every student. You should consult with your academic advisor to create a plan for degree completion and monitor it regularly.