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Bachelor of Science in Education-Elementary Education

The elementary education program prepares graduates to meet standards for teaching in K-6 settings. This program is nationally recognized by the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI).

Prerequisite Courses (61-62 credits)
Students in the elementary education program complete the general education requirements outlined below. Students are encouraged to enroll in course clusters or learning communities designated for education majors whenever they are available.

Students are encouraged to see an education advisor for course lists for the concentration and to begin planning early to meet that requirement.

Professional Education (59 credits)
Admission to the Learning to Teach/Teaching to Learn program is competitive, and applications are due February 7 for fall admission and September 7 for spring. The application can be found at https://education.iupui.edu/admissions-aid/.

The professional education component is a carefully articulated program of study where courses are taken in blocks and in a prescribed order (presented below). The professional education portion of the program is designed to be a four-semester sequence with courses that are taught on site at professional development schools (PDS) in Marion County. These schools have entered into a special partnership with the School of Education. Students also student teach at these PDS sites. Student teaching requires five full days a week.

Students pursuing an initial license to teach in grades K-6 are authorized for professional education courses only after admission to Teacher Education. Because LT/TL is a field-based program in which formal class sessions are integrated with field experiences, most professional education courses are offered at a time when teacher education candidates are able to work with students in K-12 classrooms. Most professional education courses are scheduled during the day, and students will need to make arrangements to devote one (part-time enrollment) or two days (full time enrollment) each week to complete the class and field experience work.

The School of Education uses performance-based assessments to evaluate students readiness for an Initial Professional Educator License. In addition to their course assignments, students are expected to pass three benchmark assessments during the LT/TL program. Benchmark I is a rubric that evaluates the students basic competencies and dispositions; Benchmark II is a performance task that involves interviewing individual learners; and Benchmark IV is a demonstration of the students abilities to have an impact on children's learning. These measures and others, including content area Pearson CASA and CORE tests and student teaching evaluations, are used to determine whether a student will be recommended for licensure upon completion of the program.

It is expected that students complete 30 credit hours of coursework per year. If fewer than 30 credits are completed successfully during the Fall or Spring semesters, or if developmental (non-credit) courses must be taken as prerequisites to required courses (e.g., Math 00100), students are expected to enroll in coursework during the Summer terms to get back on track for an on-time graduation.

Please note: a minimum cumulative GPA of a 2.5 or higher is required to remain in good standing within the School of Education.


Degree Map for Elementary Education

Degree Maps for Elementary Education can be found at: Degree Map - Elementary Education.  Please refer to the Degree Map website for future updates.


Student Teaching (16 cr. hours)
All interns complete student teaching assignments in two school settings. For elementary education majors, student teaching will comprise two eight-week placements, the first in Block IIIB and the second in Block IVB. Elementary majors will complete one primary placement and one intermediate placement. If a student doing an overseas teaching experience, the first experience will be 10-weeks and must be completed in the Indianapolis area.

The new Indiana licensing regulations require that all elementary majors have a concentration, an institutional minor, or a dual license.

Concentration areas:
Elmentary majors may complete a concentration area by taking 12 credit hours in a subject area in which they would like to develop additional expertise or in a dual certification area. Completion of most concentration areas will not extend or add an area to the students teaching license and will not be identified on students transcripts.

Note: Classes in the concentration area can also be used to meet prerequisite requirements when indicated. Students must have a total of 120 credit hours to graduate.

Dual License Areas
Students electing to do a dual license area take 15 to 18 credits in an area that will give them additional expertise and will add an additional teaching area to their K-6 license. Dual license areas are not identified on students transcripts. Please note: classes in the dual license area can also be used to meet prerequisite requirements when indicated. Students must have a total of 120 credit hours to graduate.

Students apply to a dual program when completing the application to Teacher Education. However, some of the course work for certain programs may be completed prior to entering the teacher education program. See an advisor in the School of Education for details. A minimum GPA of 3.00 is required for each dual licensure areas.

Students will student teach in their dual licensure area during the second student teaching experience. They will register for the appropriate 8 credit-hour practicum in place of one of the traditional student teaching experience for their initial program. See an advisor in the School of Education for information.

Dual licenses are available in the following areas:

ENGLISH AS A SECOND (NEW) LANGUAGE Dual Program (15 additional credits outside the teacher education program)

The ESL dual program prepares a teacher to meet the needs of students who are learning to speak English in the school classroom or pull-out programs. Students must select ENL as the area of dual licensure when applying for admission to the Teacher Education Program (LTTL) and must maintain an overall GPA of 3.00 or higher in this dual program. Student must take and pass the state licensure test for ENL. The license will be issued at the developmental levels of the students initial teaching license.

Information on the  English as a Second Language program can be found at https://education.iupui.edu/academics/degrees-programs/dual/esl.html

READING Dual Program (15 additional credits outside the teacher education program)

The holder of the reading minor is eligible to be a reading teacher at the level of the certification to which it is attached. Students must select reading as the area of dual licensure when applying for admission to the Teacher Education Program (LTTL) and must maintain an overall GPA of 3.00 or higher in this dual program. Students must pass all reading content tests required by the state for licensure.

Information of the Reading Specialist Program can be found at https://education.iupui.edu/academics/degrees-programs/dual/reading.html

SPECIAL EDUCATION Dual Program (Mild Intervention) - (18 additional credits outside the teacher education program)

Students will be licensed in developmental areas based on their initial program. Students must enroll in either the full-time or part-time Learning to Teach/Teaching to Learn program. The program is designed to enable students to complete field experiences as part of their elementary or secondary education program. Special education seminars are offered one evening each week and twice a week in the summer so they do not conflict with the block courses. Students are required to take one of the following 3 credit seminars each semester while completing this program:

This undergraduate program offers licensure in both general education (elementary or secondary) and special education certification in Mild Intervention. Mild Intervention certification replaces licensure in the areas of learning disabilities, mild cognitive disabilities, and emotional disabilities in the state of Indiana. This program is not available for all-grade majors. Students must select special education as the area of dual licensure when applying for admission to the Teacher Education Program (LTTL) and must maintain an overall GPA of 3.00 or higher in this dual program. Students must pass all state required licensure tests for special education to obtain a special education license.

Information of the Special Education Dual Program can be found at https://education.iupui.edu/academics/degrees-programs/dual/special-education/

Institutional Minors

Institutional minors may be completed in lieu of a concentration and are issued by the IUPUI school which offers the minor. They range in length from 15 to 21 credits. Completion of the institutional minor will give students additional expertise in the chosen subject area, but will NOT extend or add an areas to the student's teaching license. Institutional minors will be shown on the students' transcripts if they arrange to have that done through the school or department offering the minor.

Art Minor - Herron School of Art (15 credits)

Chemistry Minor - School of Science (20 credits)

French Minor - School of Liberal Arts (14 credits)

Geology Minor - School of Science (18 credits)

Biology Minor - School of Science (19 credits)

Economics Minor - School of Liberal Arts (15 credits)

Geography Minor - School of Liberal Arts (15 credits)

German Minor - School of Liberal Arts (14 credits)

History Minor - School of Liberal Arts (15 credits)

Mathematics Minor - School of Science (21 credits)

Music Minor - School of Music (20 credits)

Physics Minor - School of Science (18 credits)

Political Science Minor - School of Liberal Arts (15 credits)

Psychology Minor - School of Science (15 credits)

Sociology Minor - School of Liberal Arts (15 credits)

Spanish Minor - School of Liberal Arts (15 credits)