1. School of Education and Professional Studies

Education: Primary (PK-5)| Major

Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts

Program Overview

The Elementary Education program prepares students to teach children in pre-kindergarten to 5th-grade classrooms. This is an initial licensure program that results in a Bachelor of Arts degree and an Ohio P-5 Teaching License for ages 3 to 10.

Key Program Features

  • Licensure Focus: This program leads to licensure for teaching children from pre-kindergarten to 5th grade in Ohio.

  • Field Experience: Practical, hands-on teaching opportunities to gain classroom experience.

  • Professional Expectations: Students are expected to demonstrate a commitment to teaching, learning, and professional development.

Admission Requirements

  • GPA Requirement: A minimum GPA of 2.7 in CORE courses.

  • Grade Requirement: Students must earn a grade of C or better in the following courses:

    • Theory of Mathematics for Education I & II

    • General Psychology

    • Public Speaking

    • English

Note: Admission and retention in the education programs are selective and subject to criteria outlined in the Teacher Education Handbook, which is given to new students in the Foundations of Education course.

  • Transfer Students: Must meet with the Dean or an advisor during their first semester to plan for program admission.

  • Graduation Requirement: Students must maintain a 2.7 cumulative GPA to graduate.

Note: Although student teaching is not required for graduation, licensure is mandated. Due to state licensure requirements, students may need to complete more than the 120-credit-hour minimum.

Program Requirements

To complete the Primary (P-5) Education Major, students must earn a total of 53 semester credits, including the following courses:

Education Core (12 SH):

  • Foundations of Education (3 SH)

  • Educational Psychology (3 SH)

  • Introduction to Students with Exceptional Learning Needs (3 SH)

  • Educational Media and Technology (3 SH)

Teaching of Reading Core (12 SH):

  • Foundations of Literacy (3 SH)

  • Phonological Awareness and Phonics (3 SH)

  • Vocabulary, Comprehension, and Writing (3 SH)

  • Assessment, Instruction & Intervention in Reading (3 SH)

Primary Core (27 SH):

  • Child Development and Learning (3 SH)

  • Family and Community Relations (3 SH)

  • Integrated Social Studies for Primary Educators (3 SH)

  • Primary and Middle Childhood Curriculum, Planning and Assessment (3 SH)

  • STEAM Methods for Educators (3 SH)

  • Reading Language Arts and Social Studies Methods for Primary Teachers (3 SH)

  • Ohio History (3 SH)

  • Theory of Mathematics for Education (3 SH)

  • Geometry and Statistics for Education (3 SH)

Field Experience (2-3 SH):

  • Field Experience I (1 SH)

  • Field Experience II (1 SH)

  • Field Experience III (1 SH)

    (Dual Majors only)

For Teaching Licensure Option (12 SH):

  • Student Teaching: Early Childhood (9 SH)

  • Student Teaching Seminar (3 SH)

Additional Information

  • GPA Requirement: All Education majors are required to maintain a minimum 2.7 cumulative GPA to graduate.

  • Transfer Students: Must meet with an advisor during their first semester on campus to plan for admission to the program.

  • Full Details: Complete program details are available in the Teacher Education Handbook.

Featured Course Descriptions

CourseSTEAM Methods for Educators

STEAM Methods for Educators is a forward-thinking course designed to equip teachers with innovative strategies for integrating Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) in the classroom. This course emphasizes the seamless blending of STEM subjects with the arts to foster creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills among students. Participants will explore interdisciplinary teaching methods, hands-on projects, and collaborative learning models that make learning more engaging and relevant to the 21st-century learner.

CourseChild Development and Learning

This course prepares students who use the knowledge of how children develop from birth through early childhood in planning educational programs. Students learn to devise learning episodes that embrace a variety of learning styles, cultural differences and developmental levels of children. This course examines the role of the family in child development and considers the readiness factors relevant to preschool and kindergarten programs. Current trends and practices such as inclusive and diversity programs in early childhood education are investigated.

CourseReading Core: Science of Reading

Our Reading Core is meticulously designed to align with the latest research and principles from the science of reading. This comprehensive approach ensures that every student develops strong foundational skills in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. By integrating evidence-based instructional practices, our program supports effective reading development and addresses the diverse needs of all learners.

CourseFamily and Community Relations

This course is designed to help teacher candidates understand the child in the context of family and community. Teacher candidates will become familiar with social and health services available for families in the community. The course will provide opportunities to demonstrate knowledge of basic health, safety and nutritional needs of young children. Students will acquire an understanding of the interrelationships among the child’s exposure to cultures, language and through the function of the home in language development. Students will experience working with interdisciplinary, interagency and intra-agency teams of professionals.