Elementary Education, Bachelor of Science (527)
Department website: http://www.wku.edu/ste
Program Coordinator
Janet L. Tassell, janet.tassell@wku.edu, (270) 745-5306
The elementary education program leads to a Bachelor of Science degree and the Kentucky Elementary Certificate (P-5). The program requires completion of a Colonnade component, related studies component, and professional education component. While students follow university guidelines in completing the Colonnade component, a speech course and biological science course with laboratory are specifically included within this 44 semester hour requirement.
Program Requirements (82 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary Education Component (37 Hours) | ||
| EDU 250 | Discover Teaching: Introduction to Teacher Education | 3 |
| EDU 260 | Classroom Assessment | 3 |
| EDU 350 | Student Diversity and Differentiation | 3 |
| EDU 360 | Behavior and Classroom Management in Education | 3 |
| ELED 345 | Foundations of Elementary Teaching | 3 |
| ELED 365 | Teaching Methods for Elementary Teachers | 3 |
| ELED 405 | Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School | 3 |
| ELED 406 | Teaching Science in the Elementary School | 3 |
| ELED 407 | Materials and Methods in Social Studies | 3 |
| ELED 465 | Data-Driven Decision-Making in Elementary Education | 3 |
| EDU 489 | Student Teaching Seminar | 2,3 |
| ELED 490 | Student Teaching | 5-10 |
| Supporting Content Courses (45 Hours) | ||
| ENG 302 | Language and Communication | 3 |
| SPED 335 | Foundations of Special Education | 3 |
| LTCY 320 | Foundations of Teaching Literacy in the Elementary Grades | 3 |
| LTCY 420 | Literacy Methods in the Elementary Grades | 3 |
| MATH 205 | Number Systems and Number Theory for Teachers | 3 |
| MATH 206 | Fundamentals of Geometry for Teachers | 3 |
| MATH 308 | Rational Numbers and Data Analysis for Teachers | 3 |
| PSY 310 | Educational Psychology: Development and Learning | 3 |
| Choose two of the following: | 6 | |
| Art Education in the Elementary School | ||
| Comprehensive Arts Education for the Elementary Teacher | ||
| Physical Education for Elementary Schools | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Plant Science and Plant Science Laboratory | ||
| Fundamentals of General Chemistry and Fundamentals of General Chemistry Laboratory | ||
| Environmental Science and Sustainability | ||
| Earth's Past and Future and Earth's Past and Future Lab | ||
| The Earth and The Earth Laboratory | ||
| Choose one of the following: | 3 | |
| Geography of Kentucky | ||
| The United States to 1865 | ||
| The United States Since 1865 | ||
| Total Hours | 73-79 | |
Within the professional education sequence, students are required to meet state requirements for field work experience in addition to coursework. This laboratory work will be in field experiences away from the main university campus.
Elementary Education candidates may receive academic advising in the School of Teacher Education, GRH 1005, 270-745-5414. Refer to the School of Teacher Education website (http://www.wku.edu/ste) for additional information.
Finish in Four Plan
- Program Requirements (120 hours)
- Clinical Hour Requirements (232 hours)
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| EDU 250 | 3 | EDU 260 | 3 |
| ENG 100 | 3 | PSY 310 | 3 |
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | ENG 200 | 3 |
| COMM 145 | 3 | MATH 205 | 3 |
| MATH 112 | 3 | BIOL 113 & BIOL 114 | 4 |
| Clinical Field Hours Required (15 hours) | |||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| MUS 314, ART 310, or PE 354 (Choose one: Related Studies) | 3 | EDU 360 | 3 |
| MUS 314, ART 310, or PE 354 (Choose one: Related Studies) | 3 | EDU 350 | 3 |
| ENG 300 | 3 | ENG 302 | 3 |
| MATH 308 | 3 | MATH 206 | 3 |
| Colonnade: Natural & Physical Science - NO lab | 3 | Colonnade: Social & Behavioral Sciences | 3 |
| Colonnade: Arts & Humanities | 3 | Clinical Field Hours Required (30 hours) | |
| 18 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| LTCY 320* | 3 | ELED 365* | 3 |
| SPED 335 | 3 | ELED 407* | 3 |
| ELED 345 | 3 | LTCY 420* | 3 |
| Colonnade: Connections (Local to Global) -- Recommend LME 448, EDU 385/GEOG 385 or other Advisor Approved Course | 3 | Colonnade: Connections (Systems) | 3 |
| GEOG 352, HIST 240, or HIST 241 | 3 | Colonnade: Natural & Physical Science w/Lab (Recommend GEOL 111/113, GEOL 112/114, ASTR 104 | 3-4 |
| Clinical Field Hours Required (Approx. 40 hours) | Clinical Field Hours Required (Approx. 70 hours) | ||
| 15 | 15-16 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ELED 405* | 3 | EDU 489 | 3 |
| ELED 406* | 3 | ELED 490 (ELED Primary Classroom) | 5 |
| ELED 465* | 3 | ELED 490 (ELED Intermediate Classroom) | 5 |
| Colonnade: Connections (Social & Cultural) | 3 | ||
| Clinical Field Hours Required (Approx. 77 hours) | |||
| 12 | 13 | ||
| Total Hours 119-120 | |||
- *
Must be taken with other courses with a (*) listed in the same semester as these courses are blocked together and require clinical field experiences in local schools.