Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education

Program Requirements

The program has several distinct elements:

• A recommended sequence of general education.
• A professional education component.
• Student teaching or other supervised practicum experience.

Each component is briefly described below.

General Education
General education refers to courses and other experiences that lay the foundation for IUSB's Teacher Education Program. There is a focus on building skills in written and oral communication, information technology, inquiry, science, literature, quantitative reasoning, and both global and democratic perspectives.

The general education requirements for elementary education and Early Childhood Education define the strong generalist preparation that is imperative for elementary teachers and early childhood educators.

Students are encouraged to complete a program of general education by enrolling in courses designated for education majors whenever they are available. In particular, students are urged to follow the general education template for the first 30 credit hours of their program. The sequence has been planned to provide the strongest foundation in learning and to build the most powerful connections between the content of the individual courses.

Professional Education
The professional education component of the Teacher Education Program develops the knowledge, disposition, and skills required for entry to the teaching profession. Some courses focus on knowledge, dispositions, and skills that underlie all teacher education regardless of the developmental focus. Other courses and field experiences focus on what it takes to promote effective teaching and learning at a particular developmental level or in a particular school setting. At IUSB, the professional education component (72 credit hours) is not a collection of isolated courses, but rather a carefully articulated program of study. Courses are taken in a prescribed order. Some must be taken in blocks.

Student Teaching
The 12 credit hours of student teaching and the accompanying integrated seminar represents the culminating experience in the Teacher Education Program. By assuming full responsibility for a class of students, candidates demonstrate their achievement of standards, and reflect both on student learning and on their own effectiveness as teachers.

At IUSB, most students are prepared to teach at two developmental levels and can expect to complete two separate student teaching assignments.

Master of Science in Early Education

The elementary education program covers early childhood and middle childhood developmental levels. Graduates are licensed to teach in preschool, primary, and intermediate settings.

Graduate Certification Students

Graduate students interested in completing a license in elementary education will be advised on an individual basis. Students should complete an application for admission to the graduate licensure program. After completing an application, students should arrange for an appointment to meet with an academic advisor. This can be done by calling (574) 520-4845. In most cases, students will need a transcript from their undergraduate degree program and from all other post-baccalaureate programs in order to plan an appropriate course of study with an advisor.

Master of Science Degree Students

Graduate students may complete a Master of Science Degree in Elementary Education. Students will complete at least 36 hours of course work for this degree. Again, students will be advised on an individual basis. Students interested in discussing degree requirements should contact the Student Services Office to arrange an appointment. All students will complete a research project during their last two semesters in their graduate program.

Admission Requirements

• General application requirements and procedures as described in preceding section on admission.
• Approval of application by the director of the elementary education program.

Program Requirements

Current program information is available on the School of Education Web site at www.iusb.edu/~edud/.

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