Liberal studies for early and elementary education
The liberal studies for early and elementary education (LSEEE) major requires a minimum of 120 credits within a highly structured, pre-professional program. It is the required major for students who intend to become elementary school teachers and combines with the Extended Teacher Preparation Program in the School of Education. Completion of this extended program takes an additional year and results in the simultaneous awarding of a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies and a Master of Teaching degree.
The curriculum is carefully articulated to provide interdisciplinary course work and in-school learning experiences. Students in this major will also benefit from belonging to a community of learners. A number of general education courses are either required or recommended as electives to prepare for the core curriculum of advanced courses in the major and the Extended Teacher Preparation Program. The required course work for the four core content areas (English and communication, mathematics, sciences, and social sciences) and pre-service education courses are listed below.
Required course work
(98 credits plus 0-8 credits of foreign language)
English and communication: (21 credits plus 0-8 credits of foreign language)
UNIV 111 Focused Inquiry I (3)
UNIV 112 Focused Inquiry II (3)
ENGL 200 Writing and Rhetoric Workshop II (3)
TEDU/ENGL 307 Teaching Writing Skills (3)
TEDU/ENGL 351 Children’s Literature I (3)
Foreign language 101-102 Elementary _______ (0-8)
(Spanish recommended)
One of the following literature courses required:
ENGL 205, ENGL 206, ENGL 215, or other list F course (3)
One of the following cross-cultural communication courses required:
ENGL 452, ENGL 454, FREN/GRMN/SPAN 300/301 or TEDU 575 (3)
Mathematics: (15 credits)
MATH 131 Introduction to Contemporary Mathematics (3)
MATH 303 Investigations in Geometry (3)
MATH 361 Numbers and Operations (3)
MATH 362 Algebra and Functions (3)
STAT 312 Data Analysis and Statistics for Elementary Education (3)
Sciences: (18 credits)
BIOL 101 Biological Concepts (highly recommended but other list D biological sciences courses and corresponding laboratories are available) (4)
CHEM 110 and CHEZ 110L Chemistry and Society and Laboratory (4)
Or PHYS 101 and PHYZ 101L Foundations of Physics and Laboratory (4)
Or PHYS 107 Wonders of Technology (4)
Or other list D physical sciences courses and corresponding laboratories are available
GEOG 203 and GEOZ 203L Physical Geography and Laboratory (4)
Or GEOG 204 plus GEOZ 204L (4)
INSC 310 Content of Elementary Science (3)
One of the following courses required (3):
INSC 300, INSC 301, PHYS 291, PHYS 307, ENVS 301, ENVS 330, ENVS 411 or CHEM 391
Social sciences: (18 credits)
ECON 203 Introduction to Economics (3)
GEOG 102 Introduction to Human Geography (3)
HIST 101 Survey of European History (3)
POLI 103 U.S. Government (strongly advised) (3)
Or HIST 103 Survey of American History (3)
RELS/INTL 311 or 312 Religions of the World (3)
SOCS 302 Diverse Families and Children in the United States (3)
Or SOCY/ANTH/WMNS 304 The Family (3)
Undergraduate education courses: (26 credits)
EDUS 301 Human Development and Learning (3)
HPEX 390 Physical Education for the Elementary Teacher (3)
TEDU 101 Introduction to Teaching (3)
TEDU 310 Practicum (A) (2)
TEDU 310 Practicum (B) (2)
TEDU 410 Classroom Management in Elementary Schools (3)
TEDU 411 Integrating the Arts in Curriculum for Young Children (3)
TEDU 414 Curriculum and Methods for Young Children (4)
TEDU 426 Teaching Reading and Other Language Arts (3)
Electives: (14 credits)
Students in this major are encouraged to select a minor, especially in one of the core areas. The 14 elective credits can be used toward fulfilling the requirements of a minor.
The general education requirement for ethics will be met by EDUS 673 in the graduate portion of the Extended Teacher Preparation Program. However, students who choose not to complete the master’s degree will need to take a course from approved list C to meet this requirement. Additionally, these students will need to complete their chosen minor and selected liberal studies courses in order to complete the 120 credits required to earn the B.I.S.
Please note that the B.I.S. with the LSEEE major is not normally granted as a terminal degree. As previously stated, the major is integrated into the five-year Extended Teacher Preparation Program for early childhood/elementary education administered by the School of Education and is designed to prepare students for teaching at the elementary level (P-6). Upon completing all program requirements, students receive the B.I.S. and the M.T. simultaneously. If, for some reason, the student must terminate studies before completing all program requirements, a B.I.S. might be earned, but the student will not be certified to teach. Therefore, it is imperative that students meet with the special adviser for LSEEE majors to carefully plan their progress.
Students who have reached senior status (85 credit hours or more) in a major other than LSEEE must graduate with that major and return as a post-baccalaureate student to the M.T. program. However, these students should contact the LSEEE adviser to carefully plan their programs.
Admission to the Extended Teacher Preparation Program is outlined in the School of Education section of this Bulletin. For more information on that program, contact the School of Education’s Office of Student Services. For specific help with this major, contact the LSEEE special adviser in the University College.