Elementary Education Major, B.A.

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Elementary Education features best practices denoted in current literature on teacher education as facilitating development of highly effective elementary teachers.  The Program’s clinical foundation provides teacher candidates authentic opportunities to learn and apply best practices while collaborating with some of the most effective teachers and schools in the Denver Metropolitan area.  Students completing the Elementary Education Major will take classes and participate in supervised practica, including two residencies in the same school that support development of the knowledge, understandings, and competencies required of successful elementary teachers in widely diverse classrooms. The Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education will be an extended major with increasingly rigorous courses that build upon foundational general studies and introductory education courses for all Elementary Education majors.  All students will graduate with appropriate preparation for initial licensure in Elementary Education in Colorado.  In addition, each student will select from one of six concentrations to specialize their knowledge and skills to meet specific needs of elementary schools.

Requirements for Admission to the Elementary Education Major

Students pursuing the major in Elementary Education must complete the following steps before being formally admitted to the degree program and taking sequence II classes.

1. Attend a teacher application meeting
2. Undergo a background check with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
3. Pass ENG 1010 and ENG 1020 with a grade of C or better, or otherwise prove satisfaction of these course requirements
4. Meet requirements to take MTH 1610: Integrated Mathematics I
5. Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher over the most recent 30 college credits
6. Pass the current approved state assessment for elementary licensure content

Program Requirements

All candidates for a BA in Elementary Education must satisfy General Studies, Multicultural, Global, and all Elementary Education program requirements. A grade of “C” or better is required for each course in the program to count toward the Bachelor’s degree.

Please note: The majority of field experience hours and all clinical experience hours occur during the elementary school day in university designated classrooms supervised by licensed teachers.

General Studies Required Courses

Written Communications (6 credits)

• ENG 1010 - Composing Arguments
    
• ENG 1020 - Freshman Composition: Analysis, Research, and Documentation
    

Oral Communication (3 credits)

• SPE 1010 - Public Speaking
    

Quantitative Literacy (3 credits)

• MTH 1610 - Integrated Mathematics I
    

Arts and Humanities (6 credits)

• ENG 2460 - Introduction to Children’s Literature for Non-English Majors
    
• An approved general studies course

Historical (3 credits)

• HIS 1210 - American History to 1865
    

Natural and Physical Sciences (6 credits)

• SCI 2610 - Integrated Natural Science I
    
• SCI 2620 - Integrated Earth Systems
    

Social and Behavioral Sciences I (3 credits)

• GEG 1000 - World Regional Geography
    

(Note: GEG 1000 also satisfies University ‘Global Diversity’ course requirement)

Social and Behavioral Sciences II (3 credits)

• PSY 1800 - Developmental Educational Psychology
    

Total General Studies Credit Hours: 33