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Elementary Education

This is an archived copy of the 2021-2022 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.iastate.edu.

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A degree in elementary education at Iowa State prepares you to teach all subjects at the elementary school level (grades K-6). Program completers can be recommended for licensure to the Iowa Board of Education Examiners.  

In addition to pursuing a degree in Elementary Education, candidates are required to pursue an endorsement in at least one additional area. Candidates will be prepared to teach students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade in this area of specialization. Endorsements in the following areas are available for elementary education majors:

  • K-8 English/language arts
  • K-12 English as a Second Language (ESL)
  • K-8 Health
  • K-8 Mathematics
  • K-8 Science
  • K-8 Social studies
  • K-8 Special education (Instructional Strategist I: Mild/Moderate Disabilities K-8)  In addition, candidates can choose to pursue endorsements in K-8 Reading and K-12 Coaching.

Additional information about endorsements can be found at: https://www.education.iastate.edu/find-majors/elementary-education/

Curriculum in Elementary Education

Educator Preparation Program Admission Requirements

In addition to being admitted to Iowa State University and departmental programs/majors, educator preparation candidates must be admitted to the Educator Preparation Program prior to beginning advanced coursework.

Educator Preparation Program Admission Requirements are provided in Educator Preparation Policy.

To access the Policy: Decision Point 1 - Admission to the Teacher Education Program, please follow this link: https://iastate.box.com/s/vnp2dt4sihtu99ilym531y1lnjkrb4e9

To access the Policy: Decision Point 1 - Early Admission to the Teacher Education Program for Transfer Students, please follow this link: https://iastate.box.com/s/o45gppndbjxa3j9fm9pwvwrk9cc92jzb

Degree Requirements

120 total credits minimum required

Communications and Library: 10 credits

ENGL 150Critical Thinking and Communication **3
ENGL 250Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition **3
LIB 160Information Literacy1
Communication course from approved Elementary Education list *3
Total Credits10

*Must receive a "C-" or above
**Must receive a "C" or above

Mathematics: 9 credits

MATH 195Mathematics for Elementary Education I *3
MATH 196Mathematics for Elementary Education II *3
Math Option from approved Elementary Education list *3
Total Credits9

*Must receive a "C-" or above

Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Earth/Space Sciences: 9 credits

Biological Sciences course from approved Elementary Education list *3
Physical Sciences course from approved Elementary Education list *3
Earth/Space Sciences course from approved Elementary Education list *3
Total Credits9

*Must receive a "C-" or above

Social Sciences: 9 credits

PSYCH or SOC Option from approved Elementary Education list *3
Social Sciences course from approved Elementary Education list *3
Social Sciences course from approved Elementary Education list *3
Total Credits9

*Must receive a "C-" or above

Humanities: 6 credits

HIST 221Survey of United States History I *3
or HIST 222 Survey of United States History II
Humanities courses from approved Elementary Education list *3

*Must receive a "C-" or above

Orientation and Initial Field Experience: 2 credits

EDUC 216Learning Community Orientation to Teacher Education1
or EDUC 315 Transfer Orientation
EDUC 280NPre-Student Teaching Experience I: Learning Community1
or EDUC 280T Pre-Student Teaching Experience I: Tutoring
Total Credits2

 Professional Education Core: 21 credits

EDUC 201Educational Technologies in the PK-6 Classroom **3
EDUC 205Social Foundations of Education in the United States: Early Childhood and Elementary Education **3
SP ED 250Education of the Exceptional Learner in a Diverse Society **3
EDUC 245Landscape of Teaching **3
HD FS 102Individual and Family Development, Health, and Well-being **3
or PSYCH 230 Developmental Psychology
EDUC 332Educational Psychology of Early Childhood and Elementary Education3
HD FS 240Literature for Children **3
Total Credits21

 **Must receive a "C" or above

Block I: Literacy and Mathematics Methods and Social Justice Education: 12 Credits

EDUC 377Teaching Literacy in the Primary Grades **4
EDUC 405Social Justice Education and Teaching: Early Childhood and Elementary **3
EDUC 448Teaching Children Mathematics **3
EDUC 468APre-Student Teaching Experience III: Primary Grades, Reading and Language Arts **1
EDUC 468CPre-Student Teaching Experience III: Primary Grades, Mathematics **1
Total Credits12

 **Must receive a "C" or above

Block II: Literacy, Science, and Social Studies Methods: 12 credits

EDUC 378Teaching Literacy in the Intermediate Grades **4
EDUC 443The Teaching of Social Studies **3
EDUC 449The Teaching of Science **3
EDUC 468BPre-Student Teaching Experience III: Intermediate Grades, Reading and Language Arts **1
EDUC 468DPre-Student Teaching Experience III: Intermediate Grades, Science **1
Total Credits12

 **Must receive a "C" or above

Related Methods: 7 credits

KIN 284Elementary and Pre-school Movement Education **3
or H S 275 Health Education in the Elementary School
MUSIC 265Music in Elementary Education **2
ARTED 209Methods of Teaching in and Through Art **2
Total Credits7

**Must receive a "C" or above

Primary Endorsement Area: Credits Vary

Minimum grade of a “C” required for all EDUC/C I, HD FS, and SP ED courses and all content-specific pedagogy/methods courses. Minimum grade of "C-" required for all other courses in endorsement areas. 

Primary Endorsement Options:

  • K-8 English/language arts
  • K-12 English as a Second Language (ESL)
  • K-8 Health
  • K-8 Mathematics
  • K-8 Science
  • K-8 Social studies
  • K-8 Special education (Instructional Strategist I: Mild/Moderate Disabilities K-8). 

Additional information about endorsements can be found at https://www.education.iastate.edu/find-majors/elementary-education/

Student Teaching: 16 credits

EDUC 416ASupervised Student Teaching - Elementary: Primary grades (K-3) **8
EDUC 416BSupervised Student Teaching - Elementary: Intermediate grades (4-6) **8
Total Credits16

**Must receive a "C" or above

Total Credits: 120 minimum credits (credits will vary depending on endorsement option)

U.S. Diversity and International Perspectives Requirements: Students in elementary education fulfill the U.S. Diversity requirement with SP ED 250 or HD FS 240. Students in elementary education fulfill the International perspectives requirement by choosing three credits of coursework from university-approved Humanities or Social Sciences courses included on the Elementary Education approved options sheet.

Additional Endorsement

Candidates can pursue any of the primary endorsement areas listed above and in the following areas:

  • K-8 Reading
  • K-12 Coaching

Information about these endorsements can be found at: https://iastate.app.box.com/s/m4tr3ogr9ouwmiubz5dhv9catryr2jqf
Contact an Elementary Education academic advisor for additional information.

Educator Preparation Program Completion Requirements:

In order to be recommended for licensure, candidates must have completed all degree program requirements and be considered an Educator Preparation Program Completer. To access the policy: Decision Point 3 - Recommendation for Licensure, please follow this link: https://iastate.box.com/s/s6l016zuyu0r7v7alw426d6bosai6zo3

Elementary Education, B.S.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
EDUC 2053EDUC 280N0.5-1
EDUC 2161SP ED 2503
PSYCH 230 or HD FS 1023MATH 1953
ENGL 1503HIST 221 or 2223
LIB 1601Science Option 13
Social Science Option3PSYCH or SOC Option3
 14 15.5-16
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
EDUC 2013EDUC 2453
HD FS 2403EDUC 3323
ENGL 2503Biological Science Option 33
MATH 1963Math Option3
Science Option 23Endorsement Area3
Apply/Accepted to Educator Preparation Program  
 15 15
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
Block I Block II 
EDUC 3774EDUC 3784
EDUC 4053EDUC 4433
EDUC 4483EDUC 4493
EDUC 468A1EDUC 468B1
EDUC 468C1EDUC 468D1
Social Science Option3Endorsement Area3
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
ARTED 2092Student Teaching: 
KIN 284 or H S 2753EDUC 416A8
MUSIC 2652EDUC 416B8
Communications Option3 
Humanities Option/Endorsement Area3 
Apply for Student Teaching  
Praxis Subject Assessments  
Apply for Graduation  
 13 16

Total Credits: 120 and above

It is our expectation that students know the requirements of their academic program and develop and follow an academic plan based on their academic catalog and degree audit using their individual academic advisor as a resource in this process.