Program Overview

Elementary Education, Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in elementary education requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including the general education requirements for the degree and at least 83 s.h. for the major. Students must complete College of Education requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree, the elementary education major, and the Teacher Education Program (TEP), including student teaching, and maintain TEP academic and professional standards.

Requirements

• The general education requirements to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree from the College of Education are the GE CLAS Core of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS).
• Undergraduate students who meet the admission requirements of the College of Education may declare the elementary education major.
• Continuation in the major requires admission to the TEP.

Elementary Education Requirements

The BA with a major in elementary education requires the following work.

Foundation Courses

Students may complete the foundation courses before being admitted to the major in elementary education, but the courses are not prerequisite to admission to the major.

• EDTL:2122 Creativity, Imagination, Play, and Human Development through the Arts (3 s.h.)
• EDTL:4900 Foundations of Special Education (3 s.h.)
• EPLS:3000 Foundations of Education (3 s.h.)
• PSQF:1075 Educational Psychology and Measurement (3 s.h.)

First-Year Courses

All new first-year students must take EDTL:2111 Teaching Elementary Learners I: Pursuits and Reflection and EDTL:2112 Teaching Elementary Learners II: Communities and Classrooms in their first two semesters at the university and before full admission to the TEP. Transfer students and students changing colleges take EDTL:2155 Pursuing Core Principles in Elementary Education in their first semester in the major. They may take this course before or after admission to the Teacher Education Program.

• EDTL:2111 Teaching Elementary Learners I: Pursuits and Reflection (2 s.h.)
• EDTL:2112 Teaching Elementary Learners II: Communities and Classrooms (2 s.h.)

Courses for the Major

Admission to the Teacher Education Program is required to register for courses for the major that are offered by the College of Education.

• EDTL:3002 Teaching and Learning Technologies (2 s.h.)
• EDTL:3103 Assessment for Instructional Planning and Practice (3 s.h.)
• EDTL:3120 Methods and Materials: Music for the Classroom Teacher (2 s.h.)
• EDTL:3123 Reading and Responding to Children's Literature (3 s.h.)
• EDTL:3127 Methods and Materials: Physical Education, Health, and Wellness (2 s.h.)
• EDTL:3141 Elementary School Mathematics: Number and Operations (3 s.h.)
• EDTL:3142 Elementary School Mathematics: Geometry and Measurement (3 s.h.)
• EDTL:3160 Reading and Language Arts Methods for Primary Students in Grades K-3 (3 s.h.)
• EDTL:3161 Social Studies for the Elementary Classroom Teacher (3 s.h.)
• EDTL:3163 Methods: Elementary School Mathematics (3 s.h.)
• EDTL:3164 Reading and Language Arts Methods for Intermediate Students in Grades 3-6 (3 s.h.)
• EDTL:3165 Elementary Science Methods I (3 s.h.)
• EDTL:3166 Elementary Science Methods II (3 s.h.)
• EDTL:3170 Elementary Classroom Management (2 s.h.)
• EDTL:3172 Elementary Reading Practicum (4 s.h.)
• EDTL:3174 Elementary Math Practicum (1 s.h.)
• EDTL:3190 Orientation to Elementary Education (2 s.h.)
• EDTL:4171 Diversity and Exceptionalities in Literacy Instruction (3 s.h.)
• EPLS:4180 Human Relations for the Classroom Teacher (3 s.h.)
• STAT:1010 Statistics and Society (3 s.h.) or STAT:1020 Elementary Statistics and Inference (3 s.h.)

Student Teaching

Students seeking initial licensure must complete the following.

• EDTL:4187 Effective Teaching Strategies for the Elementary Teacher: Student Teaching Seminar (3 s.h.)
• EDTL:4190 Supervised Teaching in the Elementary School: Interactive Phase (6 s.h.)
• EDTL:4191 Supervised Teaching in the Elementary School: Pre- and Post-Active Phase (6 s.h.)

Endorsements

The elementary education teacher education program is approved by the state of Iowa as preparation for teaching licensure with the K–6 teacher elementary classroom endorsement. Students have the option of completing one or more endorsements in the following areas: K–8 art, K–8 English/language arts, K–8 history, K–8 mathematics, middle school, K–8 reading, K–8 science, K–8 social studies, K–8 instructional strategist I: mild/moderate, and K–8 speech, communication/theatre.

Teacher Education Program Academic and Professional Standards

State of Iowa teacher preparation standards require that teacher candidates demonstrate the content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to help all students learn. For this reason, the College of Education and the Teacher Education Program have established academic and professional standards that students must maintain.

• University of Iowa cumulative GPA and overall cumulative GPA, based on total hours earned:
  • 0–29 overall earned semester hours: minimum of 1.85 (2.70 for good standing)
  • 30 or more overall earned semester hours: minimum of 2.00 (2.70 for good standing)
  • Non-degree students: minimum of 2.00 (2.70 for good standing)
• TEP major GPA (overall cumulative): minimum of 2.00 (2.70 for good standing)
• University of Iowa term GPA: minimum of 1.50 during fall or spring enrollment
• A grade of C-minus or higher in TEP major courses
• No notices of concern in professional dispositional qualities

Elementary Education With Special Education Subprogram Requirements

Elementary education students may pursue the BA in elementary education with a special education subprogram if they have been admitted to the MA in teaching and learning with a special education subprogram (K–8 instructional strategist I: mild/moderate with no thesis) and complete the MA degree.

BA (Special Education Subprogram)/MA in Teaching and Learning (Special Education Subprogram)

The combined BA in elementary education with a special education subprogram and the MA in teaching and learning with a special education subprogram (K–8 instructional strategist I: mild/moderate; nonthesis) program is available for students. Students are able to earn both degrees in less time than it would take to complete both degrees separately.

Admission

Applicants must:

• be a University of Iowa undergraduate student enrolled in the BA in elementary education TEP program;
• have completed at least 74 s.h.;
• have a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.25 (the admissions committee considers other aspects of an application when the undergraduate GPA is below 3.25); and
• submit a writing sample.

GE CLAS Core

The GE CLAS Core has 11 required areas, grouped into three categories. Students must fulfill the requirements in each GE CLAS Core area.

Communication and Literacy

• Understanding Cultural Perspectives: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• Interpretation of Literature: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• Rhetoric: a minimum of 4 s.h.
• World Languages Pathways: required credit varies (see "World Languages Pathways" in this section of the catalog)

Sustainability

Courses in the Sustainability area focus on identifying concepts and terminology associated with sustainability and systems-thinking, investigating the interconnectedness of human and natural systems, and evaluating how students’ own actions affect and are affected by society’s ability to meet sustainability goals. Students also investigate institutional and/or cultural processes or natural systems processes.

Natural, Quantitative, and Social Sciences

• Natural Sciences: a minimum of 7 s.h.; must include one lab
• Quantitative or Formal Reasoning: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• Social Sciences: a minimum of 3 s.h.

Culture, Society, and the Arts

• Historical Perspectives: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• International and Global Issues: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• Values and Society: a minimum of 3 s.h.

Sample Plan of Study

Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor.

Elementary Education, BA

Plan of Study Grid (Manual) Academic Career

• First Year:
  • Fall:
    • EDTL:2111 Teaching Elementary Learners I: Pursuits and Reflection (2 s.h.)
    • PSQF:1075 Educational Psychology and Measurement (3 s.h.)
    • RHET:1030 Rhetoric: Writing and Communication (3-4 s.h.)
    • GE: Historical Perspectives (3 s.h.)
    • GE: Natural Sciences without Lab (3 s.h.)
    • CSI:1600 Success at Iowa (1 s.h.)
  • Spring:
    • EDTL:2112 Teaching Elementary Learners II: Communities and Classrooms (2 s.h.)
    • EDTL:2122 Creativity, Imagination, Play, and Human Development through the Arts (3 s.h.)
    • ENGL:1200 The Interpretation of Literature (3-4 s.h.)
    • GE: Natural Sciences with Lab (4 s.h.)
    • GE: Social Sciences (3 s.h.)
    • 10-hour pre-admission school field experience
    • Apply to progress for full admission to TEP
• Second Year:
  • Fall:
    • EDTL:3002 Teaching and Learning Technologies (2 s.h.)
    • EDTL:3190 Orientation to Elementary Education (2 s.h.)
    • EDTL:4900 Foundations of Special Education (3 s.h.)
    • EPLS:3000 Foundations of Education (3 s.h.)
    • STAT:1010 Statistics and Society (3 s.h.)
    • GE: International and Global Issues (3 s.h.)
  • Spring:
    • EDTL:3120 Methods and Materials: Music for the Classroom Teacher (2 s.h.)
    • EDTL:3123 Reading and Responding to Children's Literature (3 s.h.)
    • EDTL:3141 Elementary School Mathematics: Number and Operations (3 s.h.)
    • Course for added endorsement or elective course (3 s.h.)
    • Course for added endorsement or elective course (3 s.h.)
• Third Year:
  • Fall:
    • EDTL:3127 Methods and Materials: Physical Education, Health, and Wellness (2 s.h.)
    • EDTL:3160 Reading and Language Arts Methods for Primary Students in Grades K-3 (3 s.h.)
    • EDTL:3161 Social Studies for the Elementary Classroom Teacher (3 s.h.)
    • EDTL:3165 Elementary Science Methods I (3 s.h.)
    • EPLS:4180 Human Relations for the Classroom Teacher (3 s.h.)
  • Spring:
    • EDTL:3163 Methods: Elementary School Mathematics (3 s.h.)
    • EDTL:3164 Reading and Language Arts Methods for Intermediate Students in Grades 3-6 (3 s.h.)
    • EDTL:3166 Elementary Science Methods II (3 s.h.)
    • EDTL:3170 Elementary Classroom Management (2 s.h.)
    • EDTL:3174 Elementary Math Practicum (1 s.h.)
    • Course for added endorsement or elective course (3 s.h.)
    • Apply for student teaching
• Fourth Year:
  • Fall:
    • EDTL:3103 Assessment for Instructional Planning and Practice (3 s.h.)
    • EDTL:3142 Elementary School Mathematics: Geometry and Measurement (3 s.h.)
    • EDTL:3172 Elementary Reading Practicum (4 s.h.)
    • EDTL:4171 Diversity and Exceptionalities in Literacy Instruction (3 s.h.)
    • Course for added endorsement or elective course (3 s.h.)
  • Spring:
    • EDTL:4187 Effective Teaching Strategies for the Elementary Teacher: Student Teaching Seminar (3 s.h.)
    • EDTL:4190 Supervised Teaching in the Elementary School: Interactive Phase (6 s.h.)
    • EDTL:4191 Supervised Teaching in the Elementary School: Pre- and Post-Active Phase (6 s.h.)
    • Degree Application: apply on MyUI before deadline (typically in February for spring, September for fall)