About the Program
Elementary Education reflects what is known about the best, evidence-based practices in teacher education and is aligned with state and national standards for elementary school teacher preparation. Our professional courses and seminars are paired with extensive experiences in the community and partner schools, culminating in expanded student teaching across two semesters. The program prepares teachers who have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to:
(a) revitalize classrooms and communities by providing opportunities for all students to learn and flourish,
(b) see themselves and learners as meaning-makers who construct knowledge and understanding,
(c) approach teaching and learning from a stance of inquiry, and
(d) collaboratively advocate for the profession, students, communities, and the natural world through what and how they teach (content and pedagogical practice).
The Elementary Education program prepares professionals who are attentive to the needs of all students and supports specialization in one or more learner pathways (i.e., students who are learning English as a new language, students with gifts and talents, students with disabilities). The Elementary Education plan of study outlines the required courses to complete the degree for licensure.
This program meets state and national licensure standards and is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the State of Indiana, State Board of Education. See Teacher Licensure Information in the plan below.
For more information about the degree program, visit the COE Office of Advising and Recruiting.
Elementary Education Major Change (CODO) Requirements
Departmental/Program Major Course Requirements (84-86 credits)
All required Major, Professional Education, Reading Concentration and Learner Specialty Pathway/Concentration courses are calculated into the 2.5 Overall Teacher Education GPA requirement with no grade lower than a “C”.
College of Education Pass/No Pass Option Policy
Education majors (which includes the total credit hour requirement to fulfill General Education: Educational Studies and General Education: Curriculum & Instruction) are not eligible to receive P/NP for required courses on your plan of study. Only electives and courses at the 500+ level can have a grade mode change.
Spring 2020 was the only exception approved for the entire campus.
World Language Courses
World Language proficiency requirements vary by program. The following list is inclusive of all world languages PWL offers for credit; for acceptable languages and proficiency levels, see your advisor. (ASL-American Sign Language; ARAB-Arabic; CHNS-Chinese; FR-French; GER-German; GREK-Greek(Ancient); HEBR-Hebrew(Biblical); HEBR-Hebrew(Modern); ITAL-Italian; JPNS-Japanese; KOR-Korean; LATN-Latin; PTGS-Portuguese; RUSS-Russian; SPAN-Spanish)
Critical Course
The ♦ course is considered critical.
In alignment with the Degree Map Guidance for Indiana’s Public Colleges and Universities, published by the Commission for Higher Education (pursuant to HEA 1348-2013), a Critical Course is identified as “one that a student must be able to pass to persist and succeed in a particular major. Students who want to be nurses, for example, should know that they are expected to be proficient in courses like biology in order to be successful. These would be identified by the institutions for each degree program.”
Disclaimer
The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements. Consultation with an advisor may result in an altered plan customized for an individual student. The myPurduePlan powered by DegreeWorks is the knowledge source for specific requirements and completion.
Comparative information about Purdue University and other U.S. educational institutions is also available through the College Navigator tool, provided by the National Center for Education Statistics, and through the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
