Jun 17, 2026  
2026-2027 University Catalog 
    
2026-2027 University Catalog

Elementary Education, BA

Location(s): West Lafayette


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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  

Degree Requirements


120 Credits Required

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”.

Major Courses (53-55 credits)


Required Reading Concentration (13 credits)


Required Learner Pathway Specialty Concentration (9 credits)


Elementary Education majors must choose one Learner Specialty Concentration to complete.

Electives (0-4 credits)


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GPA Requirements


  • 2.5 Graduation GPA is required for this Bachelor of Arts degree.
  • 2.5 Overall GPA is required for the Teacher Education Program.

Teacher Licensure Information


Successful completion of this baccalaureate program and the State of Indiana licensure requirements result in an Indiana initial instructional license. Contact the Office of Teacher Education and Licensure for additional information regarding Teacher Education and licensure requirements.

Office of Teacher Education and Licensure

Teacher Education Program (TEP) Requirements and Milestones  

Indiana Licensure information

 

Refer to the Teacher Education Program (TEP) Requirements and Milestones  for an Overview/Summary for TEP and Licensure Requirements. Additional requirements may apply and are dependent on the assigned major, catalog year, and/or changes in Indiana Standards and Licensure Rules.

A prescribed list of Teacher Education Program Requirements and Milestones by major is delineated within the required 2026-2027 Teacher Education Program Requirements and Milestones Brightspace Course.   

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. 

University Requirements


University Core Requirements


For a complete listing of University Core Course Selectives, visit the University Senate Website.
  • AI Working Competency (UCC: AI)
  • Human Cultures: Behavioral/Social Science (UCC: BSS)
  • Human Cultures: Humanities (UCC: HUM)
  • Information Literacy (UCC: IL)
  • Oral Communication (UCC: OC)
  • Quantitative Reasoning (UCC: QR)
  • Science #1 (UCC: SCI)
  • Science #2 (UCC: SCI)
  • Science, Technology, and Society (UCC: STS)
  • Written Communication (UCC: WC) 

Civics Literacy Proficiency Requirement


The Civics Literacy initiative is designed to develop civic knowledge of Purdue students to graduate a more informed citizenry. For more information visit the Civics Literacy - Office of the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning - Purdue University.

To obtain the Civics Literacy credential, all Baccalaureate degree seeking students will complete the  Civics Literacy Podcast pathway - Complete 12 podcasts created by the Purdue Center for C-SPAN Scholarship & Engagement that use C-SPAN material and pass the required quizzes per episode.  After the pathway has been successfully completed, students will take the Civics Literacy knowledge test.  Civics Literacy does not impact a student’s GPA or bear any financial costs. 

More details about each pathway and how to complete the requirement can be found on the Civics Literacy Student Dashboard in myPurdue.

Upper Level Requirement


  • Resident study at Purdue University for at least two semesters and the enrollment in and completion of at least 32 semester hours of coursework required and approved for the completion of the degree. These courses are expected to be at least junior-level (30000+) courses.
  • Students should be able to fulfill most, if not all, of these credits within their major requirements; there should be a clear pathway for students to complete any credits not completed within their major.

Sample 4-Year Plan


The following sample plan of study is a suggested arrangement of courses. Consultation with an advisor may result in an altered plan customized for an individual student.

16 Credits


16 Credits


16 Credits


Spring 2nd Year


16-18 Credits


Fall 3rd Year


17 Credits


Spring 3rd Year


15 Credits


Fall 4th Year


12-14 Credits


Spring 4th Year


12 Credits


Pre-Requisite Information


For pre-requisite information, log in to mypurdue.purdue.edu and click here.

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.

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