2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog Major in Elementary Education Degrees offered: B.S. and B.S. in Ed.
Major Requirements
Minimum required credit hours: 111
- COM 110 or COM 110a01
- ENG 101
- ENG 170
- GEO 135
- GEO 211
- KNR 222
- MAT 119, MAT 120, MAT 121, MAT 144, MAT 145, MAT 146, or MAT 147
- MAT 130
- MAT 152
- MAT 201
- SED 101
- STT 399a50 (12 credit hours)
- TCH 204
- TCH 205
- TCH 208
- TCH 209
- TCH 247
- TCH 257
- TCH 258
- TCH 260
- TCH 264
- TCH 391
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Take 1 of the following depending on which track below is chosen
Choose one, 9 credit hour, elective track below
English as a Second Language Elective Track - TCH 205 and TCH 248 from above and the following
Reading Teacher Elective Track - ENG 170, TCH 208, TCH 209, TCH 264, TCH 318 from above plus the following
Special Education Elective Track - SED 101 and TCH 318 from above plus the following
Diverse Learner Elective Track - TCH 318 from above plus the following
Notes
University-Wide Teacher Education Requirements
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Graduation Requirements
These are general requirements for all students. Students may apply for and receive two bachelor's degrees at the same time. Refer to the Academic Policies and Practices section of the catalog for details.
- 120 minimum total credit hours
- A minimum of 40 of the 120 total hours must be senior college hours (200-300 level courses)
- AMALI requirement (certain courses in General Education and/or major may fulfill the AMALI requirement)
- IDEAS (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access in U.S. Society) requirement (certain courses in General Education and/or major may fulfill the IDEAS requirement)
- Students completing a Bachelor of Science degree must complete a B.S. - Science, Math, & Technology degree requirement (beyond the General Education requirements)
- Students completing a Bachelor of Arts degree must complete a B.A. - world language degree requirement: LAN/FRE/GER/SPA/ITA/JPN/POR 115 (or equivalent)
- Some majors complete other types of degrees that do not include additional graduation requirements. For example, the Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S. in Ed.) or the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.).
Specific Program Requirements
GEO 135 - AMALI
General Education Requirements
There are three ways to complete general education requirements for Illinois State University. These three general education programs have different requirements and affect only certain types of students.
- The first way is to complete Illinois State University's General Education Program (see below for details).
- The second way is to complete the Illinois Transferable General Education Core Curriculum available through the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) (see below for details).
- The third way is to complete a baccalaureate-oriented Associates Degree (A.A. or A.S.) from a regionally accredited post-secondary institution. For those transferring from an Illinois college or university, the A.S. degree must include the complete IAI General Education Core Curriculum (GECC) or the student must complete the GECC to fulfill Illinois State’s General Education requirement.
Illinois State University's General Education Program
The complete General Education Program consists of 13 courses (39 semester hours). Because of laboratory or recitation requirements, some courses are listed as four or five credit hours in this catalog. All four or five hours will be credited toward graduation requirements, but only three hours will be credited in General Education for these courses. Depending on their major, students may be exempted from one General Education category (maximum of one course) because of disciplinary expertise gained in their major.
- Communication and Composition (2 courses required)
- COM 110 Communication as Critical Inquiry (3 credit hours) - required for all students
- ENG 101 or ENG 101A10 Composition as Critical Inquiry (3 credit hours) - required for all students
- Mathematics (1 course required)
- Natural Science/Natural Science Alternatives (2 courses required) Must complete 1 course from 2 different sciences.
- United States Traditions (1 course required)
- Individuals & Civic Life (1 course required)
- Fine Arts (1 course/3 credit hours required)
- Humanities (1 course required)
- Language in the Humanities (1 course required)
- Quantitative Reasoning for B.S. or LAN 115 for B.A. (1 course required)
- Science, Math, & Technology (1 course required)
- Social Sciences (1 course required)
Program requirements that also fulfill General Education Program Requirements
- COM 110 and ENG 101 - Communication and Composition
- MAT 130 - Mathematics
- BSC 101 or BSC 101A01 - Natural Science
- CHE 102 or PHY 102 - Natural Science
- HIS 135 or HIS 136 - United States Traditions
- POL 101 or POL 106 - Individuals & Civic Life
- ENG 170 - Humanities
- Exempt from Quantitative Reasoning Category due to disciplinary expertise gained in the major
- GEO 211 - Science, Math & Technology
- GEO 135 - Social Sciences
Illinois Articulation Initiative for Transfer Students
To be eligible for IAI, at least one transfer course must have been articulated to an IAI core requirement. Refer to the Undergraduate Catalog for a complete list of IAI courses and policies. The Illinois Transferable General Education Core curriculum consists of 12 to 13 courses (37 to 41 hours of credit) within a five-category designation.
- Communication and Composition (3 courses required)
- A grade of C or better required in ENG 101 and 145 or equivalents
- Mathematics (1 course required)
- Physical & Life Sciences (2 courses/7-8 hours required) Students must complete 1 life science and 1 physical science course; at least 1 course must have a lab.
- Humanities & Fine Arts (3 courses required) At least 1 humanities and 1 fine arts course required
- Social & Behavioral Sciences (3 courses required) Two different disciplines must be represented
Program requirements that also fulfill IAI Program Requirements
- COM 110 and ENG 101 - Communication and Composition
- MAT 152 - Mathematics
- BSC 101 or BSC 101A01 - Life Science
- CHE 102 or PHY 102 - Physical Science
- HIS 135 or HIS 136 - Humanities
- POL 101 or POL 106 - Social & Behavioral Sciences
- ECO 101, ECO 102, ECO 105 - Social & Behavioral Sciences
- GEO 135 - Social & Behavioral Sciences