The University of St. Thomas

School of Education

Course of Study for the Elementary K-8 Teaching Licensure

Program Stages


The program coursework and field experiences are designed to assist you in attaining the knowledge, skills and dispositions to ensure your success as an educator. 

Stage One: Exploring The Foundations of Education and Teaching

The Foundations Block is the same regardless of the program you are entering.  These courses designed to help you think about whether you really want to become a teacher and why you will do the things you will do as a teacher.

Education’s Place in Society (EDUC 210 - 4 Credits)

  • Critically analyze the place of education in today’s rapidly changing society.
  • Recognize the similarities and differences in the major philosophical positions and evaluate their impact on current educational practice.
  • Focus on understanding the historic and social perspectives of education including a guided, reflective, in-school field experience.

Field Experience: Introductory (K-12) (EDUC 211- 0 Credits)

  • Field experiences range from 15- 30 hours in a classroom with a supervising teacher.

Human Relations and Multicultural Education (EDUC 212 -4 Credits)

  • Engage teachers in a dialogue concerning the issues of cultural diversity in schools, its impact on the learning process and the construction of human relations.
  • Emphasis will be placed on an education that is multicultural, gender fair and disability aware. 
  • Examine issues such as racism, sexism, oppression, prejudice and discrimination.
  • Equip the participants with pedagogic practices and instructional techniques that respond to social conflicts and stresses within the classroom and that will enable them to create productive learning situations for all students.
  • Fulfill the human diversity requirement in the core curriculum.


Stage Two: Studying Teaching and Learning

Courses in the Teaching and Learning block are designed to help you understand the learners you will be working with and understand how you can affect that learning process.  

Psychology for Teaching and Learning (EDUC 330 - 4 Credits)

  • Integrate psychological principles with strategies for effective instruction.
  • Explore the scientific knowledge base that underlies good teaching practices
  • Learn to apply the principles of educational psychology to their own learning and future teaching through reading, discussion, classroom simulations, school observations and micro-teaching demonstrations.

Field Experience: Middle Level (5-8) (EDUC 331 – 0 Credits)

  • Field experiences range from 15- 30 hours in a classroom with a supervising teacher.

Language Development, Literacy and Literature I (EDUC 350 -4 Credits)

  • Introduce the pre-service teacher to the theory and practice of elementary curriculum and instruction in the areas of reading, language arts, and children’s literature.
  • Emphasize the importance of teaching in an integrated manner to students of diverse socio-economic backgrounds and cultures.
  • Present developmentally appropriate practice for kindergarten, primary, and intermediate grades, the current knowledge base of research, and development and literary processes as a foundation for understanding curricular development in and applications of literacy in the elementary classroom.

Stage Three: Content for Teaching

During this term you will be learning how to meet your K-12 students’ needs and how to challenge them with exciting, in-depth, relevant learning.

Field Experience: Primary (K-4) (EDUC 369-0 Credits)

  • Field experiences range from 15- 30 hours in a classroom with a supervising teacher.

Language Development, Literacy and Literature II (EDUC 370 – 2 Credits)

  • Introduce the pre-service teacher to the theory and practice of elementary curriculum and instruction in the areas of reading, language arts and children’s literature.
  • Emphasize the importance of teaching in an integrated manner to students of diverse socio-economic backgrounds and cultures.
  • Present developmentally appropriate practice for kindergarten, primary and intermediate grades, and the current knowledge base of research and recommendations for professional development.
  • Extend the foundations in language, literacy and children’s literature presented in the initial course to classroom applications in composing processes (writer’s workshop), assessment and evaluation, content area reading and interdisciplinary instruction.
  •  Includes field-based experiences.

Teaching Mathematics and Technology (EDUC 371 -4 Credits)

  • Prepare teachers who will effectively engage learners with mathematics and technology.
  • Emphasize on developmentally appropriate practice for a range of learners in kindergarten, primary and intermediate grades, curriculum content and sources, performance-based assessment strategies, connections with community resources, national and state standards, lesson and unit planning and curriculum and technology integration.
  • Include field-based experiences.

Teaching Science and Healthy, Active Living (EDUC 372 - 4 Credits)

  • Prepare teachers who will effectively engage learners with science and help them have the skills for lifelong healthy, active living.
  • Emphasize on developmentally appropriate practice for a range of learners in kindergarten, primary and intermediate grades, curriculum content and sources, instructionally based assessment strategies, connections with community resources, national and state standards, lesson and unit planning and curriculum and technology integration.
  • Include field-based experiences.

Teaching Social Studies and Fine Arts (EDUC 372 -4 Credits)

  • Overview of the social studies and fine arts for the elementary teacher that develops a civic and cultural awareness respectful of human diversity.
  • Identify national and state standards, unit and lesson planning, instructional resources and technology, teaching and assessment strategies, and curriculum integration are addressed.
  • Include field-based experiences.

Seminar in Middle Level Concentration Area (EDUC 374 -0 Credits)

  • Emphasize on developmentally appropriate practice for a range of learners in grades 5 though 8, expanding the content, curriculum and instructional strategies students gain through their K-6 methods courses.
  • Identify age-appropriate, performance-based assessment strategies; connections with community resources; national and state standards; lesson and unit planning; and curriculum and technology integration will be covered.

Stage Four: Reflective Practice Block

During the fourth and final stage of teacher preparation, you will complete the following:

Introduction to Exceptionality (EDUC 456 - 2 Credits)

  • Provide an overview of students identified as gifted and talented, students with disabilities (learning disabilities, mental retardation, emotional or behavioral disabilities and sensory and physical impairments), etiology and appropriate interventions for exceptional students.
  • Disucuss the current issues and research in the field of exceptionality (legal rights, integration and best practices).

Refer to our catalog for course descriptions with greater detail.