Elementary Education, B.A.

The Elementary Education program is for future teachers who wish to teach grades 1–6. Successful completion of the program enables students to apply for licensure by entitlement in Illinois for a Professional Educator License endorsed for self-contained general education.

Admissions Requirements:

Admission to the Elementary Education program is a two step process. In the first step, students are preliminary admitted to National Louis University. Preliminary admission is also granted based on the TAP or ISBE approved alternative test scores. In the second step, students must be fully admitted to the program before beginning their Elementary Education Professional Sequence courses.

Full Admission requirements for students beginning Elementary Education Professional Sequence courses:

A passing score on the Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) or ISBE approved alternative
Successful completion of GEN 103
Successful completion of all General Education and Foundational courses
Achieve a GPA of 2.5 or better on all previous coursework, with grade of "C" or better in all courses
Successful completion of 45 pre-clinical observation hours

Program Details:

Requires 180 QH, including 60 QH of General Education, for completion
60 QH of coursework must be completed at NLU
Credit by examination is accepted for general education and elective credit
The Professional Education Sequence must be taken at NLU
A minimum grade of “C” in all courses in the program is required
Faculty reviews each student during his or her Professional Sequence to determine continued eligibility in the Elementary Education program
Completion of a minimum of 100 clock hours of preclinical experience (practicum) is required prior to student teaching
Requires student teaching. Student teachers spend a minimum of 11 weeks in the classroom at an assigned school.
Requires practicum I, II, and III
Requires field-based experience hours in ELE 210, SPE 300, EPS 300, RLL 220, ELE 300, CIL 300, ELE 415, ELE 425, and ELE 470A
Requires the following courses to be completed within 6 years of degree completion: ELE 300, SPE 300, TIE 300, ELE 350, ELE 410, ELE 415, ELE 420, ELE 425, RLL 478, RLL 479, MHE 480A, SCE 480A, CIS 480A, ELE 470A, and ELE 470B
Candidates must complete a second major or minor, listed below

Second Major options:

Minor options:

Required Courses

Student Success Seminar- 5 QH

GEN 103

Student Success Seminar

Communications- 15 QH

ENG 101	Beginning English Composition	5
ENG 201	Intermediate English Composition	5
ENG 203	Effective Speaking for the Undergraduate	5

Humanities- 5 QH

ENG 210

Children’s Literature for Educators

Note: Students transferring credit from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may only use a course in Children’s Literature substantially equivalent to the NLU’s course at the discretion of the program.

Fine Arts- 5 QH

ART 101

Basic Art Appreciation

Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in Introductory Art, Music, or Theater including any Fine Arts History or Appreciation. Studio Arts and Performance courses cannot be used to fulfill the licensure requirement.

Quantitative Reasoning- 10 QH

MTH 105	Math for Educators I	5
MTH 115	Math for Educators II	5

Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in mathematics content for teachers substantially equivalent to the NLU's course at the discretion of the program.

Physical and Life Sciences- 5 QH

One course must have a lab.

SCI 101	Physical Science	5
	or
SCI 102	Survey of Biological Science with Lab	5

SCI 101 Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in Physical Science, General Chemistry, Chemistry and Society, General Physics, Physics and Society, or Earth Science, which covers at least four areas of physical science.

SCI 102 Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in general biology or other life science.

Social Sciences- 10 QH

HIS 102	Introduction to Political Science	5
	and
HIS 203	Survey of U.S. History	5

Notes: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in Politics or Government and coursework in U.S. History to fulfill the licensure program requirements.

Behavioral Science- 5 QH

PSY 101

Introduction to Psychology

Notes: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in general psychology substantially equivalent to the NLU's course at the discretion of the program.

Additional General Education Requirements - 18 QH

SCI 101	Physical Science	5
	or
SCI 102	Survey of Biological Science with Lab	5
	and
ECO 254	Global Economics	5
SCE 205	Scientific Inquiry for Teachers	4
MHE 205	Mathematical Thinking for Elementary Teachers	4

SCI 102 Note: Students transferring coursework from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may use other coursework in general biology or other life science.

ECO 254 Notes: Students transferring credit from other institutions or applying coursework previously completed at NLU may only transfer in coursework in World Geography and Economic (both courses must have been taken) or Introductory Economic Geography.

Undergraduate Core- 16 QH

ELE 210	History and Philosophy of Education	3
EPS 300	Educational Psychology: Theory in Classroom Practice	5
SPE 300	Introduction to Special Education and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities	5
TIE 300	Introduction to Technology in the Classroom	3

Foundational Requirements- 18 QH

ELE 300	Practicum I Seminar and Field Experience	4
ELE 345	Methods of Teaching Arts Education	3
ELE 347	Methods of Teaching Health and Physical Education	3
ELE 350	Theories and Practices of Curriculum and Assessment	3
CIL 300	Foundations of ESL and Bilingual Education	5

Professional Sequence - 38 QH

ELE 410	Elementary Education Practicum II Seminar	3
ELE 415	Elementary Education Practicum II Field Experience	2
ELE 420	Elementary Education Practicum III Seminar	3
ELE 425	Elementary Education Practicum III Field Experience	2
RLL 478	Literacy Methods I	3
RLL 479	Literacy Methods II	3
CIS 480A	Methods of Teaching Social Studies	3
MHE 480A	Methods of Teaching Mathematics	4 TO 5
SCE 480A	Methods of Teaching Science	3
ELE 470A	Elementary Education Student Teaching Field Experience	10
ELE 470B	Elementary Education Student Teaching Seminar	2

Second Major - 45 QH

See links to majors above

Minor - 30 QH

See links to minors above

Elementary Education Student Teaching Enrollment Requirements

Admission to and continuance in student teaching are contingent on the following actions.

Candidates must:

Be accepted into the Undergraduate College of Education
File, by the designated deadline, the application form for student teaching
Submit to their advisor a report of a TB test taken within 90 days of the student teaching placement, results of criminal background check and acknowledgement of Mandated Reporter status form
Pass the Elementary Education (Grades 1-6) Content Area Test (197-200) prior to Practicum III (a linked placement with student teaching)
Complete all of their licensure courses except for ELE 470A and ELE 470B (Student Teaching)
Pass all methods courses at National Louis University with an average grade of C or better
Participate in program assessment
Provide evidence (through professional disposition assessment) of emotional stability, adequate personality adjustment, competency, timeliness and responsibility for work in the field of education

For more information about this program, visit http://www.nl.edu/academics/educationbachelors/baelementaryeducation/