Education Minor (Advanced Standing Minor that can be applied toward GR degree)

The Education Minor will broaden students’ knowledge and skill sets in the area of Education. Students will understand how context of learning influences the way in which teachers support student learning. Students will learn how to plan, implement and reflect on teaching. The coursework will prepare students to make decisions that consider schools, families and communities in diverse contexts. This will build their critical thinking skills, communication skills in a multicultural environment and support their understanding of learning thereby helping them become better learners.

This Minor serves as an Advanced Pathway to the M.A.T. degree and teacher licensure in Elementary Education. The Advanced Pathway to the M.A.T. provides a route to teacher licensure for students who are in the process of completing a B.A. degree that does not lead to licensure. Specifically, the Advanced Pathway will serve transfer students and or degree completion students, who have not already completed early education courses. The Advanced Pathway allows these undergraduate students to begin graduate coursework towards licensure and the M.A.T., while completing their B.A. degree.

The Minor is offered in a blended and fully online formats.

Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

At the completion of the Education Minor:

The candidate demonstrates understanding of how learners grow and develop, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.
The candidate uses understanding of individual needs, differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure an inclusive learning environment.
The candidate works with colleagues, families, and communities to establish positive, collaborative and supportive learning environments that encourage active engagement in learning and self- motivation.
The candidate utilizes the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline to create learning experiences that make the content accessible and meaningful for learners.
The candidate connects concepts and uses differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to real world issues.
The candidate uses multiple methods of assessment to monitor learner progress, guide decision-making and to engage learners in their own growth.
The candidate plans instruction that supports students by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.
The candidate designs and applies a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop understanding of content areas and to build skills and apply knowledge in meaningful ways.
The candidate engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to evaluate their practice and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.
The candidate seeks appropriate leadership opportunities to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.

Minor Details:

Requires 25 QH for completion
Requires a minimum grade of "B" for each course in the Minor
Requires completion of the following General Education coursework determined by transcript evaluation prior to the beginning of the Education Minor courses:
- Science- coursework covering at least three of the following areas: physical, life science, and earth & space
- Social Science- coursework covering at least four of the following areas: history, geography, civics and government, economics of Illinois, US and the world
Qualified candidates may apply up to 25 QH of the Education Minor toward M.A.T. in Elementary Education

This is an advanced standing concentration that can be applied toward specific graduate degrees; see more details below.

Required Courses

Education Minor - 25 QH

CIL 431	Cross Cultural Education	5
ELE 400	Elementary Education Practicum I: Teaching and Learning in Diverse Settings	5
ELE 445	Methods for Teaching Arts Education	2
ELE 447	Methods for Teaching Health and Physical Education	2
EPS 411	Human Learning and Development in Instructional Contexts	3
FND 410	Social Justice Perspectives on the History and Philosophy of American Education	3
MHE 442	Mathematics for Elementary and Middle School Teachers	5

Advanced standing requirements:

Students completing the advanced standing courses in the Education minor are eligible to have these courses applied to degree requirements both in their current undergraduate program and, upon meeting eligibility criteria and acceptance, to the specifically designed NLU graduate program. This concentration serves as an advanced pathway to the Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education (M.A.T.) program. To be eligible, students must complete the advanced standing courses at NLU. Students should contact their Academic Advisor for details as certain rules apply.