Elementary Education, B.S.E.

The elementary education curriculum includes a solid core of general education and content courses designed to provide a broad background for prospective teachers by developing knowledge, skills and attitudes, that lead to effective teaching. Many courses in the major require participation in field experiences prior to yearlong residency / student teaching.

System-wide General Education Requirement (30 Credits)

Majors must take MATH 102 or a course requiring MATH 102 as a prerequisite; POLS 100 or GEOG 200 ; and HIST 151 or HIST 152 or HIST 256 as part of the System-wide General Education Requirement.

Institutional Graduation Requirement (11 Credits)

Majors must take EPSY 210 as part of the Institutional Graduation Requirement.

Note

Students must complete 30 hours of system-wide general education courses in their first 64 credit hours.

¹ No grade less than a “C”; must be completed prior to admission to Teacher Education.

²Requires field experience.

Professional Education Courses (79 Credits)

CIS 350 - Computer Hardware, Data Communications and Networking 3 credits
EDFN 295 - Practicum: Pre-Admission 1 credit
EDFN 338 - Foundations of American Education 1-2 credits (2 credits required)^{1, 2}
EDFN 365 - Computer-Based Technology & Learning 2-3 credits (3 credits required) ²
EDFN 475 - Human Relations 3 credits
ELED 303 - Earth and Physical Science for Elementary Teachers 3-4 credits (4 credits required)
EPSY 302 - Educational Psychology 2-3 credits (3 credits required)^{1, 2}
LIBM 205 - Children’s Literature 2 credits
MATH 341 - Math Concepts for Teachers I 3 credits
MATH 342 - Math Concepts for Teachers II 3 credits
SPED 100 - Introduction to Persons with Exceptionalities 2-3 credits (3 credits required) ^{1, 2}
Note: Admission to the Teacher Education Program is required for the remaining courses.
EDER 415 - Educational Assessment 2 credits
EDFN 401 - Methods of Educational Technology 1 credit
EDFN 440 - Classroom Management 1-3 credits (2 credits required)
EDFN 465 - Multimedia Web Development in Education 2-3 credits (2 credits required)
ELED 310 - K-8 Methods of Music, Art and Drama 2 credits
ELED 320 - K-8 Science Methods 2-3 credits (3 credits required) ²
ELED 330 - K-8 Math Methods 2-3 credits (3 credits required) ²
ELED 360 - K-8 Social Science Methods 2 credits ²
ELED 440 - K-8 Language Arts Methods 2-3 credits (2 credits required) ²
ELED 450 - K-8 Reading Methods 2-3 credits (3 credits required) ²
ELED 454 - Literacy: Data Based Reflective Teaching 2-3 credits (2 credits required) ²
ELED 459 - Introduction to Literacy Assessment and Remediation 1-3 credits (3 credits required)
ELED 462 - Teaching English: New Language 2 credits
ELED 488 - K-8 Student Teaching 2-16 credits (8 credits required)
GEOG 312 - Geography for Elementary Teachers 1-3 credits (2 credits required)
HLTH 420 - K-12 Methods of Health Instruction 1-3 credits (1 credit required)
INED 211 - South Dakota American Indian Culture and Education 3 credits
MLED 300 - Survey of Middle Level Education 1 credit
PE 360 - K-8 Physical Education Methods 1-2 credits (1 credit required) ^₂
SPED 441 - Inclusive Methods for Diverse Learners 1-2 credits (2 credits required)
SPED 460 - Family Systems and Professional Collaboration 2-3 credits (2 credits required)

Yearlong Residency / Student Teaching

Teacher candidates complete a yearlong residency / student teaching capstone experience during the final two semesters prior to graduation. Placements are made in districts with which the College of Education has a formal partnership and whose personnel are trained in the co-teaching model. Out-of-area placements are not granted for the yearlong residency / student teaching experience.