Elementary Education Major
Teacher Licensure Program
The Elementary Education major prepares candidates for Initial Licensure as a teacher of children in a public school classroom, grades 1 through 6. The program of study is based upon a broad liberal arts foundation and an integrated professional teacher preparation program. A course waiver process is available for transfer students where appropriate. Fieldwork accompanies most education courses and is required and needed as a necessary component of the program. It should be noted that student prepracticum experience should include a wide variety of field settings. Students should attend different and varied schools in urban, rural and suburban settings. They should also vary their placements and grade levels in different school buildings within districts to insure a well rounded experience.
It is understood that if students do not abide by these fieldwork directives, they will be asked to redo their hours for prepracticum. The Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL) is embedded in the program at various stages and must be passed for completion of the program and licensure.
Requirements for a Major in Elementary Education: 42 credits
ED 148 Foundations of Reading
ED 155 Teaching and Learning Elementary School
ED 250 Educational Psychology
ED 275 Curriculum and Instruction in Elementary Education
ED 320 Elementary Science
ED 325 Elementary Math
ED 330 Elementary Social Studies & Multiculturalism
ED 343 Elementary Reading Language Arts & Literature
ED 425 Seminar: Applying Educational Principles
ED 435 Student Teaching in the Elementary School
MA 130 Number and Operations for Teachers
Prerequisite Courses:
MA 131 Patterns, Functions and Algebra for Teachers
MA 132 Geometry, Measurement, Probability
and Statistics for Teachers
PS 210 Child Growth and Development
Recommended Courses:
HE 150 Health and Physical Education for the Teacher or
HE 140 Creative Arts and Health
Students will also be required to take specific liberal arts and science courses to satisfy foundation and distribution requirements.
Elementary Education majors seeking Initial Licensure must also complete an academic major in the arts or sciences offered at the University and approved by the Department.
Admission to the Elementary Education Major
Students planning to major in Elementary Education will progress through a three-stage process. Each stage must be satisfactorily completed before passage to the next stage.
Stage I Elementary Education Major
1. Competence in communication skills as demonstrated by completion of the following course with a grade of C or higher:
EN 102 English Composition II (or equivalent)
2. Competence in Math with a grade of C- or higher.
MA 130 Numbers and Operations for Teachers
MA 131 Patterns, Functions and Algebra for Teachers
MA 132 Geometry, Measurement, Probability and Statistics for Teachers
3. Students must submit a Criminal Offender Records Information (CORI) check application and be approved prior to doing classroom observations in Worcester Public Schools. No student is allowed to do fieldwork unless approval of the CORI has been
received from the state.
4. Students demonstrate potential for teaching children by completing the following courses with a grade of C+ or higher in ALL prerequisite courses AND a prerequisite AND cumulative GPA of 2.5 (with the exception of Math Concepts).
PS 210 Child Growth and Development
ED 155 Teaching and Learning in the Elementary School
ED 250 Educational Psychology
ED 275 Curriculum and Instruction in Elementary Education
5. Students must have received a passing score on the Communication and Literacy Skills Tes(MTEL).
6. Any departure from the prescribed program of study for teacher licensure must have Waiver Committee approval prior to advancement to Stage II.
Stage II Elementary Education Major
1. Upon satisfactory completion of Stage I requirements, the student is eligible to apply for formal admission to the Elementary Education Major. The application must include a satisfactory physical examination, Mantoux test results, MTEL test results and transcripts of all previous course work. Approval by the Education Department is necessary for a student to progress to Stage II.
2. During Stage II, students must complete the following with a Grade of C+ or higher in ALL prerequisite courses AND a prerequisite AND cumulative GPA of 2.7. Fieldwork accompanies the following methods courses.
ED 320 Elementary Science
ED 325 Elementary Math
ED 330 Elementary Social Studies & Multiculturalism
ED 343 Elementary Reading, Language Arts and Literature
3. Students must have received a passing score on the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL) in Communication and Literacy Skills, Foundations of Reading and
the new General Curriculum Test for Elementary Majors which includes a separately scored Mathematics subtest.
Stage III Elementary Education Major – Practicum
1. Upon satisfactory completion of Stage II requirements,
the student is eligible to apply for formal admission into the
Practicum, ED 435 Practicum Teaching: Elementary School
(Corequisite ED 425).
2. Students must have received a passing score on the
Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL) in
Communication and Literacy Skills, Foundations of Reading
and the new General Curriculum Test for Elementary Majors
which includes a separately scored Mathematics subtest.
3. The Stage III application will be reviewed and acted upon by
the Licensure Officer.
4. Students must have attained senior standing (90 credits of
course work) to student teach.
5. Students convicted of a felony may be denied admission to
student teaching.
Any departure from the prescribed program of study for teacher licensure must have approval from the Chair of the Education Department.
Additional information regarding formal application into student teaching is available from the Education Department.