General Education Curriculum

Written Communication (6 hours)

Natural Science (8-10 hours minimum)

Select 2 courses with labs:

Humanities (9 hours)

Select 2 courses, 1 history required:

Aesthetic Values (3 hours)

Select 1 course:

Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)

Select 2 courses:

Mathematics (3 hours)

Writing-Intensive Requirement (3 hours)

ENG 101 & ENG 102 prerequisites

Speaking Intensive Requirement

Select 1 course:

Capstone Requirement (Major Area)

Program Curriculum

Licensure: This program is designed to meet the licensure requirements of the State of Mississippi Department of Education. Students who plan to complete this program should consult the Teacher Education Program Requirements for program admission, progression, and teacher candidacy requirements.

Major Area of Study Requirements (62 hours)

Introductory Block Course

Intermediate Block Courses

Senior Block Courses

Student Teaching

All courses must be complete before student teaching.

Additional Requirements (15-30 hours)

Fine Arts in the Elementary Schools

Select 1 courses:

Child Development/Psychology

Select 1 course:

English Grammar/Literature/Writing

Select 1 course:

Endorsement Requirements (6-21 hours)

This program of study requires the completion of at least one content endorsement area. Each endorsement area requires a total of 18-21 hours. However, because the degree plan includes several content-specific courses and depending on the endorsement area selected, students must complete between 6 and 21 hours to satisfy this requirement. Typical endorsement areas for Elementary Education majors are listed below. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) satisfy a degree plan requirement and an endorsement area requirement. All courses require a minimum grade of C. Remedial courses do not count toward endorsement.

English Endorsement

Complete ENG 101*, ENG 102*, ENG 203*, one course from ENG Grammar/Literature/Writing*, and 6 hours of ENG electives.

Foreign Language Endorsement

Complete 18 hours from any one foreign language.

General Science Endersement

Complete two GEC 02 Natural Science courses*, SME 432*, and 7 hours of science electives from BSC, CHE, ESC, GLY, MAR, or PHY.

Mathematics (7-8) Endorsement

Complete MAT 101*, MAT 210*, MAT 310*, CIE 301*, and 9 hours of MAT electives.

Mathematics (7-12) Endorsement

Complete MAT 103, MAT 115, MAT 326, MAT 340, MAT 370, and 2 courses from MAT 167, MAT 168, MAT 169.

This endorsement is course-specific; no substitutions allowed.

Hours to Degree

121 hours are needed to graduate with a BS in Elementary Education. At least 50 percent of the hours applied to a degree at The University of Southern Mississippi must be earned from a senior college, and 30 of these hours must be in courses numbered 300 or above. The student must earn at least 21 of the last 30 hours of course work and at least 12 hours in the major area of study from Southern Miss. See Residence Hour Requirements for more information.

Admission Requirements

Upon completion of the following requirements, the student will be issued a pre-service license and will be granted admission to the teacher education licensure program:

• Successful completion of a nationally normed ability/achievement assessment or a teacher education normed entrance test:

1. A minimum ACT composite score of 21 or a minimum SAT composite score of 1060.
or
            2. Passing scores on the Core Academic Skills for Educators Test (CORE). Current test codes and
minimum score requirements can be found at the ETS website

• Have a minimum grade of C in English Composition I and II,
• Have a minimum Grade Point Average of 2.75 on the 44 semester-hour core curriculum of pre-major coursework,
• Subscribe to the Tk20 by Watermark Assessment System, an electronic portfolio and data storage system, and
• Pass a criminal background check via CastleBranch. For additional information and instructions for ordering a background check, visit Background Check Policy.

Once a student passes the criminal background check and/or is admitted to a teacher education licensure program, continuous enrollment is recommended. Students who do not maintain continuous enrollment (fall and spring semesters) must seek readmission to the university and readmission to teacher education. Readmission to teacher education may require the student to meet additional academic requirements and/or to pass a subsequent criminal background check.

Students on academic probation, probation continued, or suspension are not eligible for admission to a teacher education licensure program.

Admission Requirements:

• See University Admission Policies
• See the Teacher Education Program Requirements

Program Academic Policies and Requirements:

• See University Academic Policies and Requirements
• See the Teacher Education Program Requirements

Licensure: This program is designed to meet the licensure requirements of the State of Mississippi Department of Education. Students who plan to complete this program should consult the Teacher Education Program Requirements for program admission, progression, and teacher candidacy requirements.

The University of Southern Mississippi is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools of Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The School of Education teacher education programs are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). That means you can expect a program with the highest standards and quality.