Program Requirements
The Elementary Education Standard Emphasis requires the Elementary Education Core coursework in addition to 18 credits from any minor offered at Western.
The Elementary Education Major requires students to complete all requirements of the Licensure Program, including 42 credits of Education (EDUC) coursework. The major also requires students to complete 40 credits of interdisciplinary content coursework.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Elementary Education/Special Education Core Content: | ||
| BIOL 130 | Environmental Biology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| BIOL 135 | Environmental Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| GEOL 101 | Physical Geology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| MATH 140 | College Algebra (GT-MA1) | 3 |
| or MATH 113 | Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1) | |
| MATH 221 | Foundations of Mathematics for Teaching I | 3 |
| MATH 222 | Foundations of Mathematics for Teaching II | 3 |
| MATH 323 | Foundations of Mathematics for Teaching III | 3 |
| PHYS 140 | Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| Two of the following: | 6 | |
| Introduction to Literature (GT-AH2) | ||
| Introduction to Creative Writing (GT-AH1) | ||
| Grammar and the English Language | ||
| Critical Approaches to Literature (GT-AH2) | ||
| Women Writers | ||
| Four of the following (courses must include at least 3 disciplines): | 12 | |
| Macroeconomics (GT-SS1) | ||
| Microeconomics | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Introduction to Human Geography (GT-SS2) | ||
| Geography of North America (GT-SS2) | ||
| Geography of Latin America and the Caribbean | ||
| Topics in World History (GT-HI1) | ||
| American History through Reconstruction (GT-HI1) | ||
| U.S. History from the Civil War (GT-HI1) | ||
| Introduction to Environmental History (GT-HI1) | ||
| History of the Middle East | ||
| History of Europe (GT-HI1) | ||
| History of Africa | ||
| East Asia, 1500 - present | ||
| History of Latin America | ||
| Colorado History | ||
| History of the Hispanic Southwest | ||
| Democracy, Capitalism, and Their Critics (GT-HI1) | ||
| Power in America (GT-SS1) | ||
| Politics of the Environment | ||
| Total Credits | 42 | |
Required Education Coursework
The Elementary Licensure Program requires 42 credits of Education coursework and the Gateway course.
Pre-residency coursework:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 000 | Education Gateway Course | 0 |
| EDUC 102 | Learning & Teaching (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| EDUC 202 | Past, Present, and Future of Schooling in the US (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| EDUC 210 | Science Teaching Methods | 3 |
| EDUC 326 | Equity, Diversity, and Social Justice in Education | 3 |
| EDUC 340 | Application of Pedagogy and Practice | 3 |
4th year Residency Coursework
Elementary Licensure Coursework to be taken in year 4 of Elementary Education Standard Major Program.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 400 | Foundations for Literacy: Phonology and Linguistics | 3 |
| EDUC 402 | Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Fluency | 3 |
| EDUC 404 | Creating Positive Learning Environments | 3 |
| EDUC 405 | Data-driven Instructional Practices | 3 |
| EDUC 408 | Teaching Writing with the Brain in Mind | 3 |
| EDUC 413 | Mathematical Investigations | 3 |
| EDUC 428 | Teaching English Learners in Elementary Classrooms | 3 |
| Six credits of the following: | 6 | |
| Elementary Student Teaching | ||
The residency for Elementary Licensure must be completed in a K-6 classroom, where students are expected to work cooperatively 24 hours per week with qualified mentor teachers. During this year-long clinical residency, students are applying and extending the pedagogical knowledge that they are learning in their Education courses. The Elementary Licensure coursework and the post-licensure coursework are taught online.
Western Watershed General Education Requirements
Students must complete all Western Watershed General Education requirements to graduate.
Graduation Requirements
Undergraduate programs require a minimum of 120 semester credits for graduation. Of those 120 credits, 40 credits must be in upper-division courses (those marked 300 and above). Fifteen of these 40 upper-division credits must be earned in courses that are part of the standard or comprehensive major program being pursued.
Students are expected to review all graduation requirements, which can be found in the Western Undergraduate Catalog: Graduation Requirements.
Sample Plan
Degree Plans are for planning purposes. They reflect a suggested plan to complete the degree in a projected timeframe per program of study.
“Western Watershed Course(s)” refers to a course from the Tributaries area of the Western Watershed program. These courses should be chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor.
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| BIOL 130 | Environmental Biology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| BIOL 135 | Environmental Biology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| EDUC 000 | Education Gateway Course | 0 |
| EDUC 102 | Learning & Teaching (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| ENG 102 | Writing and Rhetoric I (GT-CO1) | 3 |
| WWGE 101/102/103/104 | Headwaters (select one) | 2 |
| MATH 221 |
Foundations of Mathematics for Teaching I or College Algebra (GT-MA1) or Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1) |
3 |
| Gen Ed | Social Sciences | 3 |
| Credits | 18 | |
| Spring | ||
| ENG 103 | Writing and Rhetoric II (GT-CO2) | 3 |
| EDUC 202 | Past, Present, and Future of Schooling in the US (GT-SS3) | 3 |
| MATH 222 or MATH 323 |
Foundations of Mathematics for Teaching II or Foundations of Mathematics for Teaching III |
3 |
| Choose from | HIST 100: Topics in World History, HIST 126: American History through Reconstruction (GT-HI1), or HIST 127: U.S. History from the Civil War (GT-HI1), HIST 260: History of Latin America, HIST 327: Colorado History (see EDUC advisor for potentialadditional HISTchoices) | 3 |
| Elective | Elective | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| MATH 140 |
College Algebra (GT-MA1) or Statistical Thinking (GT-MA1) or Foundations of Mathematics for Teaching I |
3 |
| ENG 161 | Introduction to Creative Writing (GT-AH1) | 3 |
| PHYS 140 | Introductory Physics (with laboratory) (GT-SC1) | 4 |
| Choose from | GEOG 120: Introduction to Human Geography, GEOG 250: Geography of North America, GEOG 351: Geography of Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 |
| Western Watershed | Western Watershed Course(s) | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDUC 210 | Science Teaching Methods | 3 |
| ENG 250 | Critical Approaches to Literature (GT-AH2) | 3 |
| Elective | Electives | 9 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| GEOL 101 | Physical Geology (GT-SC2) | 3 |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology Laboratory (GT-SC1) | 1 |
| EDUC 340 | Application of Pedagogy and Practice | 3 |
| Choose from | POLS 117: Democracy, Capitalism, and Their Critics (GT-SS1), POLS 180: Power in America, POLS 250: Politics of the Environment | 3 |
| Elective | Elective | 6 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDUC 326 | Equity, Diversity, and Social Justice in Education | 3 |
| EDUC 340 | Application of Pedagogy and Practice | 3 |
| WWGE 301/302/303/304 | Delta (select one) | 1 |
| Elective | Elective | 6 |
| Choose from | HIST 101 (100), HIST 126, HIST 127, HIST 260, HIST 327, HIST 349, or ECON 201, ECON 202, ECON 215, POLS 180, POLS 250, or GEOG 250, GEOG 351 | 3 |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| EDUC 400 | Foundations for Literacy: Phonology and Linguistics | 3 |
| EDUC 404 | Creating Positive Learning Environments | 3 |
| EDUC 405 | Data-driven Instructional Practices | 3 |
| EDUC 458 | Elementary Student Teaching | 3 |
| EDUC 428 | Teaching English Learners in Elementary Classrooms | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDUC 402 | Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Fluency | 3 |
| EDUC 408 | Teaching Writing with the Brain in Mind | 3 |
| EDUC 458 | Elementary Student Teaching | 3 |
| EDUC 413 | Mathematical Investigations | 3 |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 123 | |
Western is committed to doing our part to provide each student a clear path to graduation. This four‐year degree plan is a sample map for fulfilling requirements in the major and General Education. The pathway that you take to your degree may differ somewhat from this illustration, depending on where you start and the detours and side trips you may take along the way. You are responsible for ensuring your overall, upper division, and major‐specific credits as well as GPA requirements are fulfilled for graduation.