BSEd in Elementary Education with Emphasis in Elementary Education

Degree Program Description

The Elementary Education program leads to a Bachelor of Science in Education in Elementary Education, grades one through six. Coursework focuses on development of the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to support children's learning in a variety of diverse settings, and includes methods courses designed for all subject areas. Each semester includes extensive experiences in elementary classrooms working with teachers and children, with immediate opportunities to put principles from coursework into practice. Placements are carefully chosen to represent schools that represent diverse demographics and populations. The culminating Senior Year On-Site Program (SYOSP) is a unique yearlong internship that gives interns the opportunity to experience all facets of the teaching profession. Interns are immersed in the life and culture of a school community beginning with back-to-school meetings and classroom set-up. Interns are regarded as full-time members of the school faculty and participate in all school events and experiences such as teacher workdays, professional learning communities, and data team meetings. Students will spend a minimum of three full days per week in the school placement during the first semester while also completing a full course load that complements the internship. During the second semester, the internship extends to five full days in a single classroom where the SYOSP intern completes the student teaching experience.

Major Program Requirements

Students must complete all university, general education, and content requirements, in addition to the degree requirements. Please meet with an Academic Advisor to discuss degree requirements and to create a semester plan.

Teacher Education programs in the College of Education & Human Development are accredited by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). Curriculum changes mandated to earn teacher certification may become effective at any point during your academic program. Therefore, it is extremely important that you DO NOT SELF ADVISE.

Degree Requirements Sample Program

LTC 4460Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages3
or LTC 4460H Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages - Honors
SPC_ED 4020Teaching the Exceptional Learner3
LTC 4241Diverse Literature for Children and Youth3
Early Experiences
LTC 1100Orientation (Recommended)1
or SPC_ED 1100 Orientation: Special Education
H_D_FS 3150Child Development: Preschool to Pre-Adolescence3
or H_D_FS 3150W Child Development: Preschool to Pre-Adolescence - Writing Intensive
or ESC_PS 2010 Inquiry Into Learning I
LTC 2040Inquiring into Schools, Community and Society I3
or LTC 2040H Inquiring into Schools, Community and Society I - Honors
LTC 2044Early Field Experience for Teacher Education2
Educational Technology (minimum 2 credit hours)2
IS_LT 2467Inquiry into Empowering Learners with Technology (IS_LT 2467 is 3 credit hours, IS_LT 2300 is 1 credit hour)1-3
or IS_LT 2300 Inquiry into Transforming Learning with Technology
Choose one of the following courses.
IS_LT 2305Blended Learning in the K12 Classroom1
IS_LT 2310Technologies for Game-Inspired Teaching and Learning 1
IS_LT 2315Advancing Equity in K12 Classrooms Through Artificial Intelligence 1
IS_LT 4099Making and Education 2
IS_LT 4310Seminar in Information Science and Learning Technologies2
IS_LT 4355Web Design and Development3
IS_LT 4361Introduction to Digital Media3
IS_LT 4373Exploring Moodle1
IS_LT 4374Exploring Canvas1
IS_LT 4386Microlearning1
Mid-Level Experiences
LTC 4050Classroom Communities: Managing Collaboration for Learning3
or SPC_ED 4310 Behavioral and Classroom Management
LTC 4211Literacy Assessment and Development3
LTC 4300Learning and Teaching Elementary Grades Mathematics I3
LTC 4194Elementary Education Field Experience I3
LTC 4250Music for Children2
LTC 4280Teaching Science in Elementary Schools3
LTC 4221Contexts and Methods for Elementary Reading Instruction3
LTC 4294Elementary Education Field Experience II3
LTC 4240Art for Children2
LTC 4260Elementary Social Studies3
Advanced-Level Experiences
LTC 4310Learning and Teaching Elementary Grades Mathematics II3
LTC 4060Teachers as Leaders: Policy, Ethics, and Advocacy1
LTC 4231Contexts and Methods for Writing Instruction3
LTC 4971Internship and Capstone Seminar *15
Internship and Capstone Seminar - Honors **
*

The course is broken up into 3 credit hours and 12 credit hours. Students will take 3 credit hours in one term and take 12 credit hours in the following term.

**

Honors students can choose to enroll in 6 credit hours of LTC 4971H and 6 credit hours of LTC 4971 to fulfill 12 credit hour requirement for Internship and Capstone Seminar.

Semester Plan

Below is a sample plan of study, semester by semester. A student’s actual plan may vary based on course choices and where options are available.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
LTC 11001Educational Technology Course1
ENGLSH 10003General Education Math Requirement3
Humanities3Humanities3
Biological, Physical, or Mathematical Science3Humanities3
Elective3American History or Government3
 Elective3
 13 16
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
LTC 2040 (Fall or Spring)3ESC_PS 2010 or H_D_FS 3150 (Fall or Spring)3
LTC 2044 (Fall or Spring)2SPC_ED 4020 (Fall or Spring)3
LTC 4460 (Fall or Spring)3Lab Science3
Educational Technology Course1Social or Behavioral Science3
Biological, Physical, Mathematical Science3Elective3
Writing Intensive3 
 15 15
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
LTC 42113LTC 42213
LTC 41943LTC 43003
LTC 4250 or 42402LTC 42943
LTC 4280 or 42603LTC 4240 or 42502
LTC 4050 or SPC_ED 43103LTC 4260 or 42803
Elective2Elective3
 16 17
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
LTC 43103LTC 497112
LTC 42313 
LTC 42413 
LTC 40601 
LTC 49713 
Elective3 
 16 12
Total Credits: 120

Degree Audit

The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree. 

MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner. Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress. This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.

Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.

Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.

For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.

Major and Career Exploration

The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities. For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.

  • If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.

  • If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major

  • If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center. No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.

For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.