Elementary Education Program

The School of Education at Saint Xavier University prepares educators who are broadly and liberally educated, competent in content and methodologies, and skillful in teaching all children in contemporary schools. The program in Elementary Education is approved by the Illinois State Board of Education and is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. The information below outlines the curriculum for an initial Elementary Certificate (Type 03) at Saint Xavier University and the requirements for the Master of Arts. For answers to commonly asked questions, please visit our Elementary Education program FAQ page.

Required Professional Education Courses

EDUG 413 Survey of Students with Exceptionalities for the Regular Classroom Teacher
EDUG 414 History and Philosophy of Education
EDUG 418 Methods of Teaching Reading in the Elementary School
EDUGL 418 Lab; Methods of Teaching Reading in the Elementary School
EDUG 419 Diagnostic Teaching and Assessment of Reading in the Elementary School
EDUG 421 Methods of Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School
EDUGL 421 Lab; Methods of Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary School
EDUG 433 Principles and Methods of Teaching Science and Social Studies in the Elementary School
EDUGL 433 Lab; Principles and Methods of Teaching Science and Social Studies in the Elementary School
EDUG 445 Seminar in Teaching and Learning
EDUG 446 Directed Teaching - Elementary
EDUG 470 Profession of Teaching
EDUG 506 Advanced Child Growth and Development

Graduate Program Core Courses

EDUG 511* Foundational Topics in Education: Scholarly Reading and Writing
EDUG 512 Assessment of Instruction and Learning
EDUG 513 Educational Research Design and Development
EDUG 514 Scholarship of Teaching: Finalizing the Inquiry Process
or
Two additional graduate courses at the School of Education at Saint Xavier University

* EDUG 511 also meets a certification requirement; candidates will not be entitled to a certificate if this course is not successfully completed.

General Education Courses

The general education courses, which address requirements for Illinois certification, may have been met within the candidate's undergraduate studies. A review of the candidate's transcript will indicate if any general education deficiencies exist; if so, the candidate will need to resolve these deficiencies by taking appropriate courses or passing a College Level Examination Program (CLEP) in that subject area.

Graduate students seeking an Elementary Education certificate (Type 03) are required to have one course in each of the following areas:

  • Writing or Composition
  • Mathematics
  • Natural Science - with a lab
  • U.S. History or American Government
  • Health or Nutrition
  • Fine Arts
  • Literature

Middle Grade Endorsement

To earn this endorsement, candidates are required to have the equivalent of three semester hours of middle grade philosophy, curriculum, instruction, and methods and three semester hours of advanced adolescent psychology in addition to 18 semester hours in a subject area.

Requirements for Degree

All coursework must be completed within five years of admission. A cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 must be maintained; a grade of D is not acceptable toward satisfying degree or certification requirements. Not more than six (6) semester hours of appropriate graduate credit, taken prior to being admitted to Saint Xavier University and taken within the past five years, may be transferred from another institution.

 

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