| Department: | Department of Teacher Education / College of Education and Human Performance |
| Hours Required: | 120 |
| Categories: | Major, Undergraduate |
| Delivery: | On-Campus |
The B.S.E. in Middle School Education consists of 120 credit hours and prepares candidates to work as middle school teachers in their selected content area(s) of language arts, mathematics, science (STEM), or social studies. SAU also offers degrees in math, English, social studies, chemistry, and foreign language for those seeking secondary licensure. The middle school and secondary education tracks allow candidates to focus on specific content areas of most significant interest.
Additionally, for those who choose the middle school pathway upon degree completion and standard licensure, completers may seek to add secondary licensure to their current license by passing a content exam in an area of choice. Then after passing the test, the completer can add that content area to their standard license.
The Middle and Secondary programs of study are approved by the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and meet Arkansas academic requirements for licensure. Middle and Secondary content areas are critical shortage areas in Arkansas, and employment opportunities are high.
Most courses in these programs are taught in a traditional face-to-face classroom setting on the SAU campus, but several hybrid and online course offerings are provided within the programs. The hybrid and online course offerings help candidates create a more flexible schedule conducive to preparing a personalized plan that meets individual needs.
Middle and Secondary Education majors may add a select group of courses to their degree plan and receive a coaching endorsement for those interested in coaching. Upon completing the degree program, coaching endorsement coursework, and licensure exams, completers can obtain a teaching license in a highly desired content area and credentials for coaching.
Program Expectations
Pre-candidates must meet the requirements for admission into the Teacher Education Program before advancing in the core and upper-level education coursework. Many unique field experiences are incorporated into courses to enable candidates to work with teacher mentors in public schools. Organized campus-based experiences allow candidates to practice their teaching skillsets. Candidates must meet unconditional admissions requirements to enroll in their final semester of student teaching.
Learning Goals
- Our graduates demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively through various mediums.
- Our graduates demonstrate an understanding of the various cultures and backgrounds of students in the classroom.
- Our graduates can think critically, solve problems, and make informed decisions.
- Our graduates utilize instructional technology effectively.
- Our graduates display mastery of content knowledge, pedagogy, and professional skills.
Bachelor of Science in Education (BSE) – Middle School Education
The BSE in Middle School Education prepares candidates for licensure in their selected content area. Candidates must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0, achieve a “C” or higher in major courses, and pass all required assessments to qualify for licensure.
University Requirement (2 Hours)
- GSTD 1002 – Freshman Seminar
General Education (35 Hours)
See the General Education Curriculum for details. MATH 1023 is required for mathematics and science content areas, and MATH 1053 is recommended for language arts and social studies content areas.
Professional Requirements (15 Hours)
- EDUC 2023 – K-12 Education Technology
- ENGL 4013 – Second Language Acquisition *
- ENGL 4033 – TESOL Methods and Materials *
- SPED 4073 – Introduction to Special Education **
- TEDU 2003 – Introduction to Education
Education Requirements (24 Hours)
Conditional or unconditional admission to the Education Preparation Program is required to enroll in the following courses:
- SPED 4003 – Special Education 101 **
- SPED 4043 – Inclusive Education **
- SPED 4063 – Designing Assessments for General and Special Populations **
- TEDU 3013 – Creating Environments for Learning
- TEDU 4093 – Collaborative Practice
- TEDU 4103 – Holistic Pedagogy
- Select 6 hours from:
- E ED 4173 – Teaching Literacy I and E ED 4273 – Teaching Literacy II
- EDUC 4203 – Strategies for Content Area Reading and EDUC 4113 – Reading Diagnostics
Content Area (21-22 Hours)
Select one of the following content areas:
Language Arts Content Area (21 Hours)
- ENGL 2213 – World Literature I or ENGL 2223 – World Literature II
- MSED 4333 – Assessment-Driven Language Arts Instruction
- MSED 4363 – Language Arts Content for Teachers
- USTD 3003 – Information Literacy
- Select 6 hours from:
- ENGL 3583 – Shakespeare
- ENGL 3623 – American Literature I
- ENGL 3633 – American Literature II
- ENGL 3683 – Young Adult Literature
- ENGL 4623 – British Literature I
- ENGL 4633 – British Literature II
- Select 3 hours from advanced writing or creative writing options.
Mathematics Content Area (22 Hours)
- MAED 2063 – Math for Teachers II
- MAED 3013 – Math Connections
- MAED 4012 – Content Pedagogy in STEM
- MAED 4373 – Assessment-Driven Math Instruction
- MATH 1033 – Plane Trigonometry
- MATH 1525 – Calculus I
- MATH 3043 – Applied Probability and Statistics I
Science Content Area (21 Hours)
- ENGR 1023 – Introduction to Engineering
- GEOL 1003 – Physical Geology and GEOL 1001 – Physical Geology Lab
- TEDU 4343 – Assessment-Driven STEM Instruction
- TEDU 3243 – STEM Content for Teachers
- Select 8 hours from approved biology, chemistry, physics, or computer science courses.
Social Studies Content Area (21 Hours)
Includes 9 general education hours:
- ECON 2103 – Principles of Microeconomics
- GEOG 2003 – Introduction to Geography
- HIST 1003 – World History I
- HIST 1013 – World History II
- HIST 2013 – United States History I
- HIST 2023 – United States History II
- HIST 4083 – History of Arkansas
- PSCI 2003 – American Government: National
- TEDU 4363 – Social Studies for Teachers
- TEDU 4373 – Assessment-Driven Social Studies Instruction
Professional Electives (8-9 Hours)
Select one of the following options:
- Additional Content Area: 8-9 hours from an additional content area.
- TESOL Certificate: 9 hours from TESOL requirements.
- Coaching Endorsement: 9 hours from coaching-related courses.
Residency Requirements (14 Hours)
- TEDU 4001 – Professional Learning I
- TEDU 4006 – Residency I
- TEDU 4011 – Professional Learning II
- TEDU 4016 – Residency II
Total Hours – 120
Notes:
- * ENGL 4013 and ENGL 4033 provide an opportunity to test for an ESL endorsement.
- ** SPED courses allow candidates to test for a Special Education Resource endorsement.
Degree Concentration Options
Select the degree plan option with the two content concentration areas desired for teacher licensure.
Middle School Education – STEM
This middle school degree plan prepares candidates for teaching and licensure in math and science in grades 4 – 8 and 9th-grade physical science and algebra.
Middle School Education – Math and Language Arts
This middle school degree plan prepares candidates for teaching and licensure in math and language arts in grades 4 – 8 and 9th-grade algebra.
Middle School Education – Math and Social Studies
This middle school degree plan prepares candidates for teaching and licensure in math and social studies in grades 4 – 8 and 9th-grade algebra.
Middle School Education – Language Arts and Social Studies
This middle school degree plan prepares candidates for teaching and licensure in language arts and social studies in grades 4 – 8.
Middle School Education – Language Arts and Science
This middle school degree plan prepares candidates for teaching and licensure in language arts and science in grades 4 – 8 and 9th-grade physical science.
Middle School Education – Science and Social Studies
This middle school degree plan prepares candidates for teaching and licensure in science and social studies in grades 4 – 8 and 9th-grade physical science.
Please note: Completers from the middle school degree programs who obtain a standard license are eligible to take and pass any secondary content exam and add that to their license.
Secondary English Education
This English education degree plan prepares candidates for teaching and licensure in 7th-12th grade English.
Secondary Math Education
This math education degree plan prepares candidates for teaching and licensure in 7th-12th grade math.
Secondary History Education
This history education degree plan prepares candidates for teaching and licensure in 7th-12th grade history.
Secondary Foreign Language
This foreign language education degree plan prepares candidates for teaching and licensure in 7th-12th grade foreign language.
Please note: Completers from secondary education degree programs who obtain a standard license are eligible to take and pass any middle school content exam and add that to their license.
