Elementary Education

BS, Major in Elementary Education requirements: 52 credits

EDU 104Integration of Art, Music, and PE3
EDU 131Literature for Children3
EDU 170Diversity and Justice in Education3
EDU 211Exploring Child and Adolescent Development3
EDU 242Computer Related Technologies In Teacher Education2
EDU 299Understanding Educational Assessment and Statistical Reasoning4
EDU 500Literacy Assessment & Intervention3
EDU 525Inclusion and Differentiation in the Elementary Classroom3
EDU 565Methods Of Teaching Language Arts In Elementary School3
EDU 566Methods of Teaching of Elementary Reading3
EDU 567Methods of Teaching Social Studies in Elementary School3
EDU 568Engaged in Math: Effective Methodologies for Pre-Service Elementary School Teachers3
EDU 569Methods of Teaching Science in Elementary School3
EDU 583Facilitating Student Responsibility3
EDU 584Advanced Instructional Practices3
EDU 591Clinical Practice (Student Teaching) 13-14
Total Credits48-59

In order to obtain Nebraska Certification in Elementary Education, a student must complete a minimum of 30 credit hours in the following content areas, with at least six credits in each area:

Communication, including literature, composition and speech
Mathematics
Science
Social Science

By completing the Creighton Magis Core Curriculum and the requirements for the Elementary Education major, a student will have met all of those requirements.

Student Teaching/Clinical Experience

Student teaching is a one-semester (16 weeks), full-day teaching experience. All professional education coursework and the designated minimum 100 hours of pre-student teaching field experiences must be completed prior to the Student Teaching/Clinical Experience semester. Traditional undergraduate students will take 11 credit hours of EDU 591.  All students must participate in the Clinical Practice Seminar. Students must reserve the entire teaching day for participation in a P-12 school’s student teaching experience. Students follow the calendar of the P-12 school rather than the Creighton University calendar during the student teaching semester. Any deviation from the program must be approved in writing by the Education Department’s Selection and Retention Committee. If student teaching in special education is taken during the same semester as student teaching in elementary or secondary education, then each field experience will be 10 weeks for a total of 20 weeks.

Early Childhood Education

The Early Childhood Education Program has been designed to develop expertise in professionals working with children from ages three through eight, which translates to pre-kindergarten through grade three. The program at Creighton University would provide a broad spectrum of early childhood education courses, all strongly influenced by the beliefs of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and built on the Nebraska Department of Education endorsement standards.  The program combines theory with observation and participation in clinical, community and school practicum settings. The program recognizes that early childhood development is a process of accommodation between the child, the teacher, and the child’s environment. Students in the program will learn to translate content and pedagogical knowledge into practice. This, along with many diverse field experiences, will prepare the prospective teacher to understand and implement developmentally appropriate practices in the variety of environments affecting the young child.

The program has been designed to align with the learning objectives of NE Department of Education’s Rule 24.