Educational Foundations is a liberal arts major that provides students with a deep understanding of key social, historical, and philosophical trends in American education. The major also allows students to explore theories of learning, assessment, and human development and provides a breadth of interdisciplinary courses to ensure core content knowledge in essential subject areas – language arts, math, science, and social studies. This major is comprehensive, multi-disciplinary, concise, and targeted. For students interested in classroom teaching (K-6), our program seamlessly aligns with the course of study needed for teacher certification. Admission to the Teacher Education Program is a separate process. For students interested in career paths other than teaching, our program offers coursework in a range of areas, such as urban education, gender issues in/and education, human rights education, and higher education.
Unless otherwise noted, 120 credits of coursework is required for a baccalaureate degree with a minimum 2.0 overall GPA, and a minimum 2.0 major GPA.
For details about this program, including program description, admission requirements, and contact information, click here.
Degree Requirements Overview
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| 0 |
| 6-9 |
| 74 |
| 33 |
| 7-4 |
| Total Credits | 120 |
Major Requirements
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| EDFD 150 | New Student Seminar | 1 |
| EDFD 180 | Foundations of Education: Social, Cultural, and Political Contexts | 3 |
| EDFD 200 | Psychological Foundations of Education | 3 |
| EDFD 220 | Philosophical Orientation to Education | 3 |
| EDFD 221 | Historical Foundations of American Education | 3 |
| EDFD 445 | Human Rights Education | 3 |
| or EDFD 450 | Current Issues in American Education |
| or EDFD 458 | Dialogue and Inquiry |
| CMST 101 | Fundamentals of Speech: Communication Requirement | 3 |
| WRIT 105 | College Writing I | 3 |
| or ENGL 110 | Introduction to Literature: The Analytic Essay |
| or ENGL 111 | Introduction to Literature: The Short Story |
| 3 |
| READ 209 | Children's Literature for a Multicultural Society (or any 200-level HUMN course) | 3 |
| BIOL 100 | Biological Sciences | 4 |
| or BIOL 110 | The Biology of Human Life |
| EAES 170 | World Geography | 3 |
| HIST 117 | Foundations of America | 3 |
| HIST 118 | Emergence of the Modern United States | 3 |
| ANTH 105 | Introduction to Disability Studies, Rights, and Culture | 3 |
| or PSYC 101 | Introduction to Psychology |
| 3 |
| 27 |
| Total Credits | 74 |
Human Development and Teaching Focus Area
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| ECEL 200 | Perspectives on Early Childhood and Elementary Education in a Democracy | 3 |
| ECEL 300 | Scientific Inquiry in Elementary Schools I (PreK-6th Grade) | 3 |
| ECEL 301 | Scientific Inquiry in Elementary Schools II (PreK-6th Grade) | 3 |
| EDFD 300 | Assessment, Learning Sciences and Ethics | 3 |
| FSHD 214 | Child Development I | 3 |
| FSHD 216 | Adolescent Development | 3 |
| MTHM 201 | Mathematics in Elementary Schools I | 3 |
| MTHM 302 | Mathematics in Elementary Schools II | 3 |
| 3 |
| Total Credits | 27 |
Co-Major in Elementary Education
Elementary Education (B.A.)
New Student Seminar
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Credits |
| |
SEEDS General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill the SEEDS requirements.
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| |
| 3 |
| |
| |
| |
| 3-6 |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| |
| Total Credits | 6-9 |
Recommended Roadmap to Program of Study Completion
This recommended degree plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their program of study requirements within four years and 120 credits. This plan is a recommendation and must be used in consultation with their academic advisor. Important note: Students should be aware this plan assumes no pre-requisite coursework is required. If pre-requisite coursework is needed, students may have additional requirements to fulfill which do not appear on the plan.
