Elementary Education: Middle Level Science and English

Major: Elementary Education
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Science (BS)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Total Credit Hours: 180.0
Co-op Options: One Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional (CIP) code: 13.1202
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 25-2022

About the Concentration

This certification option within the BS in Elementary Education enables teachers to work with students in grades 4-6 across subjects and with students in grades 7-8 in the core academic subjects of science and English.

This program addresses the complexities of adolescent development through discussion of theories. It explores the middle school environment, developmentally appropriate middle school programs, strategies for supporting students through the transition to middle school, and the impact of peer pressure on the middle school child.

In addition, this certification area provides: (1) training and methodology for teaching physical and life sciences (including using an inquiry-based model of learning, developing authentic assessments, drawing upon a variety of tools, and creating and maintaining a safe laboratory) as well as other skills necessary to meet the needs of diverse learners in science education; (2) courses devoted to teaching age-appropriate reading skills and how to teach and assess writing effectively, as well as a specialized course in the genre of young adult fiction.

The program requires that candidates have a B average (3.0 GPA) in content courses needed for teacher certification in addition to the grade of B or better in each EDEX, EDLT, EDPO, EDUC, ESTM, and MTED courses throughout their time in the program. These requirements must be satisfied for Drexel to recommend the candidates for teacher certification upon graduation and/or be considered to have completed the program. 

Additional Information

For more information about the program, visit the School of Education website.

Degree Requirements 

General Education/Content Requirements
ARTH 101History of Art I3.0
BIO 100Applied Cells, Genetics & Physiology3.0
or BIO 161 General Biology I
BIO 101Applied Biological Diversity, Ecology & Evolution3.0
or BIO 162 General Biology II
CHEM 111General Chemistry I4.0
CIVC 101Introduction to Civic Engagement1.0
COM 111Principles of Communication3.0
COOP 101Career Management and Professional Development *1.0
ECON 201Principles of Microeconomics4.0
ENGL 101Composition and Rhetoric I: Inquiry and Exploratory Research3.0
or ENGL 111 English Composition I
ENGL 102Composition and Rhetoric II: Advanced Research and Evidence-Based Writing3.0
or ENGL 112 English Composition II
ENGL 103Composition and Rhetoric III: Themes and Genres3.0
or ENGL 113 English Composition III
ENGL 304Young Adult Fiction3.0
ENVS 260Environmental Science and Society3.0
Select one of the following4.0
United States History to 1815
United States History, 1815-1900
United States History since 1900
HIST 275History of Pennsylvania3.0
LING 101Introduction to Linguistics3.0
MATH 101Introduction to Analysis I4.0
or MATH 171 Introduction to Analysis A
MATH 102Introduction to Analysis II4.0
or MATH 172 Introduction to Analysis B
MATH 107Probability and Statistics for Liberal Arts3.0
or MATH 173 Introduction to Analysis C
MUSC 130Introduction to Music3.0
NFS 100Nutrition, Foods, and Health2.0
NFS 101Introduction to Nutrition & Food1.0
PHYS 151Applied Physics3.0
PSY 101General Psychology I3.0
PSY 320 [WI] Educational Psychology3.0
PSY 330Cognitive Psychology3.0
SOC 335Sociology of Education3.0
UNIV T101The Drexel Experience1.0
WRIT 225 [WI] Creative Writing3.0
or WRIT 301 Writing Poetry
Free electives13.0
Pedagogy Requirements
EDEX 142Special Education Foundations: Referral and Assessment3.0
EDEX 344Inclusive Practices3.0
EDEX 368 [WI] Literacy and Content Skill Development PK-123.0
EDLT 325Design for Learning with Digital Media3.0
EDLT 326Technology Applications for Learning3.0
EDPO 312Educational Policy, Law & Advocacy3.0
EDUC 101Foundations in Education I: A Historical and Philosophical Perspective3.0
EDUC 106First Year Seminar: A Case of Schools and Cities1.0
EDUC 107First Year Seminar: Exploring Pedagogies1.0
EDUC 108First Year Seminar: Designing Learning Spaces 1.0
EDUC 123Adolescent Development3.0
EDUC 205Sophomore Pedagogy Seminar1.0
EDUC 216Diversity and Today's Teacher3.0
EDUC 305 [WI] Junior Pedagogy Seminar1.0
EDUC 306Assessment of Young Children I3.0
EDUC 308Creating a Positive Classroom Climate3.0
EDUC 316Teaching in Urban Contexts 3.0
EDUC 324Current Research in Curriculum & Instruction3.0
EDUC 326 [WI] Language Arts Processes3.0
EDUC 355Social Studies Teaching Methods3.0
EDUC 360English/Language Arts Teaching Methods for the Middle Years1.5
EDUC 361Middle Years Science Methods 1.5
EDUC 362Middle Years Social Studies Methods 1.5
EDUC 365Foundations in Instructing English Language Learners3.0
EDUC 405Senior Pedagogy Seminar1.0
ESTM 342Teaching Engineering Concepts to Children3.0
MTED 363Middle Years Mathematics Methods (4-8)1.5
MTED 418Mathematics Methods and Content3.0
Student Teaching Experience
EDUC 409 [WI] Teaching Practicum9.0
EDUC 410 [WI] Student Teaching9.0
Total Credits180.0
*

Co-op cycles may vary. Students are assigned a co-op cycle (fall/winter, spring/summer, summer-only) based on their co-op program (4-year, 5-year) and major. 

COOP 101 registration is determined by the co-op cycle assigned and may be scheduled in a different term. Select students may be eligible to take COOP 001 in place of COOP 101.


Writing-Intensive Course Requirements

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List at the University Writing Program. Students scheduling their courses can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.


Sample Plan of Study

4 year, 1 co-op

First Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
BIO 100 or 1613.0CIVC 1011.0EDEX 1423.0VACATION
EDUC 1013.0COM 1113.0EDUC 1081.0 
EDUC 1061.0EDUC 1071.0EDUC 1233.0 
ENGL 101 or 1113.0ENGL 102 or 1123.0ENGL 103 or 1133.0 
MATH 101 or 1714.0MATH 102 or 1724.0LING 1013.0 
UNIV T1011.0MUSC 1303.0MATH 107 or 1733.0 
 15 15 16 0
Second Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
COOP 1011.0BIO 101 or 1623.0EDEX 3683.0CHEM 1114.0
EDEX 3443.0EDPO 3123.0EDUC 3051.0EDLT 3253.0
EDUC 2051.0EDUC 2163.0EDUC 3083.0ENVS 2603.0
EDUC 3653.0EDUC 3063.0MTED 4183.0HIST 2753.0
EDUC 3621.5PHYS 1513.0SOC 3353.0Free Elective4.0
HIST 2014.0WRIT 2253.0  
MTED 3631.5   
PSY 1013.0   
 18 18 13 17
Third Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
COOP EXPERIENCECOOP EXPERIENCEEDLT 3263.0ECON 2014.0
EDUC 3601.5 EDUC 3163.0EDUC 3243.0
EDUC 3611.5 EDUC 3263.0EDUC 3553.0
  ESTM 3423.0ENGL 3043.0
  PSY 3203.0 
 3 0 15 13
Fourth Year
FallCreditsWinterCreditsSpringCredits 
EDUC 4099.0EDUC 4109.0ARTH 1013.0 
EDUC 4051.0Free Elective3.0NFS 1002.0 
Free Elective2.0 NFS 1011.0 
  PSY 3303.0 
  Free Elective4.0 
 12 12 13 
Total Credits 180

Program Level Outcomes

  • Make ethical, sound decisions based on the Pennsylvania Professional Code of Conduct.
  • Demonstrate leadership in the classroom, school community, and profession that is focused on positive and innovative change.
  • Seek ongoing professional growth and development in the field to improve practice.
  • Demonstrate a growth mindset and take responsibility for student learning and academic growth.
  • Partner with parents in the education of their children.
  • Use culturally responsive pedagogy to create equitable learning experiences for all students.
  • Use critical self-reflection to understand one’s own identity in the context of a classroom of diverse learners.
  • Create an inclusive classroom environment with high expectations for all learners.
  • Demonstrate the ability to self-reflect on his or her professional practice.
  • Use data and classroom-based evidence to inform and improve professional practice.
  • Demonstrate strong content knowledge in all subject areas that are developmentally appropriate and aligned with NAEYC standards and program outcomes.
  • Deliver effective developmentally informed instruction that is culturally and linguistically sensitive to the children in the class.
  • Use appropriate means of ongoing assessment that is developmentally appropriate and sensitive to the unique capabilities of young children and utilize assessment information to make appropriate modifications to the curriculum that will demonstrate children’s progress and ensure optimal learning opportunities for all children.
  • Integrate tools of technology in teaching and learning that are appropriate for the developmental levels of children and that expand, enrich, implement, individualize, differentiate, and extend the overall curriculum.
  • Construct well-written, research-based developmentally appropriate lesson plans that reflect active teaching and learning.
  • Create a safe, positive and productive learning environment that supports and facilitates learning for all students.
  • Build a sense of community in a collaborative climate, based on developmentally appropriate pro- social skills, where students work collaboratively and have a shared sense of ownership.
  • Demonstrate a thorough understanding of child and/or adolescent development and the learning sciences.
  • Use differentiated instruction to meet the diverse learning needs of one’s students.
  • Use developmentally informed teaching practices.