COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Arts in Education (BAED) in Elementary Education requires a minimum of 120 credit hours and prepares students for teacher licensure in grades K–6. Students must maintain a minimum major GPA of 2.50 and complete all requirements of the WSU General Education Program and the College of Education. Admission into the teacher education program is required before enrolling in professional education and core courses, and a grade of B- or higher must be earned in all teacher education courses. The curriculum provides a strong foundation in elementary education through coursework in child development, literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, classroom management, educational assessment, diversity, special education, and instructional methods. Students complete general education requirements that include U.S. history and a life science course with a laboratory component. Major coursework includes Introduction to the Education Profession, Integrating Learning through the Arts, and Specialized Mathematics Knowledge for Teaching. Additional teacher education courses focus on linguistics, early childhood foundations, mathematical investigations, professional collaboration, special education law, physical science instruction, intervention frameworks, health and physical activity, classroom management, and educational philosophy and ethics. The professional preparation sequence is organized into four progressive core stages. Core 1 introduces diversity, exceptionalities, cultural issues, and field experiences. Core 2 emphasizes reading instruction, social studies methods, and preteaching internships. Core 3 focuses on mathematics and science teaching methods, advanced literacy instruction, and additional classroom experiences. Core 4 culminates in a student teaching seminar and a full elementary teaching internship, allowing candidates to apply their knowledge in real classroom settings under professional supervision. Students must complete all required coursework before beginning the final internship experience. The program also includes the Teacher Licensure Capstone and sufficient elective coursework to reach the 120-credit-hour requirement. Through the support of the College of Education and Wichita State University, students gain extensive classroom experience, strong instructional skills, and professional preparation needed for successful careers as elementary school teachers in public, private, and charter school settings.