Elementary Education Certification, Grades K-5

Bachelor of Science Degree in Arts and Sciences: Child Development and Learning With Teacher Certification Elementary Grades K-5  

The B.S. degree in Arts and Sciences: Child Development and Learning with Elementary certification (K-5). prepares the student for a license to teach in Kindergarten through fifth grade. This means that the Tennessee Department of Education certifies that the individual is qualified to teach at those levels. Students completing all program requirements, including passing required PRAXIS exams are eligible to apply to the State of Tennessee for K-5 license. In addition, students must complete the edTPA (performance assessment) with a minimum score of 42  to graduate and qualify for the K-5 license.. Faculty, in the Department of Teaching and Learning serve as advisors for students seeking the degree and license in Elementary Education.

The department recognizes that the modern teacher should be educated with a firm foundation in their content area. The teacher must possess knowledge of a variety of subject matter, but also an understanding of the psychology and the cultures of the students he or she will teach. America is an increasingly diverse society and it is estimated that by the year 2050 more than half of the school-age children will be of non-European descent.

All candidates for certification in elementary education will complete a minimum of 120 semester hours, to receive the B.S. degree in Arts and Sciences: Child Development and Learning with Elementary certification (K-5). These hours include a general education core (42 hours), a major concentration of content and knowledge courses (26 hours), and a professional education core (37 hours). Admission requirements for the Teacher Education Program are on the website under the Office of Teacher Education. 

Accreditation: Certification in Elementary Education (K-5) is approved by the Tennessee Department of Education. In addition, the teacher education program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), CAEP.