Elementary Education B.S.

State Mandated Common Course Prerequisites

Students wishing to transfer to USF should complete an A.A. degree at a Florida College System institution. Some courses required for the major may also meet General Education requirements thereby transferring maximum hours to the university.

If a student wishes to transfer without an A.A. degree and has fewer than 60 semester hours of acceptable credit, the student must meet the university’s entering freshman requirements including ACT or SAT test scores, GPA, and course requirements.

Transfer students are also required to comply with the immunization, foreign language, and continuous enrollment policies of the university.

Students should complete the following prerequisite courses at the lower level prior to entering the university. If these courses are not taken at a Florida College System institution, they must be completed before the degree is granted.

Unless stated otherwise, a grade of C- is the minimum acceptable grade in prerequisite courses.

• EDF X005 Introduction to Education - 3 credit hours

A minimum of 6 semester hours with an international or diversity focus is required. Eligible courses will be determined by the Florida College System institution or university where the student is currently earning the Associate in Arts or baccalaureate degree. Foreign language courses may be used to meet this requirement.

FOR EDUCATION MAJORS: General education courses will be determined by the college or university where the student currently is earning the Associate in Arts or
baccalaureate degree, and will be published in the institution’s existing catalog and delineated in the Statewide Course Numbering System.

Total Major Hours: 75

Admission Requirements

Students seeking admission to this program must meet the following Department of Education’s Teacher Educator Certification requirements:​

1. Earn a 2.8 overall GPA;
2. Complete all general education and state mandated common prerequisite courses with a C- or higher in each;
3. Pass all sections of the General Knowledge Test. Information can be found at http://www.usf.edu/education/academics/teacher-certification/general-knowledge-test.aspx;
4. Submit an application to Student Academic Services, EDU 106, 813-974-2979.

Requirements after Admission into the Elementary and Early Childhood Programs

1. Maintain at least a 2.50 GPA in professional education and specialization coursework. If a student falls below 2.50 GPA he/she may be dismissed and/or may be required to meet with the departmental Professional Standards Committee.
2. Receive a grade of C- or higher in all required courses to progress to the following semester or he/she may be dismissed and/or required to meet with departmental Professional Standards Committee.
3. Pay for costs in addition to tuition, fees, and books such as:
   • Chalk and Wire access codes that are purchased at the bookstore
   • Transportation to and from school sites required in courses and internships
   • Criminal background checks and fingerprinting for internships
   • Assignments in some classes (e.g., printing/binding of group project reports, academic and professional portfolio, digital recording equipment, etc.)

Elementary Education with ESOL Endorsement

Students may complete a state-approved program to be eligible for certification in Elementary Education (Grades K-6). Degree and certification requirements are subject to change in accordance with state mandates. The current program of studies includes both coursework and extensive field experience in elementary school settings to enable students to integrate theory with teaching practice. All elementary education students are required to demonstrate the Accomplished Practices (APs) through core assignments in courses and internships that are submitted to the Chalk and Wire electronic portfolio system. Students must pass all Chalk and Wire assignments and upload every assignment to their Chalk and Wire account in order to graduate from the program.

The College of Education offers a full ESOL Endorsement for all Elementary Education major graduates. The special requirements for ESOL endorsement through infusion are as follows:

1. Successful completion of TSL 4080 , TSL 4081  and TSL 4251 , with a minimum grade of 70 percent or better on all three sections of the ESOL Comprehensive Exam administered in the three ESOL courses;
2. Successful completion of a 20-hour early ESOL field experience in TSL 4080 ;
3. Successful completion of a late ESOL field experience where students plan, implement, and evaluate lessons for one or more ESOL students over 10 days; and
4. Successful completion of all Chalk and Wire assignments as required, including from the three ESOL courses and the ESOL-infused classes.

GPA Requirements

Course Grade Requirement

Research Opportunities

Preservice teachers engage in practitioner research or systematic study of their practice, each semester in the elementary education program. In spring of the junior year they are enrolled in IDS 2912  Undergraduate Research Experience and in spring of their senior year they are enrolled in IDS 4914  Advanced Undergraduate Research Experience.

Internship Opportunities

All students will enroll in multiple clinical experiences throughout the program which will provide them with the opportunity to engage in the practice of teaching.

Advising Information

Students are encouraged to seek advising in Student Academic Services, EDU 106, 813-974-2979. To schedule an appointment visit us at http://www.usf.edu/education/advising/undergraduate/.

Elementary Education Faculty

Co-Chairperson: J. Schneider and M. Berson; Associate Professors: R. Burns, D. Dennis, J. Jacobs Assistant Professor: S. van Ingen; Instructors: M. Krause, R. Latzke, K. Tricarico.

Plan of Study

Click here for Plan of Study. Once on this page, select the program from the available drop-down and then click ‘View Selected Plan.’