Fenice Boyd, Chair

The Department of Instruction and Teacher Education offers degree programs in early childhood, elementary, and middle level education.

Entrance Requirements

New freshmen who meet University admissions standards are eligible for admission to early childhood, elementary, or middle level degree programs offered by the College of Education. To transfer into one of these degree programs, students must have a minimum overall cumulative 2.5 GPA.  Students with less than 30 semester hours completed must also meet freshman admission requirements. Note:  To be eligible for progression into the Professional Program in Education, student must achieve a minimum 2.75 overall GPA.

Progression Requirements

To remain in the early childhood, elementary, or middle level degree programs offered by the College of Education, a student must make satisfactory progress toward the degree. A student who fails to make satisfactory progress, as identified in each program area, may be placed on an Action Plan or deemed ineligible to progress in the program in which enrolled. An Action Plan will be written that describes specific goals, actions, and criteria which the student must meet in order to be eligible to progress. Students may repeat one time only, one course offered through a department in the College of Education for which an unsatisfactory grade was earned. Students who earn more than one unsatisfactory grade in an Education course will no longer be eligible to progress in the program.

Any student who fails to meet a progression requirement to continue in an undergraduate program in the College of Education and wishes to transfer to a different major in the Department of Instruction and Teacher Education must petition the new program and be approved for admission by the faculty of the program.

Additionally, all students in the college are subject to the regulations on probation, suspension, and readmission in the section of this bulletin titled “Academic Regulations” under the heading “Academic Stanards Policies.”

Professional Program

Admission to the professional program in early childhood, elementary, or middle level education is granted by the dean of the College of Education and constitutes the first “midpoint” review in each respective assessment system. Professional program and internship admission requirements can be found in the description of each program area.

Exit Requirements

1. Successfully complete all degree requirements.
2. Complete and submit an application for graduation to the College of Education’s Office of Student Affairs early in the last semester of the senior year. Students should consult the official University calendar for the specific date that the application is due.

Early Childhood Education

The Department of Instruction and Teacher Education offers a program leading to a B.A. degree in early childhood education. Students successfully completing all certification requirements are eligible to apply for a professional credential to teach preschool through grade 3.

The Early Childhood Education Professional Program

Upon completion of 60 semester hours of course work, including courses specified by the program area, the candidate may apply for admission to the Professional Program in Early Childhood Education.

For admission to the professional program, the candidate must:

1. meet the state basic skills testing requirement;
2. pass the USC Education and Economic Development Act Assessment;
3. achieve a minimum overall GPA of 2.75
4. achieve a GPA of 3.00 or higher and no grade lower than C on education courses and field experiences;
5. earn a grade of C or better in specific course work as required by the program area.

The Early Childhood Internship Admission Requirements

For admission to the internship semesters, the candidate must:

1. be admitted to the professional program;
2. achieve a minimum overall GPA of 2.75
3. achieve a GPA of 3.00 or higher in all education course work with no grade lower than C;
4. achieve a grade of C or better in specified course work as required by the program area and completed since entry into the professional program;
5. successfully complete criminal background check as required by the S.C. Department of Education by program deadline;
6. earn a grade of B or better in either EDEC 342P  or EDEC 443  to meet the dispositions requirement for admission to Internship II.  An action plan is required for students who make a grade of C or C+ in either EDEC 342P  or EDEC 443 .
7. Submit satisfactory work sample as required by the program area.

Elementary Education

The Department of Instruction and Teacher Education offers a program leading to a B.A. degree in elementary education. Students successfully completing all degree and certification requirements are eligible to apply for a professional credential to teach grades 2 through 6.

The Elementary Education Professional Program

Upon completion of 60 semester hours of course work including courses specified by the program area, the candidate may apply for admission to the Professional Program in Elementary Education.

For admission to the professional program, the candidate must:

1. meet the state basic skills testing requirement;
2. pass the USC Education and Economic Development Act Assessment;
3. achieve an  minimum overall GPA of 2.75
4. achieve a GPA of 3.00 or higher and no grade lower than C in education courses and field experiences;
5. earn minimum required grade in specific course work as required by the program area, including a grade of B or better in EDEL 305  .

The Elementary Education Internship Admission Requirements

For admission to the senior internship semesters, the candidate must:

1. be admitted to the professional program;
2. achieve a minimum overall GPA of 2.75
3. achieve a GPA of 3.00 or higher in all education course work;
4. complete EDEL 441  with a grade of B or better;
5. achieve a grade of C or better in specific course work as required by the program area;
6. successfully complete criminal background check as required by the S.C. Department of Education by program deadline.

In addition to the above, for admission to EDEL 490  a GPA of 3.00 or higher is required in EDEL 440 , EDEL 450 , EDEL 460 , EDEL 471  and EDRD 431 .

Middle Level Education

The Department of Teaching and Instruction offers a program leading to a B.A. or B.S. degree in middle level education. Students successfully completing certification requirements are eligible to apply for a professional credential to teach grades 5 through 8.

Students pursuing a B.A. degree will complete 27 hours in liberal arts and 14 hours in science and mathematics and complete concentrations in English and social studies. Students pursuing a B.S. degree will complete 24 hours in liberal arts and 19 hours in science and mathematics and complete concentrations in science and mathematics. Students completing English/mathematics, English/science, social studies/mathematics, or social studies/science concentrations can choose between pursuing a B.A. or B.S. degree.

The Middle Level Education Professional Program

Upon completion of 60 hours of course work, including the completion of the 11-semester-hour education core (EDTE 201 , EDFI 300 , EDTE 400 , and EDPY 401  and EDPY 401P ), the candidate may apply for admission to the Professional Education Program in Middle Level Education. For admission to the professional program the candidate must have:

1. successfully meet the state basic skills testing requirement;
2. pass the USC Education and Economic Development Act Assessment;
3. achieve a minimum overall GPA of 2.75
4. achieve a GPA of 3.00 or higher and no grade lower than C in education courses and field experiences;
5. grade of C or better in specific course work as required by the program area;
6. an essay addressing the National Middle School Association’s initial teacher preparation dispositions.

The Middle Level Internship Admission Requirements

For admission into EDML 598  Internship A in the Middle School, a candidate must:

1. be admitted to the professional program;
2. complete EDML 321 ;
3. earn a grade of C or better in specific course work as required by the program area;
4. achieve a GPA of 3.00 or higher in all education course work;
5. comply with criminal background check and health screening requirements.

For admission into EDML 599  Internship B in the Middle School, a candidate must:

1. complete EDTE 522 ;
2. earn a grade of C or better in specific course work as required by the program area;
3. complete four of the six courses in each of the two content areas.

Programs and Courses

Programs

• Early Childhood Education, B.A.
• Elementary Education, B.A.
• Middle Level Education, B.A.
• Middle Level Education, B.S.
• Secondary Education Mathematics Minor

Courses

• EDEC 250 - Play and Early Learning

• EDSE 302 - Teachers and Teaching