B.S. in Elementary Teacher Education
At Tarleton, we offer a general education degree program that provides a foundation for mastering teaching skills and specialized knowledge in a specific content area. You can earn your bachelor’s degree in elementary teacher education with teacher education certification.
Our BS in Elementary Teacher Education is closely tied with the Teacher Education Program offered through Educator Preparation Services, which is designed to be completed during the last two years of your bachelor’s degree. This research-based program is guided by standards developed by the State Board of Educator Certification, the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, ensuring our teachers not only know what to teach but also how to teach it.
Classroom teacher education certification options offered at Stephenville, Fort Worth and Waco include:
- All-Level Special Education with EC–6 Generalist/Core Subjects with/without English as a Second Language Supplemental
- Early Childhood–Sixth Grade Core Subjects with/without English as a Second Language Supplemental (EC–6)
- EC-3 with/without English as a Second Language Supplemental
Classroom teacher education certification options offered only at Stephenville include:
- 4–8 English Language Arts and Reading/Social Studies with/without English as Second Language Supplemental
- 4–8 Math with/without English as Second Language Supplemental
- 4–8 Math/Science with/without English as Second Language Supplemental
- 4–8 Science with/without English as Second Language Supplemental
- 4–8 Social Studies with/without English as Second Language Supplemental
- 7-12 English Language Arts and Reading
- 7-12 History
- 7-12 Social Studies
- 7-12 Math
- 7-12 Science Composite
- 7-12 Life Science
In order to teach, you must be an expert in the field of study you are teaching. With content expertise and current best practices, our teachers are known across the state for being day-one ready to teach in classrooms.
Estimated Completion
120 Credit Hours (4 years)
Application Process
Cost
Locations Available
Fort Worth1 (excluding 4-8 and 7-12 concentrations)
Waco1 (excluding 4-8 and 7-12 concentrations)
Texas A&M-RELLIS1 (excluding 4-8 and 7-12 concentrations)
1Admission to some outreach locations, excluding select programs in Fort Worth, requires a minimum of 24 transferable credit hours, a 2.0 GPA and that a student be TSI complete.
College
What is Elementary Teacher Education?
While earning an occupational endorsement certificate to teach elementary or middle school students, teacher education certification majors learn principles of instructional planning, effective teaching practices, how to perform student performance evaluations and how to implement instructional technology. Our teachers know how to differentiate instruction for all learners to provide all of them with the quality education they deserve. We constantly review and update our curriculum to ensure we are exceeding the needs of Texas school districts and their students.
Currently, Texas is experiencing a shortage of teachers across the state. Tarleton has a stellar reputation for the quality of our teachers and is part of the Texas A&M system of schools that combined produce the greatest number of teachers in Texas. Tarleton teachers are highly qualified and sought after across the state.
What Can You Do With Your Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Teacher Education?
Some of the best teacher candidates across Texas graduate from our elementary teacher education bachelor’s degree program. Employers from across the state attend our annual job fair on the Stephenville campus that is specifically for future educators. Each year, Texas identifies Teacher Shortage Areas, and a certification in one of these areas could make you more marketable and help you earn a higher salary. Many related jobs in education are also available for teacher education certification majors, such as:
- ESL Coordinator
- Dyslexia Coordinator
- Child Life Specialist
- Child Care Program Developer
- Researcher
- Child Care Worker
- Family Life Educator
You may also be interested in continuing your education studies in Tarleton’s MEd in Educational Administration and Certification or MEd in Curriculum and Instruction.
How Much Do Elementary Teacher Education Graduates Make?
Texas teachers recently received a record raise across the state. Many of the urban districts have increased their starting teacher salaries to well over $50,000 and award pay increases annually. Stipends are also available for taking on extra responsibilities with the schools and districts.
Why Major in Elementary Teacher Education?
As a teacher education certification major, you’ll receive a broad range of practice and experience in the field of education to prepare you for leading your own classroom.
Teacher education certification majors have a variety of opportunities to practice teaching, including local internships, classroom contact hours, clinical teaching placements and the student teacher semester. Practice teaching including field placements in the junior year and a year-long residency during the senior year. Our elementary teacher education bachelor’s degree program focuses on guided practice with professionals in elementary and secondary schools, an understanding of the value of service before self and preparation for any student demographic.
Study abroad to explore cultural highlights of different countries, compare and contrast educational systems and interact with local education experts. Teacher education certification majors have traveled to Ireland, England, France, Holland, Mexico and more.
Service learning and volunteerism prepares the heart and mind of our teacher education certification majors to realize that education is a service profession that focuses on the safety, educational needs and emotional well-being of their students. Past projects and activities include classroom makeovers, filling and delivering book bags, volunteering for fall festivals and National Read Aloud Day, school library cleanups, leading Special Olympics events, participating in the Bosque River Challenge and many others.
majors in the teacher education program at Stephenville have access to a variety of resources from the College of Education, including computer labs, and a 21st-century classroom. You’ll also be able to use the services of The Center for Access and Academic Testing.
Program scholarships may be available for undergraduate students majoring in Education. Applying for financial aid is easy with the common application.
What Classes Will You Take as an Elementary Teacher Education?
Our program curriculum is systematically and intentionally aligned to the standards required by Texas at the entry, middle and mastered levels of instruction. Coursework is designed to prepare students for the content area teacher Texas certification exam in their respective fields and to be day-one ready in content knowledge and pedagogy. Study topics such as models of instruction, public speaking, child development, educational psychology, and more.
We also have methodology courses for teaching mathematics, social studies and science, as well as a practicum reading assessment course that gives our students the ability to not only teach the reading concepts required by Texas but also to diagnose reading problems and research and implement solutions.
View all required classes for the elementary teacher education bachelor’s degree.
Accreditations
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Texas Education Agency (TEA)
How Do You Get Started on Your Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Teacher Education?
Take the next step toward earning your bachelor’s degree in elementary teacher education. We have the resources to help you get started.
Learn from educators who are experts in their respective fields
We are knowledgeable and keenly proficient in the art and skill of communicating ideas and have the gift and calling of teaching. Our reading faculty have fulfilled at least the minimum graduate hours in reading and literacy development. Our teaching mathematics methods faculty are from the mathematics department and have backgrounds in teaching at the primary and secondary school levels. Our science and social studies methods professors possess specific knowledge of how to teach their subjects in schools. We constantly keep up to date with what is happening in Texas schools and help our students stay current on the educational trends and cultural shifts across the state.
Facilities and Features
Undergraduate students in the elementary teacher education bachelor's degree program may apply for Tarleton's MEd in Curriculum and Instruction during their junior year to begin courses while still completing the BS.
Get involved by joining professional associations in your field, attending conferences and networking with employers. TAFE serve the community in the field of education. Kappa Delta Pi is an international honor society for education. Renaissance Scholars promotes teaching for middle and secondary grades.
Teaching Interns with Mentor Support helps qualified students begin working as full-time teachers for a school district before completing student teaching requirements for teacher education certification. The Effective Schools Project connects our faculty with schools, campuses and Education Service Centers across Texas to provide comprehensive professional development opportunities for educators.