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2015-2017 Catalog

Elementary Education, A.A.

Associate in Arts Degree – 62 Credit Hours

Curriculum Code 1280

To teach young children (grades K-9) in Illinois public schools, teachers must be certified by the State of Illinois upon completion of a four-year degree. Students interested in elementary education are encouraged to complete the Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree prior to transfer. These course recommendations are intended for students who are undecided about a transfer school. Students who have selected a transfer school should consult the catalog of that school and an academic advisor. College catalogs and transfer guides for many four-year colleges are available in the Academic Advising Center. Students should be aware that admission to the junior year of elementary education is competitive and that each four-year college has specific admissions requirements including a minimum grade point average and a test of academic proficiency.

Required General Education Core Curriculum—38 credit hours as follows:

Communication—9 credit hours

COM-101Composition I

3
COM-102Composition II

3
COM-103Speech Fundamentals

3

Mathematics—3 credit hours

Choose three credit hours from

MTH-120General Education Mathematics

3
- 
MTH-121Math for Teachers I

3
-and
MTH-122Math for Teachers II

3
- 
MTH-139Probability and Statistics

4
MTH-143Finite Mathematics

4
MTH-145Calculus for Business & Social Scien

4
MTH-150Calculus I/Analytic Geometry

5
MTH-151Calculus II/Analytic Geometry

5
MTH-152Calculus III/Analytic Geometry

4
MTH-212Statistics for Business

4

MTH-122 recommended; however, math requirements vary at four-year institutions.

Physical and Life Sciences—8 credit hours

Choose four credit hours from

BIO-111General Biology I

4
BIO-112General Biology II

4
BIO-119Introductory Microbiology

4
NAT-111Environmental Science I

4
NAT-112Environmental Science II

4

BIO-111: Recommended

Choose four credit hours from

CHM-111Fundamentals of Chemistry

4
CHM-131Chemistry (University Oriented) I

4
EAS-120Introduction to Earth Science

4
EAS-125Introduction to Weather and Climate

4
EAS-130Severe and Hazardous Weather

4
GEL-150Physical Geology

4
PHS-101Physical Science

4
PHS-103Descriptive Astronomy

4
- 
PHY-106Fundamentals of Physics

3
-and
PHY-107Fundamentals of Physics Lab

1
- 
PHY-110Mechanical Universe I

3
-and
PHY-111Mechanical Universe I Lab

1
- 
PHY-150Mechanics, Heat & Sound

4
PHY-203Mechanics

4

CHM-131, PHS-101: Recommended

Each of the Physical and Life Science courses shown above has a one-hour laboratory component included within the course structure and contact hours, with the exception of PHY-106/ PHY-107 and PHY-110/ PHY-111.

Humanities and Fine Arts—9 credit hours

Choose three credit hours from

ART-110Art Appreciation

3
ART-205Survey of Art I

3
- 
ART-206Survey of Art II

3
OR-
ART-208Survey of Art III

3
- 
ART-209Survey of Non-Western Art

3
HUM-101Western Humanities I: Foundations

3
HUM-102Western Humanities II: Continuities

3
HUM-120Women in the Humanities

3
- 
HUM-135African & Middle Eastern Humanities

3
OR-
HUM-140Asian and Oceanic Humanities

3
OR-
HUM-145Native American Humanities

3
- 
LIT-227Literature as Film

3
MUS-106Introduction to American Music

3
MUS-107Music Appreciation

3
THE-105Theater Appreciation

3
THE-107Film Appreciation

3
THE-110History of the Theatre

3

Choose three credit hours from

LIT-213American Literature I

3
LIT-214American Literature II

3
- 
LIT-215Bible as Literature I

3
OR-
LIT-216Bible as Literature II

3
- 
LIT-217Introduction to Poetry

3
LIT-218Introduction to Drama

3
LIT-219Women in Literature

3
LIT-220Introduction to Fiction

3
LIT-221English Literature I

3
LIT-222English Literature II

3
LIT-223Western Literature I

3
LIT-224Western Literature II

3
LIT-225Shakespeare

3
- 
LIT-226Literature of the Non-Western World

3
OR-
LIT-228Latin American Literature

3
- 
LIT-227Literature as Film

3
LIT-230African American Literature

3

Choose three credit hours from

ARB-202Arabic IV

4
ART-110Art Appreciation

3
ART-205Survey of Art I

3
- 
ART-206Survey of Art II

3
OR-
ART-208Survey of Art III

3
- 
ART-209Survey of Non-Western Art

3
FRE-202French IV

4
GER-202German IV

4
HUM-101Western Humanities I: Foundations

3
HUM-102Western Humanities II: Continuities

3
HUM-115World Mythology

3
HUM-120Women in the Humanities

3
- 
HUM-135African & Middle Eastern Humanities

3
OR-
HUM-140Asian and Oceanic Humanities

3
OR-
HUM-145Native American Humanities

3
- 
LIT-213American Literature I

3
LIT-214American Literature II

3
- 
LIT-215Bible as Literature I

3
OR-
LIT-216Bible as Literature II

3
- 
LIT-217Introduction to Poetry

3
LIT-218Introduction to Drama

3
LIT-219Women in Literature

3
LIT-220Introduction to Fiction

3
LIT-221English Literature I

3
LIT-222English Literature II

3
LIT-223Western Literature I

3
LIT-224Western Literature II

3
LIT-225Shakespeare

3
- 
LIT-226Literature of the Non-Western World

3
OR-
LIT-228Latin American Literature

3
- 
LIT-227Literature as Film

3
LIT-230African American Literature

3
MUS-106Introduction to American Music

3
MUS-107Music Appreciation

3
PHI-101Introduction to Philosophy

3
PHI-111Critical Thinking

3
PHI-120World Religions

3
PHI-125Ethics

3
PHI-200Philosophy of Religion

3
SPA-202Spanish IV

4
SPA-213Introduction to Hispanic Literatures

3
THE-105Theater Appreciation

3
THE-107Film Appreciation

3
THE-110History of the Theatre

3
THE-111History of Film

3

Recommended that students choose a Non-Western or Third World Cultures course and a literature course.

Foreign Language Requirement: Some universities have a foreign language requirement. Generally, four years of a single foreign language in high school or four semesters of language in college will fulfill this requirement. It is recommended that students complete the entire ­foreign language sequence at one institution.

Social and Behavioral Sciences—9 credit hours

HIS-201American History I

3
OR-
HIS-202American History II

3
- 
PSC-110American National Government

3
PSY-101Introduction to Psychology

3

Additional Degree Requirement—3 credit hours

Required Courses

PSY-104Life-Span Developmental Psychology

3
OR-
PSY-105Child Psychology

3

Area of Concentration/Major Field—6-15 credit hours

Required Courses

EDU-100Introduction to Education

3
EDU-111Intro to the Exceptional Child

3

Teachers must choose an area of concentration, 18 hours of coursework in one discipline. Nine of those hours should be taken at the community college level with the other nine hours taken at the transfer school. Students should consult the catalog of the intended transfer school to determine acceptable areas of concentration.

Electives—6-15 credit hours

Select any additional courses to fulfill teacher certification requirements. Students should check the catalog for their transfer school to receive additional guidance on courses to select.

The program(s) of study listed above is a model for students who are undecided about a transfer institution and uncertain about specific course requirements.

Students who already know their intended transfer institution should refer to that school’s catalog. In any case, students are strongly encouraged to work with a Moraine Valley academic advisor for specific course selection advice and transfer planning support.