Leadership and Teacher Education Undergraduate Programs
Students can earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Education that leads to Alabama Class B certification in the following areas: Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Secondary Education and Special Education. The Department of Leadership and Teacher Education also offers the Bachelor of Science degree in Education with a major in Early Childhood Studies.
The Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Studies prepares individuals to work with young children (birth through age 8) as teachers, directors and other professionals in child care, Head Start, Early Head Start, infant and toddler programs, private preschools, Early Intervention or other programs where teacher certification is not required. Students learn to use a developmentally appropriate approach to care for young children in a play-based environment that invites inquiry, autonomy and responsive social interaction while supporting development in the language, cognitive, social, emotional and physical domains.
The Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education is a dual certification program designed to prepare teachers for kindergarten through grade six classrooms. Satisfactory completion of the program requirements and accompanying tests lead to a recommendation for a Class B Certification in both Elementary Education K-6 and Collaborative Special Education K-6. The program applies a decision-making model for preparing teacher educators. Through a combination of classroom and intensive field experiences, prospective teachers master the professional skills needed to provide systematic, individualized instruction to all students, promote student welfare, and serve as effective professional team members across diverse educational settings.
.The Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education degree program is designed to prepare individuals to work with students in grades 6-12 in a specific content area. Students may choose to study Biology, Chemistry, General Science, Mathematics, Language Arts, Social Studies or Physics. Satisfactory completion of the program requirements and accompanying tests lead to a recommendation for a Class B Certification in a content specific field of study. Because candidates are required to complete a content field major in the College of Arts and Sciences, the Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education leads to a double major in education and the content field.
The Special Education undergraduate program leads to eligibility for Collaborative Special Education K-6 Certification or Collaborative Special Education 6-12 Certification. Individuals completing the Elementary Education undergraduate program can add a teaching certificate in Early Childhood Special Education. Students will spend significant periods of time in K-12 grade setting working hands-on with students with disabilities. School experiences will include resource and special class placements as well as inclusion placements.
