Elementary Education (B.A.)
Website: https://www.fgcu.edu/coe/programs/undergraduateprograms/elementaryeducation-ba.aspx
The Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Elementary Education is designed to prepare students for certification from the Florida Department of Education for Kindergarten-Grade 6, as well as, an ESOL endorsement and a Reading endorsement. The program of study includes coursework and extensive experience in elementary school settings throughout the FGCU five-county service area (Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee) to enable students to integrate theory, research and effective teaching practices. Students develop competencies which include content-specific knowledge, skills and dispositions, applicable and responsive to the individual developmental needs of students in elementary grades, and to their cultural and linguistic backgrounds in an inclusive and supportive learning environment.
Program Progression and Additional Graduation Requirements
Degree-seeking students are classified as pre-majors prior to formal transition into a College of Education (COE) major. In order to transition from a COE pre-major to a major, students must complete the following:
- An overall GPA of 2.5 on all credits attempted.
- Attempt all subsections of the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE) General Knowledge Test. Please refer to Rule: 6A-4.0021 - Florida Teacher certification Examinations for alternative assessment options.
- Satisfy all General Education requirements.
- Satisfy the College-Level Skills requirements.
- Satisfy common prerequisite requirements.
- Successfully complete a background check.
Students must have passed the FTCE Subject Area Exam prior to beginning Block Four Integrated Field Experience.
Students must complete all coursework and have passed the FTCE Professional Education Exam prior to beginning Block Five Internship.
In addition to the program requirements and in order to qualify for Florida Teacher Certification, students must:
- Pass the General Knowledge Test (or alternative assessment option), the subject area examination and the Professional Education Test.
- Complete a minimum of 120 credits.
- Complete a minimum of 48 of the 120 credits at the upper division (3000-4999 level).
- Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.0 for all coursework attempted at FGCU.
- Satisfy the College-Level skills and foreign language entrance requirements.
- Satisfy the Service-Learning requirement.
- Satisfy the Civic Literacy requirement.
- Satisfy the residency requirement: 30 of the last 60 credits must be completed at FGCU.
- Complete the summer course enrollment requirement.
- Submit an Application for Graduation by the deadline listed in the FGCU Academic Calendar.