Education

Degree: BSEd, Elementary Education
College of Education

The College of Education offers several programs to meet requirements for licensure as a teacher. Throughout the programs, students gain experiences and skills in monitoring their own professional growth through research, reflection, and problem solving.

Requirements for the elementary licensure program are described below. Students interested in the undergraduate licensure in special education (general curriculum) or in secondary or PreK-12 licensure options should review program requirements as outlined on the Courses of Study page in the College of Education section of the Undergraduate Catalog.

All students who gain admission to the program are eligible to join the Student Education Association. Juniors and seniors with high academic achievement are invited to become members of the Nu Xi Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society in education. Awards are given each year to students who excel in their internship, academic achievement, and leadership. Students in the Teacher Education Programs have the opportunity to apply for a variety of scholarships.

Undergraduate Elementary Licensure Program

Those students who are pursuing licensure at the elementary (preK-6) level enter the BSEd in Elementary Education degree program. Students major in education and take general education requirements and electives as part of the degree program. Students complete multiple field-based experiences during the program. In the spring of their senior year, students complete a full-time teaching internship.

Any student in the teacher education programs may also opt to enroll in an additional semester to do their teaching internship.

All students seeking to earn teaching licensure must complete all program requirements and the EDUC 499 Internship.

College of Education students have access to all the Academic Resources outlined in that section of this Catalog. 

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will apply appropriate learning theories recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas.

2. Students will design and implement developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences that include the use of technology.

3. Students will create an environment that values individual differences and diverse cultures, and communities.

4. Students will ensure inclusive learning by addressing the needs of diverse learners.

5. Students will organize and manage face-to-face and virtual environments that support individual and collaborative learning.

6. Students will encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self- motivation.

7. Students will understand the tools of inquiry and structures of the discipline.

8. Students will create learning experiences that make content accessible and meaningful for learners to ensure content mastery.

9. Students will connect concepts and use different perspectives and digital resources to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving.

10. Students will plan rigorous, sequenced instruction related to authentic local and global issues.

11. Students will use multiple methods of assessment, including digital tools, to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide teacher and learner decision making.

12. Students will use formative assessment to monitor and adjust instruction and to guide the learners’ decision making.

13. Students will plan instruction to support every learner in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of digital age technology, content areas, curriculum, crossdisciplinary skills, and pedagogy.

14. Students will effectively plan instruction based on knowledge of learners and the community context.

15. Students will understand and use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections.

16. Students will engage in ongoing professional learning.

17. Students will use evidence to continually evaluate his or her practice, particularly the effects of teacher choices and actions on others.

18. Students will adapt practice to meet the needs of each learner in an ethical and responsible manner.

19. Students will seek appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for learning.

20. Students will collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members (using digital tools and resources) to ensure learner growth and to advance the profession. 

Admission to the Teacher Education Programs is by application directly to the College of Education. Admission is competitive and is based on academic achievement and on other indications of potential in meeting the program goals. Students are strongly advised to attend a Group Information Session on the Initial Licensure Programs. Group Information Sessions are offered throughout the academic year. At these sessions, students are informed of the features and requirements of the program. Students are advised of the required Minimum Performance Standards and are asked to apprise the department of requests for accommodations. Current UMW students and prospective transfer students who are interested in the Initial Licensure Programs should attend one of these Group Information Sessions.

Admission, continuation, and program completion

Admission, continuation, and program completion requirements are defined within a three-stage procedure:

1. Admission to UMW,
2. Admission to the College of Education, and
3. Successful Completion of the Program and Recommendation for Licensure.

Detailed descriptions of the program requirements are explained on the College of Education website.

Undergraduate Admission

For permission to take the first education courses in Phase I of the program, EDUC 206 Foundations of Education and EDUC 207 Development of the Learner and Instructional Practices, students must complete the COE Phase I Questionnaire. The Questionnaire will open during the advising period and be processed until the courses are full.

To continue in the COE, students apply for admission during Phase I of the program. Students must have earned a 3.0 or better in EDUC 206 and EDUC 207 and have an overall 2.5 GPA in at least 12 credits of UMW course work OR an overall 3.0 for transfer students. 

By the end of Phase II, all students must submit qualifying scores from the VCLA.

Applications for Phase II must be completed by February 15 to begin in the fall and by October 1 to begin in the spring. Newly admitted transfer students may submit applications on a rolling basis. To be fully admitted into the program, admission testing must be passed by the first day of the semester when Phase III courses begin.

Continuation

To continue in the program students must do the following:

1. maintain good academic standing with an overall cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better;
2. achieve a GPA of 3.0 or better in all education courses;
3. demonstrate satisfactory progress on all Professional Competencies; and
4. achieve satisfactory evaluations in all field experiences.

A student who receives more than one C (including C+, C, and C-) in an education course will be dismissed from the program.

Completion

Successful completion of the program and recommendation for licensure to the Virginia Department of Education are contingent upon:

1. completion of all degree requirements;
2. a grade of B (including B+, B, or B-) or better in EDUC 499: Internship; minimum 3.0 (B) or higher overall cumulative GPA in all education coursework; and
3. achieving passing scores on all licensure examinations; certification or training in emergency first aid, CPR and use of the automated external defibrillators; and completion of training modules as required by the Virginia Department of Education.

BSEd in Elementary Education Major Requirements

General Education Requirements

The general education requirements for Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Science in Education degrees apply to all students who are seeking to earn a BSEd degree in Elementary Education or B.A. or B.S. degree with a secondary, PreK-12, or special education licensure area.

Students seeking a Bachelor of Liberal Studies degree have a separate set of BLS general education requirements.

Several specific courses, which are eligible to meet specified general education requirements, must be taken by students in the Bachelor of Science in Education degree program. Those courses are: LING 101B Introduction to Linguistics, HIST 131 American History to 1865, STAT 180 Introduction to Statistics, and GEOG 101 World Regional Geography.

Internship

All students seeking to earn an BSEd degree in Elementary Education or B.A. or B.S. degree with a secondary licensure area must complete EDUC 499 Internship.

Electives

Elective courses are those that are not needed to fulfill a general education requirement or major program requirement but are chosen by the student to complete the 120 credits required for graduation with a B.A./B.S. degree or the BLS degree. These courses may be taken graded or pass/fail (or S/U in the case of physical education and 100-level dance). No student in a regular B.A./B.S. program may count more than 60 credits in a single discipline toward the 120 credits required for graduation.

If any of these courses were not taken to meet general elective requirements, they should be included among elective courses taken: LING 101B Introduction to Linguistics, HIST 131 American History to 1865, STAT 180 Introduction to Statistics, and GEOG 101 World Regional Geography​.

Total Credits Required for the Degree: 120 credits

Plans of Study

These suggested plans of study should serve as guides to assist students when planning their course selections. They are not a substitute for a student's Degree Evaluation or the Program Requirements listed for this major in the catalog. Academic planning is the student's responsibility, and course selections should be finalized only after speaking with an advisor. Students should familiarize themselves with the catalog in effect at the time they matriculated at the University of Mary Washington. Students should also familiarize themselves with general education requirements which can be fulfilled through general electives as well as major/minor course requirements. Course requirements and sequencing may vary with AP, IB, CLEP, Cambridge or previous coursework, transfer courses, or other conditions. To be considered full-time, an undergraduate student must be enrolled in 12 or more credits for the semester.

Bachelor of Science in Education: Elementary Education

Bachelor of Science in Education: Elementary Education with Special Education Endorsement

 Secondary and PreK-12 Education Undergraduate Initial Licensure

 Special Education: General Curriculum Undergraduate Initial Licensure 

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EDUC 371 is suggested but not required. In lieu of taking EDUC 371 students can take an additional three credits of general electives.

College of Education Faculty

Peter S. Kelly, Dean
Jennifer D. Walker, Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Assessment, and Accreditation

Faculty

Professors

Teresa L. Coffman
Peter S. Kelly
Kyle T. Schultz

Associate Professors

Janine Schank Davis
Christy K. Irish
Jennifer D. Walker
Melissa S. Wells

Assistant Professors

Alexander S. Honold
Melissa C. Jenkins
Alexis A. Rutt
Danielle N. Springston

Instructors

Rachel W. Bowman
Sean D. McDonald