Michigan Elementary Certification is valid for teaching all subjects in grades K-5 and in subject areas (majors/minors) in grades 6-8.

Select one of the following: An Integrated Teaching Major, a single Disciplinary Major, or two Disciplinary Minors:

1. One Integrated Teaching Major.  Three integrated Teaching Majors (Language Arts, Social Studies [with the option of Concentrations in History and Geography] and Integrated Science) are available for prospective elementary school teachers.  These majors, which are housed in the College of Education, provide prospective elementary teachers with the opportunity to focus academic studies in a set of closely allied subject areas that are central to the core curriculum in elementary and middle schools.  To enroll in one of these three teaching majors, students must be admitted to the College of Education's Elementary Teacher Certification Program

NOTE:  For the requirements for the three integrated Teaching Majors, See the section to follow.

 

2. A single approved Disciplinary Major² as an alternative to the Education Major for elementary teacher certification. Seventeen Disciplinary Majors are available for prospective elementary teachers as alternatives to majoring in Education.  Students wishing to major in one of the Disciplinary Majors approved for elementary teacher certification, which are listed below, should refer to the respective departments for the requirements of these majors.

1. College of Arts and Letters

• English
• East Asian Languages and Cultures (Japanese)
• East Asian Languages and Cultures (Chinese)
• French
• German
• History
• Spanish

2. James Madison College:

• International Relations
• Political Economy
• Political Theory and Constitutional Democracy
• Social Relations and Policy
• Comparative Cultures and Politics

3. College of Natural Science

• Mathematics

4. College of Social Science

• Interdisciplinary Social Science

3. Two approved Disciplinary Teaching Minors for elementary teacher certification.  Disciplinary teaching minors are available for prospective elementary school teachers.  Students electing to complete the requirements for two Disciplinary Teaching Minors should make their choices from the list below.

   Credits

   	(i) Mathematics	20
   	(ii) Computer Science	21-22
   	(iii) English	21-23
   	(iv) East Asian Languages and Cultures (Japanese)	24
   	(v) Environmental Science 5	24-26
   	(vi)  French	21
   	(vii) German	24
   	(viii) Geography	22
   	(ix) History	23-26
   	(x) Russian	23
   	(xi) Spanish	21
   	(xii) Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) 6	20-25

The following endorsement areas are also available to students seeking elementary certification:

Special Education (See Special Education Advisor and Department of Counseling Educational Psychology in the MSU Academic Programs Book).  Majors available:

• Learning Disabilities⁴

• Deaf Education⁴

Early Childhood (See Human Ecology Advisor regarding the Child Development Major.  See Family and Child Ecology section in the MSU Academic Programs book).

• Preprimary and Early Elementary ages (preK - 3^rd Grade)⁴

NOTE: For the requirements for the approved Disciplinary Teaching Minors, See College of Education website www.educ.msu.edu .

NOTE:  A given course may not be counted toward the requirements for both a Disciplinary Major and a Disciplinary Teaching Minor (including the Planned Program for Elementary Education), nor towards the requirements for two or more Disciplinary Teaching minors (including the Planned Program for Elementary Education).

1. Group Subject Area (Minimum 36 credits required).

2. Choosing one of these majors will mean that students must meet all degree requirements from their college as well as the College of Education's Planned Program and Teacher Education courses.

3. Leads to Integrated Science certification.

4. Students generally choose Language Arts integrated teaching major (other integrative teaching majors, or disciplinary majors or two minor option from the elementary education program may be allowed with departmental approval.)

5. Changes pending. See elementary education advisor.
6. As mandated by the Michigan Department of Education/MDE:  The subject area of English as a Second Language/ESL (known at MSU as "TESOL") must be paired with a core academic major and cannot be one of two minors for Elementary Education or Special Education.  The TESOL/ESL minor can be completed for elementary or special education as an additional, optional minor, along with a major in any of the following areas: Language Arts, Social Studies, Integrated Science or any of the disciplinary majors approved for elementary education, as listed at: http://ed-web3.educ.msu.edu/te/ele/options.htm or http://ed-web3.educ.msu.edu/cepse/ungrad/options.htm
   Note that admitted elementary and special education students already pursuing TESOL as one of two minors may be allowed to finish under this option. See an advisor in the College of Education to discuss this.