Mary Lou Fulton College of Education
ITC Programs
Early Childhood Education (Birth-age 8)
Early childhood education is the field for people who wish to teach children in preschool through third grades. Being an elementary teacher requires a knowledge of how young children develop and learn a broad knowledge of subjects taught in these grades and of techniques for working effectively with children. Students completing a degree in Early Childhood education receive K-8 teacher certification.
Elementary Education (K-8)
Elementary education is the field for people who wish to teach children in kindergarten through eighth grade. Students in the Elementary Education Partnership Program work in three different elementary schools, one each semester, prior to their student teaching. Each semester, or block, includes methods course that are taught on an elementary school campus through an internship of six hours each week. Students become an integral part of the life of the elementary school and assignments link the classroom observations and experiences to the content of the methods courses. Faculty from each of the school sites coordinate assignments and activities to ensure a wide range of learning experiences; some assignments are continued across semesters. Optional course content is in place to qualify all students in this program for a provisional ESL certificate.
Additional Elementary program: Apprentice Teacher Program (ATP)
Secondary Education (7-12)
Secondary education is the field for people who wish to teach students in seventh through twelfth grade. In order to integrate teacher education preparation with the secondary education requirement for an academic specialization, the College of Education maintains connections with academic departments across the university. Each program semester requires an internship in the schools, and some courses are taught in the field. Fine Arts and Physical Education majors receive a K-12 endorsement. Graduates are eligible for secondary certification in grades 7-12 in one of 24 subject specializations:
| Art Biological Sciences Business Chemistry Chicano/a Studies Dance Economics |
English French Geography German History Japanese Mathematics |
Music-Choral Music-Instrumental Physical Education Physics Political Science Social Studies Spanish |
Courses in the academic specialization give students a greater depth of knowledge in one academic area. A Secondary Education major completes 36-60 hours, depending upon the area, in the subject in which the student wishes to be certified.
Students who enter into the Secondary Education program receive academic advising from 2 different advisors. When students have questions about their area of specialization coursework, students consult with their Subject Specialization Advisors. But when there are questions about general studies requirements, College of Education requirements, or overall degree questions, students consult their academic advisor in the College of Education-Office of Student Services. See the Academic Advisor list of names to determine who your academic advisors would be.
Additional Secondary Education programs: INCITE Secondary (post-bac students only) and TEAMS (post-bac students only)
Multilingual & Multicultural Education
(K-8 w/ endorsements)
The multilingual education program concentration prepares teachers to teach elementary students whose primary language is Spanish or Native American language spoken in Arizona. The multicultural concentration prepares teachers to teach English as a Second Language to children for whom it is a second language.
The Multilingual/Multicultural program is a four semester sequence offered in ?blocks? with focused field requirements in a professional development school and other bilingual or ESL settings. Methods courses are divided into BLE or ESL sections, although some course work is planned together to promote collaboration. The program meets Arizona requirements for an elementary education teaching certificate with an endorsement in bilingual education or English as a Second Language.
Language Proficiency: Language proficiency requirements must be met for each endorsement prior to completion of the professional program.
- Bilingual endorsement for Spanish. Students pass the Spanish bilingual certification examination administered at several colleges in Arizona.
- Bilingual endorsement for an American Indian language. Proficiencies are verified in writing by an official of the appropriate tribe.
- English as a Second Language. Language proficiency is generally met by completing six college credits in a single language.
Special Education
Special education is the field appropriate for people who wish to work with students in kindergarten through twelfth grade who have learning disabilities, mild mental retardation, or emotional/behavioral disorders. This program provides preparation in each disability area; however the certificate the student qualifies for will be determined by their student teaching placement. A school internship is required for each semester. The program is accredited by the Council for Exceptional Children. The SPE leads to certification in K-12 special education.
Fine Arts–Secondary Education
In cooperation with the Fulton College of Education a K-12 endorsement for teacher certification is available in the disciplines of art, dance, and music for students preparing for a teaching career in the public schools. Students should, with the advice and counsel of their arts education advisors, fulfill the requirements for the appropriate area of specialization under the Bachelor of Fine Arts or Bachelor of Music degrees. Students must also meet the admission criteria of the Initial Teacher Certification program, through the Fulton College. Auditions and/or interviews are required for admission into the B.F.A. degree programs in Dance as well as the B.M. degree in music.
Indigenous Teacher Preparation Program
The Indigenous Teacher Preparation Program is a Bachelor of Educator program leading to teacher certification. The ITP program emphasizes Indian education with a special focus on the unique cultural, language, and academic needs of Indigenous learners. Visit the ITP website for more information.