Bachelor Degree (B.A.) in Elementary Education
MORE THAN A CAREER
Guided by the tenets of Catholicism and the Benedictine hallmarks, an Elementary Education degree will strengthen your mind and spirit as you prepare to share a love of learning in ways that glorify God. You’ll be part of a close-knit cohort of no more than 20 classmates, with whom you’ll complete your entire professional sequence and licensure program. With strong mentoring and hands-on experience, you will be equipped to enrich the children whose lives you will serve.
Possible career paths:
Public and private elementary school teacher, grades K-6
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$45k
Average Salary For
Elementary Education Majors
Curriculum
In addition to the specific requirements listed in the section below, all students at the Abbey are required to earn credits in our core liberal arts curriculum.
To be eligible for acceptance into the degree program, the student must have completed 15 hours of education coursework, and have on file a cumulative Praxis Core score of at least 468, or an SAT score of at least 1170 (math and verbal only), or an ACT cumulative score of at least 24. In addition, a student must have at admission, and maintain throughout the program, a GPA of 2.75 with no grade lower than a “C-” in major courses. A student must submit an Application for Admission to the Elementary Education Teacher Licensure Program and pass a national background check. Students must be accepted into the program before beginning the Professional Sequence courses.
Major requirements: Prerequisites for Professional Sequence
ED 300: Introduction to Education
ED 303: Children’s Literature
ED 305: Introduction to the Exceptional Child
ED 310W: Educational Development & Psychology
ED 315: Arts Integration
Before taking any coursework in the Professional Sequence, a student must be accepted in the Elementary Education Teacher Licensure Program.
Professional Sequence: The Professional Sequence consists of three (3) distinct semesters (I, II, & III).
Professional Sequence I:
ED 400: Classroom Management
ED 402: Curriculum and Instructional Design
ED 404: Math Foundations
ED 405: Educational Assessment
ED 406: Foundations of Language Arts
Professional Sequence II:
ED 407: Literacy Assessment
ED 408: Teaching Social Studies
ED 409: Teaching Science
ED 410: Teaching Mathematics
Professional Sequence III:
ED 471: Student Teaching Seminar
ED 475: Student Teaching
Other courses (14 Hours)
*Must complete FL 101: Financial Literacy prior to graduation.
*It is the student’s responsibility to verify that all degree requirements for graduation are fulfilled.
Upon completion of all program requirements, a student is eligible for recommendation for teacher licensure in North Carolina. Recommendation for licensure in other states is subject to the laws and requirements of those states, and compliance with those regulations is the responsibility of the student. The process for recommendation for licensure is explained in the Student Teaching Handbook.
To receive Belmont Abbey College’s recommendation for initial licensure in North Carolina, a student must:
Complete all required coursework with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75.
Receive the recommendation of the Chair of the Department of Education and of the Licensure Officer
Receive the recommendation of the student teaching supervisors (IHE and LEA) and the designated LEA official responsible for LEA coordination of the senior-year student-teaching experience (Form IHE-01b).
Successfully pass a background check conducted during student teaching
Complete all necessary application materials, obtain official transcripts, and pay any required state licensure fee(s).
As of August 2015, North Carolina allows elementary education program completers to teach for two years in NC public schools before requiring passing state-required assessments. Without passing scores, BAC will attest to program completion and the teacher candidate will pursue licensure through the state once the NCTEL/Praxis passing scores are achieved and edTPA is successfully completed.
As of the 2019-2020 school year, all teacher candidates must successfully complete the edTPA performance assessment to be considered a program completer eligible for NC initial licensure.
Federal and State Compliance:
The Elementary Education Teacher Licensure Program at Belmont Abbey College is fully accredited by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI).
The Sister Christine Beck Department of Education at Belmont Abbey College is in compliance with Section 207 of Title II of the Higher Education Act of the United States Department of Education. This act requires Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) to report to the federal and state governments, as well as to the public. These reports and relevant data are available upon request from the Sister Christine Beck Department of Education Office.
Here are a few other degrees available if you are interested in this field of study:
More about the experience
ALONDRA GARCIA ’21
“The Elementary Education experience at the Abbey has done more than just prepare me to be the absolute best teacher in the classroom, it has also shaped me as a whole person. Throughout my time in this program, I have learned how to effectively communicate and work with all kinds of people, which is what I am most thankful for. The program grew my passion for teaching. It also showed me that teaching is not just letters and numbers, but is about helping students grow as a whole person and that is exactly what the faculty members all have done for me. I will forever be thankful for the Elementary Education program, along with the professors because, without them and this program, I would not have the love and passion I do for teaching.”
LAUREN HAMILTON ‘22
“The education department at Belmont Abbey College has provided me a home away from home. From my first education class as a freshman, to beginning the professional sequence, the professors have supported me and helped me grow. They desire to see me succeed and are always willing to drop anything and help. They also take interest in forming personal relationships with us, from simple conversations to supporting us at our athletic competitions! I enjoy the small classes that are personalized to the content I want to study to prepare for my future classroom. The program has challenged me to grow outside my comfort zone and feel confident in my teaching abilities.”
Sign up for a free TeachNC account to help you apply to our program. Your TeachNC account will give you access to:
- An interactive application checklist to keep you on track
- $100 fee reimbursements towards application and testing expenses
- One-on-one expert advice for any question along the way
- How-to guides for eligibility, applications, testing and finances.
