Teacher Education Program - State Approved Licensure Options
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Teacher Education Program
All students seeking to be licensed as teachers in the public schools must complete a planned program of professional studies. The teacher education information provided in this catalog meets the current requirements of the Colorado K-12 Model Content Standards.
The Teacher Education Program is a licensure program in the State of Colorado, which prepares students to function as professionals in a variety of educational settings. The teacher education program offers elementary, secondary, K-12 and special education dual licensure options. Licensure options require a major in a complementary academic major.
Elementary Licensure
Students pursuing Elementary or Elementary/Special Education: Moderate Needs licensure may choose from the following majors:
- Biology,
- English,
- Geology: Environmental Earth Science Emphasis,
- Interdisciplinary Studies / Liberal Arts, or
- Mathematics.
Elementary Licensure
A student seeking licensure as an elementary teacher (grades K-6) must complete an appropriate academic major, all other college requirements, and the elementary licensure option. The academic major may be Biology, English, Geology: Environmental Earth Science emphasis, Interdisciplinary Studies / Liberal Arts, or Mathematics. Students pursuing the elementary licensure option must meet all of the requirements for provisional and formal admission to the Teacher Education Program.
The required courses for the elementary licensure program are:
- EDUC 292, 300, 342, 346, 347, 348, 349, 371, 396, and 430;
- KINS 453;
- ART 365;
- MATH 209 and 210;
- ENG 352;
- MUS 337; and
- a Physical Science course and a Biology course.
EDUC 292 should be completed before or taken concurrently with the elementary methods courses. The five elementary methods courses (Teaching Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, Language and Writing Methods for Preservice Teachers) are co-requisites. Elementary education students should take EDUC 396 Field Experience in Elementary Teaching after or concurrently with the methods courses.
Elementary Education Minor
A student not seeking licensure, but who wants to pursue an elementary education
minor must complete a major in Biology, English, Geology: Environmental
Earth Science, or Mathematics. Students must meet all of the requirements
for provisional and formal admission to the Teacher Education Program. The
required courses for the Elementary Education minor are the same as the
required courses for elementary licensure with the exception that EDUC 430
Student Teaching: Elementary is not required.
EDUC 292 should be completed before or taken concurrently with the elementary
methods courses. The five elementary methods courses (Teaching Science,
Mathematics, Social Studies, Language and Writing Methods for Preservice
Teachers) are CO-requisites Elementary education students should take EDUC
396 Field Experience in Elementary Teaching after or concurrently with the
methods courses.
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Secondary Licensure 
A student seeking licensure as a secondary teacher (grades 7-12) must complete an appropriate academic major, all other college requirements, and the secondary licensure option. The academic major may be Biology, Chemistry, English, Geology: Earth and Space Science, Mathematics, Music, Physics, Social Science (Economics, History or Political Science), or Spanish.
The required education courses for the secondary licensure option are:
- EDUC 293, 300, 371, 398, 465, and 432; and Secondary Methods of Teaching in the appropriate content area (Content area prefix 366).
EDUC 293 should be completed before or taken concurrently with the methods courses (Content area prefix 366). Check with the appropriate department or the Teacher Education Program for scheduling information regarding the secondary methods courses in the content area, as they are not offered each semester. Students should be admitted to the Teacher Education Program prior to enrolling in methods courses in their content area.
K-12 Art, Physical Education and Music Licensure
A student seeking licensure as a K-12 Art, Physical Education or Music teacher must complete an appropriate academic major in Art, Music or Kinesiology, all other college requirements, the secondary licensure option, EDUC 396 (Field Experience in Elementary Teaching), and the elementary methods course(s) in their major field.
Interdisciplinary Studies / Liberal Arts Major
The Interdisciplinary Studies / Liberal Arts Major prepares students to be effective elementary educators and is aligned with the Model Content Standards for the State of Colorado. Following successful completion of the program, students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge about:
- literacy development in reading, writing, speaking, viewing, and listening;
- mathematics and mathematics instruction;
- strategies, planning practices and assessment techniques to ensure student learning in standards-based curriculum;
- the content areas;
- classroom practice in terms of time management, communication, and classroom record keeping;
- learning exceptionalities and conditions that affect the rate and extent of student learning, and will be able to adapt instruction for all learners.
They will also be able to demonstrate:
- the ability to be responsive to the needs and experiences children bring to the classroom, including those based on culture, community, ethnicity, economics, linguistics, and innate learning abilities;
- skills in using technology to support instruction and enhance student learning; and
- they will recognize the school's role in teaching and perpetuating the democratic system, and understand the relationships among the various governmental entities that create laws, rules, regulations, and policies that determine educational practices.
The depth of the Interdisciplinary Studies / Liberal Arts Major curriculum prepares students to successfully teach in a Colorado standards-based classroom or be prepared to enter other education and training job opportunities.