Â鶹´«Ã½

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Explore all Undergraduate Programs

Elementary Education

Teaching future educators how to encourage, support, and help children build the fundamental skills needed for lifelong learning success.

Children sitting in a circle outdoors
Children sitting in a circle outdoors

Types

Bachelor
Minor

Location

On-Campus
Online

Credits

124*

Cost

$9,875
$220/credit hour

Open a world of possibilities for children by teaching them how to learn and grow.

If your passion is to help children build the fundamental skills needed for lifelong learning success, this bachelor's degree in elementary education (P-5) is for you! Â鶹´«Ã½â€™ college major in elementary education was designed with you in mind — the aspiring elementary school teacher who has a calling to encourage and excite learning growth in young children.

Plus, you can earn your elementary education degree online as you build the skills you need to enter the education field – where and when it works best for you. An online elementary education degree can give you the freedom to pursue your teaching aspirations alongside your other commitments. 

Anchor: Stats

By the Numbers

Anchor: Programs & Requirements
Programs & Requirements

Programs & Requirements

* The credit hours listed on this page only reference the specific program requirements and is not reflective of the total hours necessary to receive your degree. Cumberlands requires all students obtain a minimum of 60 hours for an associate’s degree and a total of 120 hours for a bachelor’s degree. Transfer and prior learning credits may be counted toward those totals.

To learn more about our General Education Requirements, please visit the page referenced below or explore our Academic Catalog. 

General Education Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (P-5)

The elementary education degree program is designed for students wishing to be certified in grades P-5. Individual programs should be planned with an advisor from the faculty of the School of Education. In addition to the General Education and required Professional Education courses, students pursuing this option must also complete one academic emphasis.

Major Requirements: Please see the  for more details on degree requirements.

Dual P-5 Special Ed Total Degree Credits Required is 124.

Course Requirements

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The following may not be taken prior to admission to Teacher Education:

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Available to on-campus students, Bachelor of Arts degree requires completing the same courses as a Bachelor of Science with the addition of completing one foreign language sequence through the intermediate level.

  • FREN 131        Elementary French I
  • FREN 132        Elementary French II
  • FREN 231        Intermediate French I
  • FREN 232        Intermediate French II

or 

  • SPAN 131        Elementary Spanish I
  • SPAN 132        Elementary Spanish II
  • SPAN 231        Intermediate Spanish I
  • SPAN 232        Intermediate Spanish II

Academic Emphasis Areas

Elementary Education (P-5) - The Elementary Education Program (P-5) is designed for those students wishing to be certified in grades P-5. Individual programs should be planned with an advisor from the faculty of the School of Education. In addition to the General Education and required , students pursuing this this option must also complete one  

Course Requirements

Required Courses:

  • Choose from the undergraduate biology course offerings.
  • Choose from undergraduate physics or chemistry course offerings.
  • Choose from the undergraduate history course offerings.

The courses chosen as electives cannot have been taken for General Education credit. Some of the courses are taught in a rotation of semesters. Refer to the Undergraduate Catalog for the semester’s courses are to be offered. A minimum of nine (9) semester hours may be chosen from the following courses, NO TWO WITH THE SAME PREFIX. Candidates may need to choose an additional elective from the following options in order to meet graduation requirements.

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  • ENGL 330-335 Literary Studies
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Required Course

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Four credit hours selected from the following:

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Four credit hours selected from the following:

  • *This course provides no credit toward a chemistry major or minor. AND
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Three science courses (at least 9 semester hours) with at least 2 courses (6 semester hours) at or above the 200 level.

Required courses:

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The remaining 6 hours may be chosen from:

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Required courses:

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Remaining nine (9) hours may be chosen from: 

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Required Courses:

Remaining six (6) hours must include three semester hours each from two of the following: 

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Successful completion of this program and the passing scores on required state tests provides eligibility for certification in Learning and Behavior Disorders, Special Education P-12. In order to obtain certification in Special Education LBD the student must successfully complete one-half of the student teaching in special education and pass the required PRAXIS Tests in Special Education LBD. LBD certification is taken concurrently with P-5 Elementary or with another 5-9 Middle School specialization area. A required application for certification in LBD must be submitted upon successful completion of the above.

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Minor in Elementary Education

If you are considering teaching children someday - or you aspire toward a career that you know would benefit from having strong teaching and communication skills - then this minor is for you. Though it doesn't prepare you for full certification as an educator, it lays the groundwork for success in related work by offering a curriculum that covers all the basics of Elementary education.

Course Requirements

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Pathways for KCTCS Students

Under this pathway, students who have completed an Associate’s degree in Educator Preparation at KCTCS can transfer up to 80 hours of course credit to Â鶹´«Ã½.

Â鶹´«Ã½ and Somerset KCTCS have entered into an agreement for Elementary Education students. This agreement provides for a seamless pathway for students completing the Associate of Applied Science degree in Educator Preparation at Somerset KCTCS to move towards completion of the Bachelor of Science degree in Education through the School of Education at Â鶹´«Ã½.

The general requirement for graduation from Â鶹´«Ã½ with the Bachelor of Science in Education is the completion of at least 120Ìýsemester hours including:

  • General education – 37 hours
  • Education major – 72 hours + emphasis area(s) Some of these hours are completed at the Community College level.

The academic advisor assigned to the student at the time of their admission to the Education Online Program will work with the student to develop a planned program that lists the courses completed/transferred and a list of courses to be completed.ÌýÌý As a part of this process, the academic advisor will also develop the planned program to ensure that a minimum of 30Ìýsemester hours numbered 300 or above are identified.Ìý An approved copy of the planned program is forwarded to the student.Ìý

All of the courses needed to complete the Bachelor of Science degree in Education are offered in an online format to accommodate the needs of today’s working adult.

KCTCS students interested in additional information regarding transferring coursework to Â鶹´«Ã½ should contact the Office of Admissions. Please emailÌýucoadm [at] ucumberlands.edu (ucoadm[at]ucumberlands[dot]edu)Ìý

Option 9 Education Certification Pathways

The influence of a teacher on a child’s life leaves an immeasurable impact. Now is your time.

Â鶹´«Ã½ offers an  EPSB-approved Option 9 program. This alternative route is available to both in-seat and online Cumberlands students. Cumberlands offers programs in early interdisciplinary education, elementary education, and middle school education.

While education students at Cumberlands are completing coursework, they will have the opportunity to immediately put their learning into practice as an instructional assistant in a classroom, receive mentorship from experienced teachers in the district, and complete their bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate, in as little as three years.

We offer Option 9 pathways for candidates pursuing certification in early childhood education, elementary education, and middle school education.

To learn more information or to find out if your school district has an Option 9 partnership in place with Cumberlands, visit our Option 9 page.

Learn More

Take the Next Step

Anchor: Mission & Goals

Mission & Goals

The purpose of the School of Education is to develop entry level education students into highly qualified, knowledgeable and caring teachers. We provide training and experiences using best practices for teacher education candidates.

Develop entry-level education students into highly qualified, knowledgeable and caring teachers who provide for diverse learners.
Provide the pedagogical instructional methods necessary to meet the Kentucky Teacher Standards and Â鶹´«Ã½â€™ Standards.
Strengthen your abilities to critically reflect and evaluate your skills, thereby providing the opportunity for growth.
Nurture an appreciation and refinement of ethical and Christian moral values in future teachers.
Build robust oral, written, and information literacy skills in students.
Anchor: Career Outcomes

Elementary Education Careers & Outcomes

All stats from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Elementary Teacher: $61,350

Elementary Teacher: $61,350

Kindergarten and elementary school teachers instruct young students in basic subjects in order to prepare them for future schooling.

Childcare Worker: $27,490

Childcare Worker: $27,490

Childcare workers attend to children's needs while helping to foster early development.

Childcare Center Director: $47,310

Childcare Center Director: $47,310

Preschool and childcare center directors supervise and lead their staffs, design program plans, oversee daily activities, and prepare budgets.

Special Education Teacher: $61,820

Special Education Teacher: $61,820

Special education teachers work with students who have a wide range of learning, mental, emotional, and physical disabilities.

Education Administrator: $49,690

Education Administrator: $49,690

Plan, direct, or coordinate academic or nonacademic activities of preschools or childcare centers and programs, including before- and after-school care.

Recreation worker: $29,680

Recreation worker: $29,680

Recreation workers design and lead activities to help people stay active, improve fitness, and have fun.

Anchor: FAQs

Common Questions

All programs at Â鶹´«Ã½ are offered at some of the lowest rates in the nation – and we even include free textbooks through our One Price Promise! For more information on how affordable this program would be for you, visit our Financial Aid page.

A bachelor’s degree in Elementary education provides the training aspiring school teachers need to pursue certifications that qualify them for teaching careers. College coursework helps students gain a solid understanding of what it takes to teach young learners. They’ll cover everything from integrating technology into curriculum to best practices in teaching for young minds. These future educators should also gain a comprehensive education in age-appropriate lesson planning, classroom management and supervision strategies, how to plan educational activities, and more. 

You will likely need to pass a state test for whichever state in which you hope to teach. Upon passing the exam, you should apply for a teaching license. Once you’ve obtained that, you can apply to open teaching positions!  

When you major in Elementary education, you will receive the training and skills you need to:

  • Teach in specific certification areas and levels (elementary, middle school, high school)
  • Work with special education programs
  • Tutor at-risk students
  • Serve in children or youth ministries
  • Become a textbook representative
  • Teach or train employees in large companies
  • Become an educational consultant
  • Teach on military bases or in international schools

Yes! Â鶹´«Ã½' School of Education is accredited through Kentucky's Educational Professional Standards Board (EPSB) and has national accreditation through the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) at the initial-licensure level and advanced-level. UC’s School of Education has earned national accreditation by demonstrating excellence in the areas of content and pedagogy, clinical experiences, selectivity, program impact, and capacity for continuous improvement.

If you don't know yet whether you want to become an educator, we recommend that you first pursue a minor in Elementary education so you can learn more about what it would be like to be a teacher. From there, you can decide whether to pursue an education major and whether you would like to complete your education minor. Regardless of which path you choose, since every employer looks for people who can manage groups, communicate well, and approach situations with empathy, what you learn in your education classes at Cumberlands will benefit you in any career path.

Anchor: Faculty

Faculty Experts in Education

Learn more about your future education professors!

Ashton Leach

Ashton Leach

Field/Clinical Coordinator | Assistant Professor
Education

Ashton Leach

Contact Information

606.539.4392
ashton.leach [at] ucumberlands.edu
Luecker Building
Melissa Evans

Melissa Evans

Director of Certification | Assistant Professor
Education

Melissa Evans

Contact Information

606.539.4395
melissa.evans [at] ucumberlands.edu
Luecker Building
Elisha Sester Web

Elisha Sester

Field/Clinical Coordinator | Assistant Professor
Education

Elisha Sester

Contact Information

606.539.5443
elisha.sester [at] ucumberlands.edu
Luecker Building
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