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INTEGRATED STUDIES MAJOR FOR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS

Integrated Studies Major

The integrated studies major is a collaborate effort between SPU faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education. It is designed to prepare future elementary school teachers with the knowledge and skills required to help students learn at high levels. Twenty-first century elementary teachers are responsible for ensuring all students have strong content knowledge in multiple academic disciplines including reading, writing, mathematics, natural sciences, social sciences, the arts, health, and fitness.

Washington state requires all elementary teacher candidates to pass a state exam (Washington Educators Skills Test-Endorsement, or WEST-E) that assesses knowledge in multiple content areas. Integrated studies, a College of Arts and Sciences major, is organized around two major components.

Core Courses

All students are required to pass 64 quarter credits of core courses in six academic disciplines: The arts, health and fitness, language arts, mathematics, natural sciences, and social sciences.

Core disciplines were selected because they reflect Washington state's academic competencies for elementary teachers and will help prepare students to pass the WEST-E.

Discipline Concentration

In addition to completing the core-course requirements, each student selects one of the six core disciplines as an area of concentration and completes an additional 28–29 quarter credits in this discipline.

Exploratory and Common Curriculums

The integrated studies major requires successful completion of 92–94 quarter credits, which includes 40 credits that simultaneously fulfill ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ's Exploratory Curriculum requirements.

Students must also complete 35 quarter credits of Common Curriculum during their four years at ºù«ÍÞÊÓƵ and 57 quarter credits of Teacher Certification Coursework.

With a total of 184–186 quarter credits required for graduation, it is critical that students pursuing elementary certification proactively and thoughtfully plan each quarter of their academic schedule.

Faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences are available to advise students on the integrated studies major and School of Education staff will help students develop a plan of study to fulfill certification requirements as we strive to accomplish our university mission of "engaging the culture and changing the world" by graduating highly skilled teachers, prepared to make a positive impact on student learning.