As part of University of the Cumberlands’ Bachelor's in Elementary Education online degree requirements, each student must complete at least 128 semester hours, including those within the major and the coursework required to fulfill the degree requirements within:
- General Education
- P-5 Professional Education Courses
- Elective Courses related to an Academic Emphasis Area
General Education Sections
- The English Language
- Christian Faith and Values
- Natural and Mathematical Sciences
- Cultural and Aesthetic Values
- Humanities
- Social Sciences
P-5 Professional Education Courses
Required Courses for the Online Elementary Education Degree:
The University of the Cumberlands’ online elementary education degree requires a minimum of 72 semester hours. A number of degree requirements will have been met by transfer students through the Educator Preparation programs currently in place in the Kentucky Community College system. The following are courses that will typically be taken at the University of the Cumberlands.
P-5 Professional Education Courses – 42 credit hours
- EDUC 235 Basic Concepts Concerning Education
- EDUC 237 Effective Teaching Practices
- SPED 233 Survey of Individuals with Exceptionalities (P-12)
The following may not be taken prior to admission to Teacher Education
- EDUC 331 Studies in Education: Special Topics in Literacy
- EDUC 332 Reading and Language Arts I
- EDUC 338 Reading and Language Arts II
- EDUC 430 Classroom Management and Behavior
- EDUC 497 Supervised Student Teaching (12 hours)
- ELEM 334 P-5 Teaching of Social Studies
- ELEM 339 P-5 Teaching of Science
- MATH 332 P-5 Teaching Math
Required Related Studies – 27 credit
- ART 331 School Art
- COMM 230 Introduction to Public Speaking
- EDUC 130 Technology in the P-12 Classroom
- ELEM 333 Children's Literature
- HLTH 438 Health Education in the School and Community
- HSRV 436 Human Diversity
- POLS 233 American National Government
- MUED 331 School Music
- PSYC 232 Child and Adolescent Development (prerequisite: PSYC 131*)
- PSYC 238 Psychology of Learning and Exceptionality (prerequisite: PSYC 131*)
Academic Emphasis Area – 21-23 hours in one area of emphasis to be chosen from the below or transfer coursework.
For admission to the Teacher of Education Online Program, a 2.75 G.P.A. (overall, in professional education courses, and in major/minor/specialty and emphasis areas) is required in addition to other Pillar I requirements.
Interdisciplinary Studies - 23 credit hours
Required Courses
- BIOL 131* General Biology (with BIOL 111* General Biology Laboratory)
- CHEM 140* Chemistry for Everyday Life OR PHYS 137*/117* Physical Science with Lab OR PHYS 140* Astronomy
- HIST 137* World Civilization to 1648 or HIST 138* World Civilization since 1648
- MATH 130* Concepts of Mathematics for the Elementary and Middle School Teacher I
Electives
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 semesters 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.
- BADM 136 Microeconomics
- BADM 137 Macroeconomics
- BIOL 231 Introduction to Environmental Science
- COMM 332 Small Group Communication in Organizations
- ENGL 330 Literary Studies
- FREN 131 Elementary French I
- HESS 234 First Aid and Safety
- HLTH 338 Family Life
- MUSC 401 World Music
- PHYS 140 Astronomy
- PHYS 241 Physics I
- POLS 235 Introduction to International Relations
- SPAN 131 Elementary Spanish I
*Though all of these courses are elective options, all of the above courses may not be offered in an online format through UCumberlands Online.
English/Communications - 21 credit hours
Required Courses
- ENGL 131* English Composition I
- ENGL 132* English Composition II
- ENGL 438 Advanced Writing or ENGL 439 Descriptive Linguistics
- ENGL 334* American Literature through 1865 or ENGL 335* American Literature since 1865
- COMM 230* Introduction to Public Speaking
The remaining six (6) hours may be chosen from the following:
- COMM 332 Small Group Communication in Organizations
- COMM 432 Theories of Persuasion
- ENGL 230 Literary Criticism
- ENGL 337 Literature of Adolescence
- ENGL 431 Studies in British Literature
- ENGL 432 Studies in Modern Literature
- ENGL 433 Women in Literature
- ENGL 437 Studies in British and American Author
- ENGL 334* or ENGL 335*
- ENGL 438, or ENGL 439
Social and Behavioral Studies - 21 credit hours
Special Education - 21 credit hours
- SPED 234 Special Education Instructional Programs (P-12)
- SPED 236 Special Education Programs for Adolescents with Mild Disabilities (5-12)
- SPED 238 Special Education Early Childhood
- SPED 336 Educational Assessment and Prescriptive Programming for Individuals with Disabilities Part I
- SPED 337 Educational Assessment and Prescriptive Programming for Individuals with Disabilities Part II
- SPED 435 Special Education Methods and Materials (Mild Disabilities) P-12
- SPED 436 Special Education Methods and Materials (Emotional Disabilities) P-12