Elementary Education (BA)

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Admission to Candidacy in Teacher Education

Undergraduates seeking teacher certification in elementary education should contact an advisor in the School of Education as early as possible. Admission to the university and declaration of a major does not constitute admission to candidacy in teacher education, which is based on academic and related performance criteria.

To be admitted to candidacy, students take the PRAXIS CORE or equivalency exam as set by the District of Columbia; earn an average grade of 2.70 or higher in EDU-205 Schools and Society FA4 (3) and EDU-420 Psychology of Education (3) , pass EDU-321 Field Experience: Observation and Analysis (2) , receive satisfactory recommendations from faculty, and have an overall cumulative grade point average of 2.70 or higher. The Teacher Education Committee reviews student applications. Decisions regarding admission to candidacy are made by this committee based on academic performance and references.

Requirements for Teacher Certification: Elementary

To qualify for teacher certification, students must have completed all of the requirements for the specific curricular area listed below. This requirement may overlap with university requirements. Consult a School of Education advisor for more information.

United States History: 3 credit hours

University Requirements

120 credit hours with minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA (Undergraduate Academic Regulation 2 )
Completion of all requirements for a major (Undergraduate Academic Regulation 9 )

AU Core Requirements

Completion of AU Core foundation requirements (Undergraduate Academic Regulation 8.2-8.6 )
Completion of AU Core Habits of Mind requirements (Undergraduate Academic Regulation 8.7 )
Completion of AU Core integrative course requirements (Undergraduate Academic Regulation 8.8-8.11 )

For additional information, see AU Core Curriculum .

Major Requirements

62 credit hours with grades of C or better, including at least 18 credit hours at or above 300-level
Minimum 2.70 cumulative GPA
Completion of Praxis Content Knowledge Exam prior to graduation

Course Requirements

Required (44 credit hours)

Foundations of Special Education (3 credit hours)

Complete 3 credit hours from the following:

Practicum (3 credit hours)

EDU-498 Practicum Field Experience with Seminar (3)

Capstone (12 credit hours)

EDU-499 Student Teaching Seminar in Professional Practice (12)

Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees

American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its combined bachelor’s/master’s programs. See Admission to a Combined Bachelor’s / Master’s Program and Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees for more information.