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Fall Term Suggested Courses: Pre-Education

Pre-Education students can technically choose from a wide variety of majors, but the age group and subject of what you want to teach will be a big factor in picking your major. 

There are three tracks that education students choose from to prepare for getting a teaching license: Elementary Education, Secondary Education, and Special Education. 

Elementary Education (Kindergarten through 5th Grade)

Students can choose the Elementary Education major, or choose to do a degree in another subject, and get a 2-year master's degree. If not doing an Elementary Education major, classes required for teacher licensing (All prerequisite courses should earn a B- or better)

  • Library 428 - Children’s Literature, K-5
  • Math 211, 212, 213 - Foundations of Elementary Mathematics
Elementary Education Major about this content

Middle School & High School (6th through 12th grade)

Middle and high school teachers must get a content area specialization, which for most students means they will major in the subject they want to teach.

Content area options:

  • Sciences-Biology, Chemistry or Physics
  • Social Studies-History, Political Science, Geography, & Economics
  • Language Arts-English
  • Mathematics
  • Music
  • World Languages-French, German, Japanese, Russian, Spanish
Content Area Majors about this content

Special Education

At PSU, you can earn a Special Education Bachelor’s degree or a Master's degree in special education.

For the bachelor's degree option, you must apply for admission to take required SPED classes.

For a Master's degree in special education, you can can choose any major but should have a solid foundation in the multiple subjects you will be teaching, including science, math, social science, language arts, and health. Some major options include: Child, Youth, & Family Studies, Social Science, Art & Letters, or Liberal Studies. 

Classes required for special ed teaching license (All pre-requisite courses should earn a B- or better)

  • Math 211 and 212 or 213 - Foundations of Elementary Mathematics
  • SPED 418 – Survey of the Exceptional Learner
Graduate SPED Admissions about this content
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