Education Department Programs

Westfield State University offers course work and field experiences to quality students for credentials in the following areas: 

License Grade Levels 
Teacher of Early Childhood Education (Pre-K - 2)
Teacher of Elementary Education (1-6)
Teacher of Special Education (Pre K - 8; 5-12)
Teacher of Secondary Education (5-8; 5-12)

Westfield State University offers National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and state accredited course work leading to the following teacher licenses:

EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM (PRE K - 2) STUDENTS WITH AND WITHOUT DISABILITIES

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:

FOUNDATION COURSEWORK
EDUC 0220 Schools in American Culture (3)* 15 hrs.
EDUC 0221 Students with Special Needs (3)* 15 hrs.
EDUC 0380 Multicultural Education (3)

PROFESSIONAL COURSEWORK:
EDUC 0201 Learning and Assessment (3)
EDUC 0303 Early Literacy and Reading (3)
EDUC 0305 Literature and Language Arts (3)
EDUC 0308 Early Childhood Curriculum (3)* 30 hrs.
EDUC 0314 Classroom Management (3)
EDUC 0319 Principles of Teaching and Learning (3)* 30 hrs.
EDUC 0381 Early Intervention for Young Children With Special Needs (3) * 15 hrs.
Education Elective (for the major only) (3)
EDUC 0336 Practicum I: Early Childhood Pre K-2 (6)
EDUC 0337 Practicum II: Early Childhood Pre K-2 (6)
TOTAL CREDITS: 45
*Indicates field based course

ADDITIONAL UPPER LEVEL COURSEWORK
(Can be merged with Liberal Studies major)

PSYC 0202 Child Development (3)
GNSC 0360 Methods of Science Education for the Elementary School (2)

MATH0352 Foundations of Teaching Elementary School Mathematics (2)
MOVP 0303 Health Education in the Elementary School Or MOVP 0301 Physical Education in the Elementary School (3)
EDUC 0396 Seminar Recent Developments: Computers In Education (3) or other ISTE Standards based technology course
EDUC 0309 Children's Literature or (3) Other approved literature course (3)
Mathematics  or Science Elective (3-4)
HIST 0213 World History to 1600 (3)

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PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
ELEMENTARY PROGRAM (1-6)

FOUNDATION COURSEWORK:
EDUC 0220 Schools in American Culture (3)* 15 hrs.
EDUC 0221 Students with Special Needs (3)* 15 hrs.
EDUC 0380 Multicultural Education (3)

PROFESSIONAL COURSEWORK:
EDUC 0201 Learning and Assessment (3)
EDUC 0303 Early Literacy and Reading (3)
EDUC 0305 Literature and Language Arts (3)
EDUC 0306 Elementary Curriculum and Instruction (3)* 30 hrs.
EDUC 0311 Social Studies in the Elementary School (3)
EDUC 0314 Classroom Management (3)
EDUC 0319 Principles of Teaching and Learning (3)* 30 hrs.
Education Elective (for the major only) (3)
EDUC 0338 Practicum: Elementary (12)
TOTAL CREDITS: 45
*Indicates field based course

ADDITIONAL UPPER LEVEL (ARTS AND SCIENCE) COURSEWORK
(Can be merged with Liberal Studies major)

PSYC 0202 Child Development (3)
GNSC 0360 Methods of Science Education for the Elementary School (2)
MATH 0352 Foundations of Teaching Elementary School Mathematics (2)
MOVP 0303 Health Education in the Elementary School Or MOVP 0301 Physical Education in the Elementary School (3)
EDUC 0396 Seminar Recent Developments: Computers In Education (3) or other ISTE Standards based technology course
Mathematics or Science Elective (3-4)
HIST 0213 World History to 1600 (3)

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PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
TEACHER OF STUDENTS WITH MODERATE SPECIAL NEEDS MAJOR or LICENSURE PROGRAMS (PRE K-8)

FOUNDATION COURSEWORK
EDUC 0220 Schools in American Culture (3)* 15 hrs.
EDUC 0221 Students with Special Needs (3)* 15 hrs.
EDUC 0380 Multicultural Education (3)

PROFESSIONAL COURSEWORK
EDUC 0303 Early Literacy and Reading (3)
EDUC 0319 Principles of Teaching and Learning (3) * 30 hrs. 
EDUC 0370 Speech and Language Problems of the Special Needs Child (3)
EDUC 0371 Identification, Assessment, Planning and Programming (3)* 30 hrs.
EDUC 0376 Developmental Disabilities and Self Determination (3)
EDUC 0377 Learning Disabilities and Instructional Strategies (3)
EDUC 0378 Classroom Management of Students Behavioral/Emotional Problems (3)
EDUC 0381 Early Intervention for Young Children with Special Needs (3)* 15 hrs.
Education elective (major only) (3)
EDUC 0397 Practicum: Moderate Special Needs (12)
TOTAL CREDITS: 48
*Indicates field based course

ADDITIONAL UPPER LEVEL COURSEWORK
(Can be merged with Liberal Studies major)

PSYC 0202 Child Development or PSYC 0203 Adolescent Development (3)
GNSC 0360 Methods of Science Education for the Elementary School (2)
MATH 0352 Foundations of Teaching Elementary School Mathematics (2)
MOVP 0303 Health Education in the Elementary School (3) or MOVP 0301 Physical Education in the Elementary School (3) or MOVP 0212 Concepts of Nutrition (3)
EDUC 0396 Seminar Recent Developments: Computers in Education (3) or other ISTE standards based technology course (3)
Mathematics or Science Elective (3-4)
HIST 0213 World History to 1600 (3)

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PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:
MODERATE SPECIAL NEEDS 5-12

FOUNDATION COURSEWORK
EDUC 0220 Schools in American Culture (3)* 15 hrs.
EDUC 0221 Students with Special Needs (3)* 15 hrs.
EDUC 0380 Multicultural Education (3)

SPECIAL EDUCATION COURSEWORK
EDUC 0303 Early Literacy and Reading (3)
EDUC 0354 Educational Planning and Evaluation: Middle and Secondary Schools (3)* 30 hrs.
EDUC 0370 Speech and Language Problems of the Special Needs Child (3)
EDUC 0371 Identification, Assessment, Planning and Programming (3)* 30 hrs.
EDUC 0374 Career Education and Transition for Students with Disabilities (3)
EDUC 0376 Developmental Disabilities and Self-Determination (12)
EDUC 0377 Learning Disabilities and Instructional Strategies (3)
EDUC 0378 Classroom Management of Students with Behavioral/Emotional Problems (3)
Education elective (major only) (3)
EDUC 0397 Practicum: Moderate Special Needs (12)
*Indicates field based course

ADDITIONAL UPPER LEVEL COURSEWORK
PYSC 0203 Adolescent Psychology (3)
GNSC 0360 Methods of Science Education for the Elementary School (2)
MATH 0352 Foundations of Teaching Elementary School Mathematics (2)
MOVP 0303 Health Education in the Elementary School (3) or MOVP 0301 Physical Education in the Elementary School (3)
EDUC0396 Seminar in Recent Developments: Computers in Education (3) or other ISETE Standards based Technology course (3)
 
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CORE: EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
All Majors: Elementary, Early Childhood, and Special Needs Program Core Requirements

The common core courses listed below respond to program requirements and Massachusetts curriculum framework for Elementary, Early Childhood, and Special Education Programs. The content of these courses is included in the 03 General Curriculum MTEL examination. The Liberal Studies major provides maximum overlap with these courses. All Massachusetts tests must be passed prior to student teaching.

Core Courses for Education Licensure for Elementary, Special Education and Early Childhood Candidates:
ENGL 0101 English Comp I
ENGL 0102 English Comp II
ENGL 0215 Major American Writers (English Comp I & II are prerequisites)
ENGL 0221 World Literature to 1750 or ENGL 0222 World Literature Since 1750 (English Comp I & II are prerequisites)
ART 0104 Design Fundamentals or ART 0106/0107 Art Survey I or II
ENGL 0104 Intro to Theater (Substitute for either art or music)
MUSC 0101/0103 Music Appreciation or MUSC 1110/0111 Basic Music Theory
HIST 0130 US History and Gov. or HIST 131 US History to 1865
ECON 0101 Principles of Macroeconomics or ECON 0102 Principles of Microeconomics (HIST 0237 is a third option, but if selected, GARP 0101 must be taken also to fulfill social understanding core requirement.

 Not required for Early Childhood Majors)
GARP 0210 Cultural Geography or GARP 0101 World Regional Geography
PSYC 0101 Intro to Psychology (Prerequisite for Child Development or Adolescent Development)
EDUC 0220 Schools in American Culture *
MATH 0150 Foundation Math. Reasoning
MATH 0251 Foundations: Geometry or MATH 0252 Foundations: Probability and Statistics or MATH 0253 Foundations: Number System
BIOL 0102 Environmental Biology or BIOL 0104 Human Biology or BIOL 0106 Biology Today
GNSC 0101 Physical Science
EDUC 0380 Multicultural Education * ( Should not be taken before Junior year)

*Also are Education foundation courses

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SECONDARY (AND MIDDLE) EDUCATION

Secondary Education programs prepare students to teach select academic disciplines at middle and senior high schools. The course work in instructional methods emphasizes helping the pre-service teacher become skilled at communicating the principles and concepts basic to an academic subject.

Students may elect to prepare for teaching in one or more of the following areas: Biology (8-12); Chemistry (8-12); Mathematics (5-8, 8-12).

Students seeking subject specialist certification at the middle and secondary level complete the appropriate Professional Sequence , and the major in the specialty area. Students may choose from the following programs: