Skip To Top NavigationSkip To ContentSkip To Section NavigationSkip To Footer
Elementary Education

Elementary Education

Inspire a New Generation with Your Elementary Education Degree

The first formal education students receive lays the foundation for student learning throughout their lifetimes. Become their inspiration. Unlock their minds. Set them on a path of lifelong learning and success.
South Carolina State University’s Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education is designed to prepare teacher candidates to know, understand, and use the major concepts, principles, theories, and research related to the development of children.
As an elementary education major, you’ll:

  • Provide accurate content in various disciplines
  • Integrate and apply knowledge for instruction
  • Adapt to diverse student needs
  • Develop teaching performance skills
  • Actively engage in learning — your students’ and your own
  • Communicate to foster learning
  • Use formal and informal assessment strategies to plan, evaluate, and strengthen instruction

If that seems like a lot … it is. Elementary education teachers perform these feats and more every day.

Ignite your passion for elementary teacher schooling

As a South Carolina State elementary education major, you’ll learn how to develop your teaching skills and knowledge and evaluate your teaching style and effectiveness. You’ll also collaborate with families, colleagues, and the community to help foster support for elementary education and beyond.

Method of Instruction

  • Face-to-face

By the Numbers

groups
14:1
Student-to-faculty ratio ensures personal attention
work
100%
Job placement rates for recent graduates of our elementary education program
schedule
4
Years to complete your elementary education degree program

Elementary Education Major Program Highlights

Our elementary teacher schooling program is designed to provide you with the skills, insights, and knowledge to pass the state teaching certification required to become an elementary education teacher. Highlights of our elementary education major program include the ability to:

Take a big Pre-STEP toward real classroom experiences

The Pre-Student-Teaching Exploration and Practice Program (Pre-STEP) involves structured, sequential field-based experiences that allow you to engage in clinical teaching for a minimum of 150 hours prior to your formal student teaching activities. The experiences are placed strategically in the curriculum to occur during your freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years.

Leverage extensive resources for success

As an elementary education major, you’ll benefit from access to numerous student resources to help you achieve success during your education — and even after you graduate. South Carolina State’s student success and retention programs and related services include:

  • Multipurpose Academic Computer (MAC) Lab
  • Peer tutorial services
  • Student Leadership Orientation Program
  • Preparing Undergraduates for Scholarly Holistic (PUSH) Writing Center

Receive personal attention from mentoring faculty

Our low student-to-faculty ratio (14:1) allows our elementary education faculty to provide you with personal attention and valuable mentoring. On average, 60% of our classes have fewer than 20 students.

Enjoy personalized academic advising and career services

As an elementary education major, you’ll benefit from working with academic and career advisers who offer extensive experience in elementary education, many of whom have kept their teaching certifications current.

Gain hands-on experience in a real classroom

In the final semester of your elementary teacher schooling, you’ll complete an on-site field experience as an elementary education teacher in a real classroom. You’ll provide actual instruction and teaching in elementary education guided by your program adviser and field experience teacher.

Apply to SC State Today!

What Can I Do with a B.S. in Elementary Education?

Your South Carolina State elementary teacher schooling and your Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education degree will prepare you to pass the South Carolina state teaching exam and teach elementary education in the state. Fully 100% of our elementary education major graduates who choose to teach elementary education find employment after graduation.

While most elementary education graduates pursue elementary education teaching, some choose to pursue advanced degrees in education, education administration, learning mentorship, museum education, and more. With an elementary education degree, you’ll be well-prepared to seek a career path in tutoring, writing, editing, or teaching for an educational services company.

What Will I Study as an Elementary Education Major?

Your elementary education degree program encompasses 131 total credit hours, which are typically completed in four years. Your first-year curriculum will include prerequisite courses and general education coursework.

In your sophomore year, you will take some education courses and apply to the teacher education program. Following admission to the teacher education program, your junior and senior year courses will focus on elementary education and include:

  • The Elementary School Curriculum
  • Measurement and Evaluation
  • Diagnostic-Prescriptive Teaching
  • Application and Assessment in Specialized Methods
  • Professional Clinical Experience