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Majors & Degrees

Teacher Education

Description:

The Teacher Education Program focuses on equipping Christian educators to think, teach, and lead biblically in educational settings throughout the world. This approach provides a biblical foundation for a career in teaching. Graduates will think Christianly about the profession of teaching as well as the nature and needs of children. They will be equipped to serve in Christian, International, public, mission, home, charter, and private schools.

The College of Education has an early childhood (PK-3) and elementary (2-6) education licensure program that leads to a Bachelor’s degree in Bible and a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree in five years. During the undergraduate program, students pursue a supporting minor by exploring various fields of study (e.g., TEFL, Psychology, Youth Ministry, Teaching Bible, Applied English, Outdoor Leadership, etc.).

Additionally, students will earn a minor in education that will lay the foundation and provide experiences for the profession of teaching. This minor will be partially accomplished in the last undergraduate term when students will register for 14 hours of graduate classes in the Rapid Advancement for Ministry/Marketplace/Missions Placement (RAMP) semester in which competencies will be used in the M.A.T.

Students who complete the M.A.T. and specified South Carolina state requirements may be recommended for initial certification in early childhood and elementary education. Graduates of the M.A.T. program are also eligible for an Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) certification in elementary education with endorsements in early childhood and Bible. For those completing designated courses, an ACSI endorsement in ESOL is available. 

 

Bible and Theology (32 semester hours) General Education (37 semester hours)

*BIB 3820 substitutes for an Old Testament Exegetical Book Study
  • COM 2110 Public Speaking
  • ENG 1110 Composition and Research
  • ENG 1111 Literature and Research
  • MAT 2310 Mathematics Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning
  • HIS 1210 Historical Perspectives on Culture and Civilization 1
  • HIS 1211 Historical Perspectives on Culture and Civilization 2
  • PHI 2110 Introduction to Philosophy
  • PSY 2110 General Psychology

Normally the student chooses 12 semester hours total, including one course from each of three areas below. For the Teacher Education major, certain General Education Distribution courses are required in order to fulfill the requirements for the program and ACSI certification.

a.) Humanities/Fine Arts:
   HIS 2310 U.S. History and Government
b.) Natural Science/Information Science:
   BIO 2113 Principles of Biology Module
   BIO 2101 Biology Lab

OR
   SCI 2313 Principles of Physical Science
   SCI 2301 Physical Science Lab
c.) Social/Behavioral Science:
   EDU 2110 Foundations of Education
   PSY 3330 Psychology of Learning

Leadership Development & Christian Service Learning (11 semester hours)

Leadership Development Christian Service Learning

Teacher Education RAMP Program Courses (24 semester hours)

Teacher Education RAMP
  • EDU 3135 Contemporary Educational Issues (repeatable)
  • EDU 5101 Program Orientation
  • EDU 5331 Understanding the Learner
  • EDU 5444 Transformational Education
  • EDU 5541 Learning Environment and Classroom Management
  • EDU 5600 Teaching the Content Areas
  • EDU 5931 Student Teaching with Seminar
  • EDU 6140 Connecting Families - Communities
  • EDU 6231 History and Philosophy of Education
  • EDU 6901 Authentic Professional Experiences
  • EDU 7300 Biblical Foundations of Education

Practical Skill Development

Three semester credits of field experience serve as the minimum requirement for graduation.  Students are encouraged to develop their professional skill in either the marketplace, the ministry or in a mission context.  Consult with your program director for additional requirements.

EDU 4400 Practical Skill Development in Teaching

Supporting Minor and Open Electives (24 semester hours)

Opportunities: 
  • Teaching (public schools (PK-6), international schools, charter schools, Christian schools, MK schools, home schools )
  • Consulting work in education
  • Working as an academic interventionist
  • Ministering within churches in educational programs
  • Ministering to children through mercy organizations worldwide
  • Tutoring – private or public institutions
  • Directing afterschool and daycare programs
  • Foundation for further training as curriculum and instructional specialists, guidance counselors, school administrators, and for doctoral work