Degree Requirements

Major:

Almost any liberal arts major offered by the Faculty of Arts & Sciences is acceptable for this program.  A major in one of the subjects taught in middle school grades, however, will make the program requirements much easier to complete (English, mathematics, sciences, social studies).  Please check with the program faculty about your choice of major as early as possible in your undergraduate career.

Subject Specialization: 

At least 15 credits of college-level work must be completed in the subject field that will be your specialization field.  Any subject fitting into one of the four areas listed below is appropriate.  (Specialization in more than one field is acceptable, but at least 15 credits would need to be earned in each field.  The GSE will assist you in obtaining the certificate in one specialization and any other certificate for a specialization will need to be obtained on you own.) Again, please check with a faculty member before beginning this work.

• English/Language Arts:  15 credits in English above the 100 level.  At least 9 credits should be at or above the 300 level and students must achieve a grade of "C" or better in each course.  The sequence should include at least one period course in either Medieval, Renaissance (16th or 17th century), or Restoration/18th century literature.  No more than 2 courses in the sequence may be in creative writing and/or film.
• Mathematics:  15 credits in college-level mathematics or statistics.  An appropriate sequence would be 640:103 Topics in Math for the Liberal Arts, 640:104 Elementary Probability and Combinatorics, 640:115 Pre-Calculus, 640:135 Calculus I, and any 960 Statistics course.
• Science:  15 credits in college-level science including 6 credits in physical science (physics or chemistry), 6 credits in life sciences, and 3 credits in Earth Science.
• Social Studies:  (These requirements have been modified as of 5/1/06.  If you have followed previously detailed requirements and find this new set difficult to complete, contact Academic Services for approval to follow previous set.)  15 credits that distribute themselves over the areas covered by the NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards in Social Studies.  These would include course(s) in the following areas:
  • One survey course in US history:  512:103, 512:104, 512:380, 512:381, 512:378, 512:379
  • Two survey courses in pre-modern history from two different regions (Europe, Asia, Africa, Middle East, the Americas):  510:101, 510:201, 510:202, 508:200, 508:201, 508:220, 508:240, 508:379, 070:206
  • One course in US government and/or politics:  790:104, 790:204, 790:308, 790:247, 790:302, 512:400
  • Elective - one of the following courses:  512:220, 512:266, 512:416, 506:221, 506:201, 506:202, 506:110, 014:103, 450:100, 840:101, 840:102, 920:101, 920:103, 070:101, 070:102

General Education:

Students are required to complete coursework in each of the following areas. It is highly recommended that you coordinate the elements of this list with those of the general distribution requirements of your undergraduate college to make the most efficient use of your time.

1. Arts (music theory, art history or appreciation, theater appreciation)
2. Humanities (languages, linguistics, religion, literature, philosophy, classics, history)
3. Mathematics (two courses - one college level math course and one course selected from math, statistics, or a quantitative methods course in the student's major or minor department)
4. Science (life, earth and space, physical, or environmental - two courses including at least one in the biological sciences)
5. Technology (computer science or a technology-based course in a discipline)
6. Foreign Language (two semesters or demonstrated competence equal to the second semester)
7. Psychology
   • 01:830:101 General Psychology
   • 01:830:331 Infant & Child Development
   • 01:830:333 Adolescent Psychology

Liberal Arts:

The total number of credits in coursework in Liberal Arts, including the major, must be at least 90. Neither education courses, nor any other vocationally-oriented coursework (accounting, engineering, etc.) may be counted toward the 90 liberal arts credits; no School 05 or School 15 courses may be included.

Professional Education:

Portfolio:

Students must compile a portfolio of their best work to be submitted and evaluated at the end of the program.  The contents of this portfolio are specified in the Student Policy and Procedures Handbook.  (This requirement applies to students admitted March 2007 and after.)

Physiology, Hygiene, and Substance Abuse Issues:

During the Internship semester, students must either attend a series of seminars addressing issues of human physiology, hygiene, and substance abuse or must pass the official New Jersey Department of Education examination on these topics.

Praxis II:

Students seeking certification in elementary education must achieve a passing score on the Elementary Education: Content Knowledge (Test Code 10014) Praxis II examination.  In addition, to earn the endorsement for subject matter specialization, students must pass the appropriate middle school Praxis II exam (English/LA = 10049, Math = 20069, Science = 10439, Social Studies = 20089).

Comprehensive Examination:

No comprehensive examination is required.