The Education major has four tracks:

• Early Childhood Development
• Elementary Education
• Secondary Education
• Elementary Special Education

Building on the historical legacy of teacher preparation at Keene State College, the Education program mission is to prepare competent, reflective classroom teachers and other professional school personnel who utilize effective teaching practices and who create developmentally appropriate educational environments for diverse learners. We integrate liberal arts knowledge and professional preparation for each program we offer and incorporate state and national standards for each specialty area. Keene State College has been an NCATE accredited institution since 1954; each education program option meets state and national standards and prepares teacher candidates who demonstrate appropriate content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and skills, ability to impact student learning, and professionalism.

Our curriculum is based on the KSC Teacher Education Conceptual Framework, which states that we prepare teacher candidates who: (1) explore the dynamic nature of the teaching and learning process, (2) demonstrate professional and ethical behaviors that meet high expectations and standards, (3) understand the world from multiple perspectives, and (4) contribute to a just and equitable world. The coursework builds on ecological theories of human development and examines the contexts in which educational systems exist from the perspective of multiple worldviews. Students thereby develop an understanding of themselves as learners and future teachers as they examine the ways in which developmental theories can be helpful in understanding children and curriculum. Field experiences are systematically integrated throughout the program to provide authentic theory-to-practice opportunities for exploring effective pedagogy and assessment strategies.

Admission to Keene State College does not necessarily guarantee admission to Teacher Education, admission to Student Teaching, or eligibility for certification. Students are assigned an official advisor upon acceptance into the Teacher Education program. Policies and deadlines relating to meeting certification standards are described in The ROUTE Handbook, which is available at the KSC Bookstore and online. This handbook provides the prospective Education major and future teacher with detailed information that will assist in program planning and achieving certification. Materials for application to the Teacher Education program are available in the Teacher Education and Graduate Studies Office in Rhodes Hall S111.

Transfer Credits
Students who wish to transfer credits into a teacher certification option must apply through the department chair. Transfer students are advised to contact the department chair immediately after acceptance to obtain information about admission to Teacher Education, PRAXIS testing requirements, and transfer equivalencies.

Content Area Major
The New Hampshire State Department of Education requires students completing Education majors to also demonstrate depth of knowledge in a content area. Therefore, Education majors must also fulfill requirements of a content area major. Each Education program option has a specific list of the possible content area majors. See the appropriate catalog section for requirements and additional information for each major.

Students seeking certification in Early Childhood (option 1), Elementary (option 2), and Elementary/Special Education (option 4) are required to complete a content area major in one of the following areas:

• American Studies
• Applied Computer Science
• Art (portfolio requirement)
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Chemistry-Physics
• Communication
• Computer-Mathematics
• Economics
• English
• Environmental Studies
• Film Studies
• French
• General Science
• Geography
• Geology
• History
• Individualized Major
• Journalism
• Mathematics
• Mathematics-Physics
• Music (audition required)
• Psychology
• Social Science
• Sociology
• Spanish
• Theatre and Dance

Students seeking certification in Middle or Secondary Education (option 3) are required to complete a content area major in one of the following areas:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Chemistry-Physics
• English
• General Science
• Geography
• Geology
• History
• Mathematics
• Modern Languages (French or Spanish)
• Physical Science
• Social Science

The following statement will be inserted in place of the secondary requirements for each of the above content area majors: For a dual major in Education, please refer to the appropriate Education program option.

Students seeking certification to become a K-12 Music Educator or K-12 Physical Educator will complete the Music Education or Physical Education Teacher Certification major. See the appropriate catalog section (Music or Physical Education) for these program requirements.

INTEGRATIVE STUDIES REQUIREMENTS
44 credits minimum

All education majors must meet the New Hampshire General Knowledge Standards for teachers. In order to accomplish this goal, Education majors are advised to take courses focusing on literature, history, and geography as part of their Integrative Studies program. Some Education options require specific courses outside of the Education major; these courses may be included in the student’s Integrative Studies program (if appropriate courses are available).

EDUCATION OPTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
Numbering conventions – middle digit:

• 0 = open to all options (but not necessarily required)
• 1 = early childhood only
• 2 = elementary only;
• 3 = middle school/secondary only
• 4 = K-12 Music only

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
124 credits minimum
Degree requirements may exceed 124 credits, depending on the choice of content area major.

Updated: May 6, 2008