Majors & Minors

California law does not permit a student to graduate with a major in education; therefore the education program at Whittier College leads toward the acquisition of teaching credentials, and an optional master's degree in education. A minor in elementary education is available. Both a major and minor in child development are offered.

PREREQUISITES AND PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION REQUIREMENTS
FOR TEACHING CREDENTIALS

The teacher education programs for students pursuing the Multiple Subject (elementary) and Single Subject (secondary) Teaching Credentials include planned prerequisites and professional preparation courses. Students should plan their undergraduate programs so as to take the prerequisites during their freshman and sophomore years. Professional preparation requirements are not open to freshmen or sophomores. Students should take the sequence of required professional preparation courses in the junior year and after.

A grade of B- or above is required in each teacher preparation course in order to enroll in the next course in the sequence. Please consult the Whittier College Catalog, 2007-2009 (pp. 84-85) for more information on this policy.

Sequence FOR THE PRELIMINARY MULTIPLE SUBJECT TEACHING CREDENTIAL

Prerequisites:

  • Introduction to Human Development, CHDV 105 (3 credits) or Child Psychology, PSYC 242 (3 credits)
  • Sociological and Anthropological Perspectives on Education,
    EDUC 300 (3 credits)
  • Movement Education in the Elementary School, KLS 320 (3 credits)

Required professional preparation courses:

  • Teaching Diverse Learners, EDUC 401 (3 credits)
  • Learning and Learners, EDUC 406 (3 credits)
  • Literacy Development in the Elementary School, EDUC 402 (3 credits)
  • Second Language Acquisition and Methodology, EDUC 404 (3 credits)
  • Multiple Subject Curriculum and Pedagogy: Integrating Language
  • Arts, History-Social Science, and Visual-Performing Arts, EDUC 405
    (3 credits)
  • Multiple Subject Curriculum and Pedagogy: Math and Science, EDUC
    407 (3 credits)
  • Promoting Students' Health & Safety, KLS 509 (1 credit)
  • Working with Special Populations I & II, EDUC 510 & 511 (1 credit each)
  • Student Teaching/Internship, EDUC 520 (12 credits). To qualify for student teaching or internship, students must have completed all prerequisites and subject matter requirements. Consult department materials for a complete list.
  • Professional Development Seminar, EDUC 521 (1-2 credits). Must be taken concurrently with Student Teaching/Internship.

Sequence FOR THE PRELIMINARY SINGLE SUBJECT TEACHING CREDENTIAL

Prerequisites:

  • Introduction to Human Development, CHDV 105 (3 credits), or Psychology of Adolescence, PSYC 242 (3 credits)
  • Sociological and Anthropological Perspectives on Education, EDUC 300 (3 credits)

Required professional preparation courses:

  • Teaching Diverse Learners, EDUC 401 (3 credits)
  • Learning and Learners, EDUC 406 (3 credits)
  • Teaching Content Area Literacy, EDUC 403 (3 credits)
  • Second Language Acquisition and Methodology, EDUC 404 (3 credits)
  • Single Subject Curriculum and Pedagogy I, EDUC 408 (3 credits)
  • Single Subject Curriculum and Pedagogy II, EDUC 409 (3 credits)
  • Promoting Students' Health & Safety, KLS 509 (3 credits)
  • Working with Special Populations I & II, EDUC 510 & 511 (1 credit each)
  • Student Teaching/Internship, EDUC 520 (12 credits). To qualify for student teaching or internship, students must have completed all prerequisites and subject matter requirements. Consult department materials for a complete list.
  • Professional Development Seminar, EDUC 521 (1-2 credits). Must be taken concurrently with Student Teaching/Internship.

GUIDELINES FOR the MINOR IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

A minor in elementary education requires 20-21 credits, including CHDV 105, CHDV 315 or 330, EDUC 401, 402, 404, 406, and one additional course from an approved list (contact the Department of Education & Child Development for current, approved course listings).

GUIDELINES FOR THE MAJOR IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Completion of all disciplinary core and extra-departmental requirements, for a total of at least 34 - 37 credits.
I. Core Requirements

  • Introduction to Lifespan Human Development, CHDV 105 (3 credits)
  • Field Methods: Child Study through Observation and Interaction,
    CHDV 220 (3 credits)
  • Infancy through Early Childhood, CHDV 315 (3 credits)
  • Middle Childhood, CHDV 330 (3 credits)
  • Practicum: Integration of Theory and Practice, CHDV 477 (4 credits
  • Senior Seminar in Child Development, CHDV 497 (3 credits)

II. Additional Requirements

  • Cultural Contexts of Childhood, ANTH 374 (3 credits), or Sociological and Anthropological Perspectives on Education, EDUC 300 (3 credits), or approved child development course in Denmark.
  • Biological Bases of Behavior, PSYC 222 (3 credits)
  • Statistics, PSYC 314 or other approved statistics course (3-4 credits)

One of the following:

  • Field Research: Crossing Cultural Boundaries, ANTH 311 (3-4 credits)
  • Experimental Psychology, PSYC 212 (4 credits)
  • Approaches to Social Research, SOC 310 (3 credits)
  • At least one additional course (3-4 credits) related to the major as
    approved by the advisor

GUIDELINES FOR THE MINOR IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT

A minimum of 21 credits. A minor must be planned in consultation with a child
development advisor.
I. Core Requirements

  • Introduction to Lifespan Human Development, CHDV 105 (3 credits)
  • Field Methods: Child Study through Observation and Interaction,
    CHDV 220 (3 credits)
  • Infancy through Early Childhood, CHDV 315 (3 credits)
  • Middle Childhood and Adolescence, CHDV 330 (3 credits)

II. Additional Requirements, Two of the following:

  • Cultural Contexts of Childhood, ANTH 374 (3 credits), or Sociological and Anthropological Perspectives on Education, EDUC 300 (3 credits), or or approved child development course in Denmark
  • Practicum: Integration of Theory and Practice, CHDV 477 (4 credits)
  • Biological Bases of Behavior, PSYC 222 (3 credits)
  • Statistics, PSYC 314 or other approved statistics course (3-4 credits)

One of the following:

  • Field Research: Crossing Cultural Boundaries, ANTH 311 (3-4 credits)
  • Experimental Psychology, PSYC 212 (4 credits)
  • Approaches to Social Research, SOC 310 (3 credits)