Curriculum
The intended time to complete the program is ten terms (2.5 years) which is the length of the Education course sequence. Program completion time may be longer than ten terms, depending upon the number of transfer credits upon entry and the number of courses that the student takes each quarter. Students may start the Education course sequence in either fall or winter terms. Students admitted in the spring and summer terms will take other degree requirements in the spring and/or summer and will then begin the Education course sequence the following fall. Our advisors will work with you immediately to evaluate your transfer credits and help you get started on content courses. This program consists of a minimum of 180 quarter credits including: education courses, content courses and free electives.
Students have flexibility in scheduling their non-education degree requirements from the selection of online or traditional classroom courses offered throughout the year at Drexel University. In the few instances where a course is not available online at Drexel, a student may complete the coursework at any convenient college or university with the approval of the academic advisor.
Program of Study
This program is cohort-based, meaning you will move through your Education courses with the same group of people who start the program with you. This is a great way to build trust and common understanding and has been shown to greatly increase student retention and success. You will take your Education courses exactly as prescribed below, but because each of you will join the program with different transfer credits you will not take all your content and elective courses together. The content / elective courses you take, and when you take them, will be determined in consultation with your advisor.
The chart below details the required Education courses for each term as well as the recommended sequence of content / elective courses. If you are granted sufficient transfer credits you may complete the program in the minimum of ten terms (2.5 years), which is the length of the Education course sequence. If you come in with insufficient transfer credits or do not add all the recommended content / elective courses, it will take you longer to complete the degree requirements. Taking more than the recommended number of content / elective courses will not enable you to graduate in fewer than ten terms. The following is a sample sequence of courses. Your advisor will arrange your individualized plan of study with you.
Writing-Intensive Course Requirements
You must pass three writing-intensive courses, including two in Education. The third can be in any discipline. Your advisor will work with you to ensure your course of study meets this requirement.
Course Descriptions
ARTH 101 - History of Art I: Ancient to Medieval
Traces the rise of Western civilization from ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, through Greek and Roman culture to the late Middle Ages, with an emphasis on the evolution of style and symbolism in art.
EDUC 112 - Integrative Instruction: World Geography
Through the study of geography, encourages students to find a meaningful framework for understanding the system of human culture as it exists over the surface of Earth. Explores the use of technology in education.
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EDUC 114 - Science Teaching Methods
This course bridges theory and practice, providing hands-on experience in the application of constuctivist learing theory to designing and delivering effective classroom experiences in the area of science.
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EDUC 216 - Diversity and Today's Teacher
This course explores major issues related to the increasing diversity of students in elementary and secondary classrooms in the United States. The multifaceted challenges of teaching heterogeneous student populations.
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EDUC 218 - Math: Methods & Content (Elementary)
Course emphasizes diagnostic instruction in mathmatics by allowing students to complete problems that their students will be expected to work, noting the error and correction process, as well as gaining an awareness of student difficulties in mathmatics.
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EDUC 301 - Introduction to Personalized Systems of Instruction
The student should be coaching or tutoring while taking this course. Covers the theory and practice of the Personalized System of Instruction and the Heuristic Diagnostic Learning approach. Includes emphasis on empowering students in teaching and learning by studying coaching strategies, instructional strategies, learning styles, student-coach interactions, current research, and applying PSI. Requires three hours per week of service comprised of one-to-one academic coaching. Students keep a weekly log of their coaching activities and a reflective journal about the academic coaching experience.
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EDUC 310 - Computer Applications In Teaching
Studies the unique characteristics of the microcomputer as an instructional tool in elementary and secondary school instruction. Provides students with an understanding of the instructional versatility and limitations of microcomputing through hands-on experience with applications in their subject-matter fields. Addresses issues concerning techniques for integrating computing into instruction.
EDUC 320 - Professional Studies in Instruction
Offers field placement with practitioners in classroom environments appropriate to the student's certification area to provide instruction and experience in methodology, classroom management, and discipline, and the opportunity to apply results of current research on effective teaching. Addresses issues including the application to classroom instruction of developmental and learning theories, developmental reading and reading in the content areas, student motivation, the interrelationships among diverse populations within the school setting, and identification of instructional resources. This is a writing intensive course.
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EDUC 322 - Evaluation of Instruction
Permits students to acquire competence in new evaluation techniques, including portfolios, journals, performance assessments, individual and collaborative projects, and presentations. Covers qualitative and quantitative assessment used in measuring student achievement. Teaches techniques for grading and reporting pupils' classroom performance in cognitive, affective, and (where appropriate) motor tasks. The course is directed toward instruction in elementary and high school settings.
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EDUC 323 - Diagnostic Teaching: Using Literacy as a Frame for Diagnostic Teaching
Requires students to integrate and apply theories of learning, curriculum, and pedagogy to instruction and heuristic diagnostic teaching. Focuses on the individual learner. Covers processes involved in learning mathematics and science in particular, and studies their applications in relation to individual differences among learners. Emphasizes developing strategies that prevent learning problems. This is a writing intensive course.
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EDUC 324 - Current Research in Curriculum and Instruction
Examines the theories and assumptions underlying various approaches to instruction for elementary and high school teaching. Included are areas such as a) knowledge acquisition and critical reasoning in mathematics and science, b) teaching general and specific skills as related to content material, c) study skills and abilities to learn, and d) the roles of memory and metacognition in learning. Explores these processes of human cognition and learning with particular attention to how conditions that foster them might be built into materials, pedagogy, and learning environments.
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EDUC 325 - Multi-Media in Instructional Design
Imparts skills in selecting, using, and evaluating a range of instructional media, including interactive multimedia formats, in relation to educational goals and learner characteristics. Emphasizes presentation skills when using a variety of media to deliver instruction. Students design and write a software prototype as a group design project.
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EDUC 326 - Language Arts Processes
Studies the nature of language, including phonetic, semantic, and syntactic aspects of language development, and theories of language development. Applies contemporary research to processes and problems in teaching oral and written communication. Assumes that listening, speaking, writing, and reading in the content area are integrated processes and should be taught as such. This is a writing intensive course.
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EDUC 327 - Learning Disabilities
Course will address issues such as definition of learning disability, various types of learning disabilities and the general approaches to the assessment and treatment of learning disabilities.
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EDUC 410 - Student Teaching
A 12-week field experience that approximates full time classroom teaching and related activities; it is designed to allow the candidate to demonstrate competencies necessary for certification.
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EDUC 475 - Special Studies Teacher Education
Covers various topics of particular interest to teacher education students.
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HIST 201 - U.S. History to 1815
Examines the political, economic, and social forces that shaped America in the era of its founding.
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HIST 202 - U.S. History, 1815 - 1900
Examines the emergence of modern America to the close of the Spanish-American War.
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HIST 203 - U.S. History since 1900
Examines America as economic giant, world political power, and scene of social change.
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HIST 280 - History of Science
Covers the development of the scientific ideas of Newton, with emphasis on the nature of science and scientific method. Provides an opportunity for students to pursue their own interests.
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ENGL 101 - Expository Writing and Reading
Develops students' abilities to read and write expository academic discourse. Teaches students how to read with understanding; how to access print and technological sources; how to research, plan, draft, revise, and edit academic essays and reports. Requires students to write expository essay and to keep a journal to express their responses to material read and study in the course.
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ENGL 102 - Persuasive Writing and Reading
Develops students' abilities to read and write persuasive academic discourse. Teaches students to think and read critically, to evaluate and use print and technological sources effectively, and to present a written argument effectively. Requires students to write persuasive essays and research papers and to keep a journal to express their responses to material read and studied in the course.
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ENGL 103 - Analytical Writing and Reading
Develops students' skills in critical and analytical reading and writing through a study of literature. Teaches students techniques to help them understand and appreciate literature. Requires students to read, analyze, and write essays and research papers about selected works of poetry, drama, and fiction and to keep a journal to express their responses to the literature studied.
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NFS 101 - Introduction Nutrition & Food
Provides basic understanding of required nutrients and how they are used in the body. Students complete a computerized nutrient analysis and apply the science of nutrition and food to food choices to improve their personal health.
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NFS 216 - Nutrition and the Schoolchild
A course designed for future elementary school teachers to increase their knowledge of childhood nutrition as it relates to health promotion, health maintenance, and the prevention and treatment of nutritionally relevant health abnormalities in elementary school students. The scientific basis of nutrition and principles of education are emphasized.
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ECON 201 - Economics I
Business and design arts students. Examines allocation of resources within an economy. Major topics include interaction of supply and demand in markets, consumer choice, cost structure of firms, and profit maximization for competitive firms as well as firms with market power.
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INFO 101 - Introduction to Information Technology
A survey course in information systems and issues associated with their use. Provides a broad-based introduction to computer hardware, software, telecommunications and information.
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MATH 181 - Mathematical Analysis I
Covers set theory, coordinate systems and graphs, functions, linear programming (geometric approach), matrices and linear systems, and linear programming (algebraic approach). Required for architecture, business administration, and construction management students. Non-credit for engineering and science students.
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MATH 182 - Mathematical Analysis II
Covers counting techniques, probability, statistics, and probability applications. Non-credit for engineering and science students.
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MATH 183 - Mathematical Analysis III
Covers limits, rates of change, derivatives, applications of differentiation, exponential and logarithmic functions, integrals, techniques of integration, applications of integration. Non-credit for engineering and science students.
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MUSC 130 - Introduction to Music
Provides an introduction to music in the European classical tradition, including elements of melody, harmony, rhythm, texture, structure, history, and principal composers. Emphasizes listening with understanding.
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PSY 101 - General Psychology I
Reviews the fundamental principles, concepts, and methods of psychology, with emphasis on the concepts of motivation, learning, and perception, and their psychological foundations.
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PSY 320 - Educational Psychology
Covers role and relevance of psychology in the teacher-learner relationship, with independent application of research techniques in an individual field study. This is a writing intensive course.
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PHYS 131 - Survey of the Universe
Provides an overview of modern astronomy, including the scientific method; telescopes; stars and star clusters; stellar evolution; galaxies and the large-scale structure of the universe; and the Big Bang. May also include periodic visits to the university observatory. This is a writing intensive course.
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PHYS 181 - Astronomy
Provides an overview of modern astronomy, including the scientific method; telescopes; stars and star clusters; stellar evolution; galaxies and the large-scale structure of the universe; and the Big Bang. May also include periodic visits to the university observatory.
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BIO 161 - General Biology I
Covers structure and function of the cell and the organ-system plan of organization of the human body.
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BIO 162 - General Biology II
Continues BIO 161. Covers the mechanics of heredity, including growth, differentiation, and development.
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ENVR 260 - Environment Science and Society I
This course is a multidisciplinary introduction to the range of disciplines that make up the environmental sciences. The aim of this course is to provide an understanding of basic physical, ecological and social sciences that focus on the study of the natural environment and its interaction with human society.
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COM 111 - Principles of Communication
Explores the importance of communication in organizational settings. Includes assessment of appropriate modes of communication, including written, spoken, and electronic.
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SOC 335 - Sociology of Education
Provides a general introduction to the sociology of education through the study of social, political, and cultural forces operating on public education in the United States and Britain. Examines theories, methods, and case studies to explore issues of identity formation, inequality, and class reproduction in an attempt to understand the role of schooling in contemporary life.
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CHEM 161 - General Chemistry I
Covers atomic structure, stoichiometry, gases, valence theory, and thermochemistry.
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CHEM 162 - General Chemistry II
Covers solutions, colligative properties, chemical equilibrium, and electrochemistry. Introduces organic chemistry.
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PHYS 182 - Applied Physics I
Covers vectors; statics, kinematics, and classical dynamics, including Newton's laws, torque, projectile motion, and circular motion; work; power and energy; impulse and momentum; and rotation, in a non-calculus-based course.
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PHYS 183 - Applied Physics II
Covers fluids; elasticity; vibration, including simple harmonic motion; sound waves and acoustics; thermodynamics of temperature; heat; thermal-expansion; phase change; and heat transfer, in a non-calculus-based course.
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