Education Minor

This undergraduate minor is offered by the College of Arts and Sciences.

Faculty

Dr. Jennifer Lee, Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education
Faculty in the School of Education also support Trinity’s undergraduate education program.

Description

The College of Arts and Sciences offers a minor in education in conjunction with the School of Education. Trinity’s minor in education will give students a foundation in current educational theories and practices to capably pursue dreams of teaching in a specific academic field, working in special education, or becoming a school counselor.

Trinity’s courses in education provide a core of knowledge, skills and field-based experiences and include performance assessments designed to demonstrate a teacher’s ability to impact student learning. Our course syllabi and classroom activities reflect the standards of the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium.

By completing this minor alongside a major in another academic field, students will be in a position to apply for a graduate program in secondary education as well as other graduate programs in education. While the undergraduate minor does not satisfy certification requirements for the District of Columbia, the minor in education expertly prepares those to enter a graduate program through which a teacher certification can be attained.

B.A. to M.A.T. Program

Education majors and minors (and all undergraduate majors) may also be interested in pursuing a Master’s of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in Trinity’s School of Education. The M.A.T. is offered in early childhood, elementary, special education, and secondary education. A student must have a 3.0 G.P.A. in the content area in which he or she wishes to teach. Prospective students for Trinity’s M.A.T. program should refer to the School of Education’s Policy on the State Required Examinations.

Program Requirements

Interested students should direct any questions about the process for formal acceptance into the education major or minor to their undergraduate advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students majoring or minoring in education should follow the required sequence of courses. This course sequence is designed to contribute to a liberal arts education while preparing students in content areas that, as early childhood or elementary teachers, they will be teaching.

Education Minor Requirements

Students in the College of Arts and Sciences may pursue a minor in education. Students minoring in education must complete 18 credits of course work. Completion of Minor requirements ONLY will NOT satisfy standard certification requirements of the District of Columbia.

Required Courses (18 credits)

ALL of the following courses:
EDCC 220 Foundations of EducationAllows teacher candidates to examine some of the historical, philosophical, and cultural foundations of American education. Curriculum content and organization and basic teaching competencies are introduced in light of professional organization. Implications of understanding contemporary educational issues, policy, and decision-making are stressed. A Praxis component is introduced along with an explanation of the teacher education program in light of the standards in teacher education. Field component is an integral part of the course. Students also are required to engage in Praxis I preparation through weekly completion of an on-line Praxis program.
Formerly EDU 260 Foundations of Education.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
EDCC 250 Technology in EducationPrepares teacher candidates to integrate technology, teaching, and learning. Students will access, incorporate, and evaluate technologies in order to support understanding, inquiry, assessment, communication, and collaboration. Tools include multi-media hardware and software, the World Wide Web, and other digital-age resources. Students will practice digital citizenship and responsibility.
3 credits
CAS Prerequisites: EDCC 220 with grade of B or higher.

SPS Prerequisites: EDCC 220 with grade of B or higher.
EDCC 205 Children, Families, Culture and the Community in Early ChildhoodThis course examines relationships among schools, children and families, introducing the complex social and cultural factors that influence children's development and learning, as well as the ethical guidelines that determine professional conduct. Within an orientation to the theoretical and developmental foundations of early learning education of young children, the course emphasizes current issues regarding families, community, and cultural diversity.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
EDTE 321 Reading MaterialsProvides a survey of children's literature with emphasis on works by major authors and illustrators with topics including criteria for evaluating literature, sexism and multicultural aspects of literature for children and integrating literature in the curriculum. Genres covered in the course include picture books, folktales, fables, myths, modern fantasy, poetry, and modern and historical fiction. Selecting, evaluating, and using a variety of materials to create skilled and motivated readers in the elementary grade. Field component is an integral part of the course.
3 credits
Prerequisites: EDCC 220 with grade of B or higher.
EDTE 232 Art and Movement in the ClassroomProvides students with a critical understanding of the visual arts, music, movement, and drama for young children and the importance of integrating arts into the curriculum. Students develop the knowledge, skills, and strategies needed to plan developmentally appropriate activities which integrate creative experiences in the visual arts, music, dance/movement, and drama within the early childhood and elementary classroom curriculum. Formerly FNAR 232 - Art and Movement in the Classroom.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
General Education Area II: Knowledge and Inquiry (Fine Arts)

Choose ONE of the following courses in child psychology:

PSYC 231 Child PsychologyReviews theories of development and contemporary research and how they relate to current social issues concerning children. The developmental period from conception through middle childhood is the focus, with topics including cognitive changes, language acquisition, sensorimotor, moral, and socioemotional development. Formerly PSY 257 Child Psychology.
3 credits
FLC Area V
Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or permission of instructor
PSYC 233 Psychology of AdolescenceStudies the theories and current research in adolescent development. Topics include the psychological impact of puberty, cognitive development, personality development, and the interaction of the adolescent with peers, family, and others. Emphasis is given to the impact of culture, gender, and ethnicity on the adolescent's development. Formerly PSY 261 Psychology of Adolescence.
3 credits
Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or permission of instructor

Program Policies

Advanced Placement:

Credits earned through Advanced Placement Examinations may fulfill general education for certification courses in cases where the student has earned a 4 or 5 on the examination and the credits have been reviewed by education faculty members.

CLEP Policy:
Credits earned through CLEP Examinations may fulfill general education for certification courses in cases where the student has earned a score that confers credit following the guidelines of the ACE and the credits have been reviewed by education faculty members.

Attendance Policy:

In all 300- and 400-level EDCC/EDTE courses, two late arrivals or early departures of 20 minutes or more constitute a single class absence, and any student with class absences or the equivalent that total more than 2 weeks’ worth of class meetings automatically fail the course. Faculty teaching EDCC/EDTE courses at the 200-level may adopt this policy in their syllabi as well, and faculty teaching EDCC/EDTE courses at any level may adopt a stricter policy in their syllabi.

Grades in Education Courses:
To fulfill requirements for the major or the minor, undergraduate students are required to earn a minimum grade of B (3.0) in all education courses (EDCC and EDTE).  In addition, majors must earn an overall G.P.A. of at least a 3.0.

Pass/No Pass:
Courses fulfilling the major or minor — including general education courses required for certification — may not be taken Pass/No Pass.

Student Assessment:
Assessments of student proficiencies required of students in the major or minor are further described on the School of Education page, concerning the Student Assessment System.

Study Abroad:
Courses taken through a study abroad program approved by Trinity may count toward general education courses required for certification, pending review and approval by education faculty and the faculty of the appropriate academic program. In general, education courses taken abroad will not count toward the major or minor.

Experiential Credit Policy:
Credits earned through experience may count toward general education courses required for certification, pending review and approval by education faculty and the faculty of the appropriate academic program. In general, experiential credits may not substitute for education courses counted toward the major or minor.

Transfer Credits:
Transfer credits may be awarded only after appropriate program review. Courses at the 400-level and above must be completed at Trinity. Courses taken as part of the School of Education program of study must be taken at Trinity.