Elementary/Middle Education (K-9) and Spanish Education (K-12) Major - Bachelor of Science (BS)

Teachers have a positive and profound impact on future generations unlike any other profession. The Elementary/Middle Education and Spanish Education (EME/SPA) Program prepares educators and future leaders of our global society to teach the core subjects (literacy, math, science, and social studies) to kindergarten through grade 9 learners and Spanish to kindergarten through grade 12 learners. Future teachers, including those who are interested in teaching at an immersion or bilingual school, will learn to reach all students with relevant curriculum, utilizing strategies that are developmentally appropriate for each age, and follow second language acquisition theories. We collaborate with public school partners to provide multiple practical experiences in classrooms where our teacher candidates learn to differentiate teaching approaches with the end goal of honoring the individuality of all students. Graduates of this program are confident, reflective practitioners who value academically rigorous teaching for all, and who continuously improve their skills in response to best practices. 

The EME/SPA program requires a Spanish minor, an immersion experience, and a minimum language proficiency level. Teacher candidates may earn retroactive credits in Spanish by placing into 200- or 300-level Spanish courses.

Completion of the Elementary/Middle Education and Spanish Education Program and associated benchmark assessments will lead to endorsement for the following Wisconsin teaching licenses:

• Elementary and Middle School Education, grades K-9 (2088) and
• Spanish Education, grades K-12 (1365).

Students in all teacher education programs must satisfy the School of Education (SOE) core requirements.

Students in all teacher education programs must be admitted to the School of Education to complete their program requirements and be eligible for endorsement for the appropriate teaching license(s). Students majoring in elementary/middle education (grades K-9) and Spanish education (grades K-12) must meet specific program admission criteria.

Retention and advancement

Curriculum

The Elementary/Middle Education and Spanish Education Program is aligned with Wisconsin Teacher Standards (WTS), Wisconsin DPI World Language Standards, and the national CAEP (elementary) and AMLE (middle-level) Standards.

Minor requirement

Elementary/middle education and Spanish education majors must also complete a Spanish minor (21 credits) in order to be endorsed for a Spanish Education, grades K-12 (1365) teaching license.

Program requirement courses that may also fulfill Core General Education Requirements (CGER) (33 credits)

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Must pass all EDS, SPE, and TSL courses with a grade of "C" or better.

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Satisfies an SOE requirement.

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May also satisfy CGER - Social and Behavioral Science: Social and Behavioral Studies (CGER SBS-BS).

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May also satisfy CGER - Civics & Perspectives: Communities of the United States (CGER CP-CU).

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May also satisfy CGER - Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning: Quantitative Reasoning (CGER MQR-QR).

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May also satisfy CGER - Humanities & Arts: The Pasts That Define Us (CGER HA-PDU).

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May also satisfy CGER - Natural Science & Wellness: Mind, Body, & Planet (CGER NSW-MBP).

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May also satisfy CGER - Humanities & Arts: Arts & Aesthetics (CGER HA-AA).

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May also satisfy CGER - Civics & Perspectives: The Cultures of Our World (CGER CP-CW). Course required in Spanish minor.

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May also satisfy CGER - Natural Science & Wellness: Experiential Science (CGER NSWL-ES).

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May also satisfy CGER - Communication & Literacy: The Stories We Tell (CGER CL-SWT).

 Courses not requiring admission to the School of Education(41 credits)¹

Elementary/middle education and Spanish education majors must complete the following additional content courses to meet accreditation standards and/or WI statutory requirements. 

Courses requiring admission to the School of Education (45 credits)

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Credits taken to satisfy a Spanish content course requirement in this major cannot be used to meet Spanish minor requirements. Between the major and the minor, candidates complete a total of four courses from the "Identities and Perspectives" category.

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Field experience will be blended between regular education (elementary or middle) and Spanish education.

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Includes experience with high school (grades 9-12) lesson planning and observations.

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Must complete all course requirements and benchmarks prior to student teaching. See SOE's benchmark assessments website for information about these assessments. For more information on student teaching, please see the Student Teaching and Internship Policy.

Study abroad requirement

1. All students should consult with their advisor in Spanish regarding specific requirements for study abroad;
2. All Spanish education majors are required to complete an approved language immersion experience of at least 14 weeks (one semester); students should consult with a Spanish advisor when planning this experience;
3. Students are required to complete the 12 credit core of courses before studying abroad;
4. Spanish education majors may take up to six credits of the Level IV and V category abroad. Consult with Spanish advisor for applicability.

Language proficiency for student teaching requirements

Prior to student teaching, teacher candidates are required to:

1. Demonstrate proficiency with an "Intermediate High" or better rating on the American Council Teaching of Foreign Languages Oral Proficiency test in Spanish (ACTFL-OPIc) and
2. Demonstrate proficiency with an "Intermediate High" or better rating on the American Council Teaching of Foreign Languages Written Proficiency test in Spanish (ACTFL-WPT internet).

Additional teacher education requirements are listed on the School of Education catalog page.

All students must complete the general education, college core, major/minor, and university degree requirements to qualify for a degree. All enrolled students have access to a degree audit to track all of these requirements. 

• Core general education requirements
• School of Education requirements
• Baccalaureate degree requirements

Baccalaureate degree requirements

Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degrees must accomplish the following:

1. Fulfill the Core General Education Requirements (CGER).
2. Complete the courses prescribed by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee for the degree desired in the respective school or college.
3. Earn a minimum of 120 semester credits with at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA.^{1, 2}
4. At least 40 credits must be earned in 300/400 level courses. Transfer courses earned or transferred at the 300/400 level apply to this requirement.
5. Complete major and minor requirements with at least a 2.00 GPA^{1, 2} in each major and minor (and concentration or emphasis, if selected).
6. A minimum of 30 semester credits in residence at UWL is required for graduation. (See undergraduate resident requirement.)
7. Submit an application for graduation via the "Submit Intent to Graduate" link in the WINGS Student Center as soon as the student has registered for his or her final semester or summer term in residence. December and winter intersession graduates should apply by May 1. May and summer graduates should apply by December 1.

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Grade point average requirements for some programs will be considerably higher than 2.00. Re-entering students may be required to earn credits in excess of the 120 needed for graduation in any curriculum to replace credits earned in courses in which the content has changed substantially in recent years. Each case will be judged on its own merit.

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The grade point average recorded at the time the degree is awarded will not be affected by future enrollment.

No degree will be awarded unless all requirements are fulfilled and recorded within 30 days after the official ending date of each term.

Below is a sample degree plan that can be used as a guide to identify courses required to fulfill the major and other requirements needed for degree completion. A student's actual degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). Also, this sample plan assumes readiness for each course and/or major plan, and some courses may not be offered every term. Review the course descriptions or the class timetable for course offering information.

The sample degree plans represented in this catalog are intended for first-year students entering UWL in the fall term. Students should use their degree audit and work closely with their advisor(s) and college dean's office to ensure declaration and completion of all requirements in a timely manner.

Core General Education Program

The Core General Education Requirement (CGER) is the common educational experience for all undergraduates at UWL. Sample degree plans include CGER placeholders to ensure completion of the core general education requirements. The CGER category listed in parentheses indicated the recommended course to help complete CGER and the program requirements. Transferred courses may alter the plan. Courses may be rearranged to fit the needs or recommendations of the student’s program of study. CGER courses may be taken during winter term (January between the semesters) and summer to reduce the course load during regular terms (fall and spring). Students should consult with their advisor and/or the college academic services director in their college/school for assistance with course and schedule planning. Refer to the Core General Education Requirements for more specific details.

At least 40 credits of the 120 credits required must be earned at the 300/400-level. 

Note: New students and transfer students with less than 12 credits earned are required to take The Eagle Advantage for College Success (UWL 100, 2 cr.) or FYS 100 First-Year Seminar (3 cr.) during one of their first two semesters at UWL.

This sample degree plan does not establish a contractual agreement. It identifies the minimum requirements a student must successfully complete, to qualify for a degree, in a format intended to assist the student in planning their academic career. Actual degree plans may differ.

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Depending on placement, additional courses may be required to meet the prerequisite for enrollment in a SPA 300-level course. Students earning retroactive credits in Spanish may count up to three credits towards the CGER CP-CW Cultures of Our World.

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BIO 100 Biology for the Informed Citizen (4 cr.) is recommended.

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See the SOE admissions website for complete admission and application details. Students will be required to complete a criminal background check at the time of application for admission.

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PHY 106 Physical Science for Educators (4 cr.) is recommended.

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PH 207 Youth Health Issues (3 cr.) is recommended.

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Students applying for field and student teaching placements will be asked to disclose any criminal charges.

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Students must apply for student teaching through the Office of Field Experience on year prior to the student teaching semester.

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For more information, please see the Student Teaching and Internship Policy.