Middle Grades Education, BS
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Education
The Middle Grades Education, BS prepares teachers for grades five through eight. A minimum of 120 semester hours is necessary for graduation.
Students pursuing teacher licensure programs in the College of Education (COE) must meet requirements in a series of sequential gateways. Included in the gateway requirements are successful completion of specified coursework, achievement of appropriate grade point averages, requirements for clinical experiences, and appropriate tests for the licensure area. Meeting all Gateway requirements leads to degree and licensure completion.
Students are admitted to Middle Grades Education as freshmen. In order to be recommended for licensure, candidates are required to maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 (A=4.0). Candidates in teaching licensure programs must maintain a C- or better in ALL content and professional education coursework. For teacher education licensure applicable to all curricula, see the Council on Teacher Education.
Licensure requirements are subject to change without notice as a result of new mandates from the Illinois State Board of Education or the Illinois General Assembly.
Students in the Middle Grades Education licensure program must complete the Campus General Education Requirements, the courses for one or more concentrations (literacy, social sciences, science or math) and the professional education coursework. In the final two years of the major, students will take a set of core courses, as well as coursework in one or more of the following concentrations:
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Education
Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation Seminar | ||
| EDUC 101 | Education Orientation Seminar | 1 |
| Total | 1 | |
The following degree requirements also meet general education course requirements and must be selected from the campus general education course list. Some professional education courses and concentration courses can count towards the general education requirements.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Composition I | ||
| Composition I | 4 | |
| Total | 4 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Composition | ||
| Advanced Composition | 3-4 | |
| Total | 3-4 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Sciences & Technology | ||
If seeking the Science concentration, exclusions apply including, but not limited to: Horticulture, Dance and Urban Planning. Must be a science rubric. Consult with adviser for further information. | ||
| Life science | 3-4 | |
| Physical science | 3-4 | |
| Total | 6-8 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Cultural Studies | ||
| Western/Comparative | 3-4 | |
| U.S. Minority | 3-4 | |
| Non-Western | 3-4 | |
| Total | 9-12 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | ||
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 6-8 | |
| Total | 6-8 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning I | 3-4 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning I or II | 3-4 | |
| Total | 6-8 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Humanities & the Arts | ||
| Humanities & the Arts | 6 | |
| Total | 6 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Hours of General Education Courses | 37-46 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Language Other Than English | ||
| Three years of one language other than English in high school or completion of the third semester of college level language. | 0-12 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Electives | ||
| Elective Hours (as needed to complete the 120 graduation requirement) | 0-10 | |
| Six hours of ROTC upper level courses (300 level or above) can count toward the degree as free electives. | ||
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Concentrations | ||
| Students must complete 24-27 credit hours within one of the following concentrations: 1) Social Science, 2) Science, 3) Mathematics, or 4) Literacy. Subsequent tables outline the required courses to complete requirements in specific concentrations. | 24-27 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Professional Education | ||
| CI 404 | Teaching and Assessing Secondary School Students | 3 |
| CI 410 | Middle School Instruction, Philosophy and Structures | 3 |
| CI 415 | Language Varieties, Cultures and Learning | 3 |
| CI 467 | Principles in Teaching Literature to Children and Youth | 3 |
| CI 471 | Principles and Practices to Foster Independence in Reading | 3 |
| CI 476 | Teaching Elementary and Middle Grade Language Arts | 3 |
| EDPR 250 | School & Community Experiences (Section MG) | 4 |
| EDPR 442 | Educational Practice in Secondary Education (Section MG) | 12 |
| EDUC 201 & EDUC 202 | Identity and Difference in Education and Social Justice, School and Society (or program approved equivalent courses) | 6 |
| EPSY 201 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| EPSY 430 | Early Adolescent Development | 3 |
| SPED 405 | General Educator's Role in Special Education | 3 |
| Total Hours | 49 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total minimum hours for degree | 120 | |
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Education
Sample Sequence
This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.
Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a third level of a language other than English. For more information, see the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| EDUC 101 | 1 | Composition I or General Education course | 4 |
| EDUC 201 | 3 | General Education course (PSYC 100 recommended) | 4 |
| Language Other Than English (3rd level) or Elective course | 4 | General Education course | 3 |
| Composition I or General Education course | 4 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | ||
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| EPSY 201 | 3 | EDUC 202 | 3 |
| Concentration course | 3 | Concentration course | 3 |
| Concentration course | 3 | Concentration course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | General Education course | 3 |
| General Education course | 3 | Elective course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| CI 410 | 3 | CI 401 (for Mathematics Concentration only) | 3 |
| CI 467 | 3 | CI 415 | 3 |
| CI 471 | 3 | Concentration course | 3 |
| EPSY 430 | 3 | Concentration course | 3 |
| Elective course | 3 | Concentration course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| First Semester | Hours | Second Semester | Hours |
| CI 402 | 3 | CI 404 | 3 |
| CI 476 | 3 | EDPR 442 | 12 |
| EDPR 250 | 4 | ||
| SPED 405 | 3 | ||
| Elective course | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Education
- Students will acquire deep knowledge of content in the field of Education.
- Students will demonstrate awareness and application of the Illinois Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading (CRTL) standards in their teacher preparation course work and field experiences.
- Students will display the expectations of professionalism related to success in the field of education and beyond (fairness, commitment to collaboration, community, reflective practice, and attention to 21st century skills and practices).
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Education
College of Education
Education Building, 1310 S. Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820
College of Education website
Department of Curriculum & Instruction
306 Education Building
Department of Curriculum & Instruction email
(217) 244-8286
Department of Curriculum & Instruction website
Department of Curriculum & Instruction faculty
Office of Undergraduate Programs
110 Education Building
Education Academic Affairs email
(217) 333-2800
Admissions & Academics website
Student Academic Affairs website