Middle Grades Education, BS
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Education
department office: Curriculum & Instruction
311 Education Building
1310 South Sixth
Champaign, IL 61820
phone: (217) 244-8286
department website: https://education.illinois.edu/ci
department faculty: Curriculum & Instruction Faculty
overview of college admissions & requirements: College of Education
college website: https://education.illinois.edu/
This program prepares teachers for grades five through eight. A minimum of 120 semester hours is necessary for graduation.
Illinois law requires passing the Illinois Licensure Testing System Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) prior to student teaching. The Illinois State Board of Education has determined the ACT Plus Writing/SAT scores can be used in lieu of a passing score on the Test of Academic Proficiency (formerly known as the Illinois Test of Basic Skills). See information on the details.
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 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, cumulative, content area, and professional grade point averages of 2.5 (A=4.0). Candidates should consult their adviser or the Council on Teacher Education for the list of courses used to compute these grade point averages. 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 concentration (literacy, social sciences, science or math) and the professional education coursework.
for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Education
| 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.
A minimum of 120 semester hours is necessary for graduation1.
| 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 2 | ||
| 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 3 | ||
| Social & Behavioral Sciences | 6-8 | |
| Total | 6-8 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning I | 3-4 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning 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 | |
| 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 & 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 4 | 120 | |
| 1 | Six hours of ROTC upper level courses (300 level or above) can count toward the degree as free electives. |
| 2 | 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. |
| 3 | PSYC 100 is a prerequisite for EPSY 201. |
| 4 | The total hours required for the degree may be higher for students who have not already completed the language other than English requirement. |
Concentration Requirements
Some concentration courses can count towards the general education requirements. Courses in concentrations may not be allowed to count for more than two degree requirements. If you have questions, see your adviser.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Science Concentration | ||
| CI 402 | Teaching Diverse Middle Grade Students (Science Section) | 3 |
| Physical Science: Select a minimum of one course from CHEM and one from PHYS | 6-9 | |
| Introductory Chemistry | ||
or CHEM 102/103 | General Chemistry I | |
| Chemistry, Everyday Phenomena | ||
| Teaching Elementary & Middle School Chemistry | ||
| College Physics: Mech & Heat | ||
| College Physics: E&M & Modern | ||
| Physics Made Easy | ||
| How Things Work | ||
| University Physics: Mechanics | ||
| University Physics: Elec & Mag | ||
| Life Science: Complete 6 hours with a minimum of 3 hours from the foundations list. | 6-8 | |
| Foundations: | ||
| Biology in Today's World | ||
| Introduction to Plant Biology | ||
| Animal Biology | ||
| Organismal & Evolutionary Biol | ||
| Introductory Microbiology | ||
| Molec & Cellular Basis of Life | ||
| Applications: | ||
| Environmental Biology | ||
| Society and the Brain | ||
| Human Reproduction & Society | ||
| Earth and Space Science: Select one from the following Atmospheric Sciences rubric and one from the following Geology rubric: | 6-7 | |
| Introduction to Meteorology | ||
| Severe and Hazardous Weather | ||
| General Physical Meteorology | ||
| Physical Geology | ||
| The Oceans | ||
| Natural Disasters | ||
| Science Electives: To complete any remaining required hours, select additional courses from the courses listed above. | 0-3 | |
| Total | 24 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Social Science Concentration | ||
| CI 402 | Teaching Diverse Middle Grade Students (Social Sciences Section) | 3 |
| American History: Select one from the following: | 3-4 | |
| US History to 1877-ACP | ||
| US History to 1877 | ||
| US History Since 1877 | ||
| US History Since 1877-ACP | ||
| United States History to 1815 | ||
| Nineteenth Century America | ||
| Twentieth Century America | ||
| Global or World History: Select one from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Global History | ||
| Western Civ to 1660-ACP | ||
| Western Civ to 1660 | ||
| Western Civ Since 1660 | ||
| Western Civ Since 1660-ACP | ||
| Select from one of the following Geography courses: | 3-4 | |
| Global Development&Environment | ||
| Social and Cultural Geography | ||
| Geographies of Globalization | ||
| Social & Environmental Issues | ||
| Geographies of Global Conflict | ||
| PS 101 | Intro to US Gov & Pol | 3 |
| ECON 102 | Microeconomic Principles | 3 |
| Social Science Electives: To complete any remaining hours, select additional courses from the courses above or in sociology. | 3-5 | |
| Total | 24 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics Concentration | ||
| CI 401 | Introductory Teaching in a Diverse Society ( Math Section) | 3 |
| CI 402 | Teaching Diverse Middle Grade Students ( Math Section) | 3 |
Note: Only CI 402, M (3 hours) counts toward ISBE content | ||
| MATH 117 | Elementary Mathematics | 4 |
| Theory of Numbers: Select one from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Theory of Arithmetic | ||
| Elementary Theory of Numbers | ||
| Geometry: Select one from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Ideas in Geometry | ||
| Non Euclidean Geometry | ||
| Euclidean Geometry | ||
| Statistics: Select one from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Statistics | ||
| Statistical Analysis | ||
| Statistics and Probability I | ||
| Statistics and Probability II | ||
| Calculus: Select one from the following: | 4-5 | |
| Calculus | ||
| Calculus I | ||
| Math Applications: Select one from the following: | 3-4 | |
| Intro Computing: Engrg & Sci | ||
| Intro Computing: Non-Tech | ||
| Intro to Computer Science | ||
| Elementary Linear Algebra | ||
| A Mathematical World | ||
| Basic Discrete Mathematics | ||
| Calculus II | ||
| Calculus III | ||
| Teacher's Course | ||
| History of Calculus | ||
| Applied Linear Algebra | ||
| Total: At least one course in the math content categories must be taken for more than the minimum hours to reach the ISBE requirement of 24 content hours. | 27-31 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Literacy Concentration | ||
| CI 402 | Teaching Diverse Middle Grade Students (Eng Lang Arts Section) | 3 |
| Composition I | minimum 3 hours | |
| Advanced course: Select one from the following: | 3 | |
| Principles Tech Comm | ||
| Composition Theory and Practice | ||
| Writing Technologies | ||
| Adv Rhetoric & Composition | ||
| Writing Across Media | ||
| Literature: Select one literature course at the 100 level and a second literature course at the 200 level. Must be an English or Comparative & World Literature rubric. | 6 | |
| 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 |
| Total | 24 | |