Major
The Interdisciplinary Middle Childhood Education (MCE) major is designed to provide an initial preparation for students aspiring to teach in a Middle School (grades 4-9). Students should plan to complete both a baccalaureate degree and a master’s degree. The graduate degree will provide teaching experience and additional work in professional education, and it is this degree – the Master of Education (M.Ed.) that will lead to a license to teach.
The MCE major leads to a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. Under Ohio licensure requirements, a Middle Childhood teacher must specialize in two of four subject-matter fields in any combination. The four areas of concentration (AOC) are:
- Reading and language arts
- Social studies
- Mathematics
- Science
The interdisciplinary major is designed to provide students preparation in two of these four areas, in addition to providing the opportunity to experience, learn, and reflect on effective pedagogy.
Course work for the major has been selected to meet
- state and national standards
- most of the licensure requirements
- requirements of the University’s General Education Curriculum (GEC)
as well as to provide as much depth as possible in each of the AOCs. Indeed, the MCE major goes well beyond the minimum state requirements and provides students with additional subject-matter course that will broaden and deepen students’ understanding of subject areas and provide a solid foundation for their continuing professional development as Middle Childhood teachers.
Several of the required courses are taught by using active learning methods, which are found to be most effective in learning. The program also includes a minor in education with field experiences and courses in education, which will provide first-hand experience in 4-9 grade classrooms and provide an opportunity to examine pedagogical methods.
Degree Requirements for Bachelor of Arts in Middle Childhood Education
Application to the Program
Student planning to complete the Interdisciplinary Middle Childhood Education major must submit an application for admission to the program. Admissions requirements are:
- The completion of 45 graded credit hours at The Ohio State University (15 hours at Ohio State for transfer students)
- At least 15 of the 45 hours must be from either or both of the intended content concentration areas. The courses considered include:
- The attainment of at least a 2.70 CPHR
- submission of an application for admission into the program to Sue Kofsky or Oana Falasca
Required prerequisite courses in the content area
Required major courses in the content area
Any of the following GECs:
Math AOC: Math 105, 106; Statistics 135 or 145
Reading & Language Arts: English 270, 290, or 291
Science: Physics 106, 107; Biology 113, 114
Social Studies: Econ 201; History 151, 181; Polit Sci 100, 101, 165, 210
Applications are reviewed by the major oversight committee. If admitted to the major, the applicant’s status will be changed from pre-MCE major to MCE major.
