More Information
Visit the online course catalog for more information on all majors and minors.
Meet Your Major
As an education major concentrating in elementary education (1-6), you’ll gain the expertise, skills and confidence to teach elementary school students.
Approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, our programs provide you with the training required to earn your state teaching license in elementary education. Bonus? Through hands-on learning opportunities, you’ll develop your education philosophy, create a portfolio and hone your classroom management skills.
In the elementary education program, you will:
- Deepen your understanding of how young students develop and learn.
- Gain practical experience teaching the all-important foundation topics of reading, math and science.
- Build your expertise by choosing from a wide variety of electives, including psychology, diversity, social justice and ethics, and counseling and guidance.
Hands-On Learning
100% of education majors participate in at least one practicum. You’ll gain invaluable classroom experience during your pre-practicum and practicum student-teaching. It’s your chance to take what you’ve learned at Merrimack and apply it at one of the many schools in the area.
Career Options
Upon successful completion of the education program, you’ll be well-equipped to pursue a career in education. Positions may include:
- General studies teacher in grades 1-6
- Guidance counselor
- Reading, math or science tutor
- School administrator
What You’ll Take
Education majors concentrating in elementary education must complete 24 credits of human development courses, 48 credits of teacher education courses and 24 credits of subject matter knowledge courses in addition to a semester of student teaching.
Students must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA in their required courses prior to entering the student-teaching semester. To graduate with a degree in early childhood education and teach in Massachusetts, students must also pass the MTELs.
Required Courses
Complete the following four courses
| BIO 1106 | Human Biology |
| HDE 2130 | Diversity, Social Justice and Ethics |
| HDE 1000 | Introduction to Human Development |
| HDE 3000 | Research Methods and Applied Statistics in Human Development |
Complete one of the following:
| EDU 2230 |
Applied Adolescent Psychology |
| HDE 2240 | Adult Development |
| EDU 3200 | Language and Social Processes |
| EDU 4500 | Language Acquisition and Literacy Curriculum Development |
| PSY 3310 | Development of Intelligence/ Thinking |
| PSY 3340 | Developmental Psychopathology |
| PSY 3380 | Psychology of Aging |
| SOC 3850 | Sociology of Aging |
Teaching and Education (complete all)
| EDU 2110 | Foundations and Principles of Education |
| EDU 2210 | Child Growth and Development |
| EDU 2410 | The Exceptional Learner |
| EDU 2500 | Pre-Practicum I (and Seminar) |
| EDU 2510 | Pre-Practicum II (and Seminar) |
| EDU 3210 | Psychology of Learning and Assessment |
| EDU 3310 | Teaching Reading and Language Arts |
| EDU 3340 | Teaching Mathematics and Technology |
| EDU 3360 | Teaching Science, Health and Physical Education |
| EDU 4220 | Differentiation and Inclusion |
| EDU 4221 | Strategies for Group Management |
| EDU 4320 | Teaching Social Studies |
| EDU 4340 | Children’s Literature |
| EDU 4582 | Sheltered English Instruction |
| EDU 4903 | Practicum — Elementary Education and Seminar |
Electives I (choose one)
| CRM 2000 | Youth, Deviance and Crime |
| HDE 3620 | Diversity in Practice with Families and Communities |
| HDE 4260 | Foundations of Counseling Across Professions |
| PSY 3250 | Cultural Psychology |
| SOC 3330 | Racial and Ethnic Minorities |
| SOC 3450 | Sociology of the Family |
| WGS 1010 | Gender and Society |
| WGS 2010 | Introduction to Ethnic Studies |
Electives II (choose seven, as outlined)
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American Civilization: |
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Literature (choose one): |
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Math (complete all): |
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Science: |
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World Civilization (choose one): |
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