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Undergraduate Programs

Undergraduate Study

Undergraduate Advisor and Student Information Contact:
College of Education Advisement Center
Travelstead Hall
(505) 277-3190

The Department of Teacher Education offers undergraduate degrees in Elementary Education and Secondary Education.

Elementary Education

Degree Offered

B.S. Ed. in Elementary Education

The Elementary Education Program offers an undergraduate major leading to teacher licensure in elementary schools and middle schools (grades K-8), along with specialty areas in a number of teaching fields.  The Elementary Education Program strives to prepare the very best entry-level teachers for all of New Mexico's children; such preparation is enriched by the diverse, contrastive linguistic and cultural communities of the region.  The Program also takes advantage of the many professional partnerships that the College holds with school districts and their teaching faculties.

All students must complete the application process, including passage of the New Mexico Teaching Assessment (NMTA), prior to beginning the program.  Admissions are competitive and limited by capacity to deliver a quality program.

Application Deadlines:

Fall Semester                February 1

Spring Semester            September 1

There is a core set of General Education requirements necessary for application to Elementary
Education.  Contact the COE Advisement Center or go to the Department of Teacher Education website (http://coe.unm.edu/departments/teacher-education.html) for materials and an application.
College grade point average for admission into Elementary Education

1. 2.50 GPA
      OR 2.50 GPA for the last 60 hours (all coursework at all institutions)
      OR 2.70 GPA for the last 24 hours
      OR 3.0 GPA for the last 12 hours at the University of New Mexico (content courses only)
      plus 2.50 GPA on the previous two semesters/quarters wherever taken
2. No more than 9 hours remaining in addition to the required Teacher Education hours.  Advisors determine eligibility.

Theatre endorsement consists of 24 hours of courses that cover all aspects of educational theatre, including acting, stage craft, directing, dramatic literature, creative drama, and children's theatre.

Dance endorsement consists of 24 hours of courses, 8 of which are in modern dance technique and the other 16 cover dance appreciation, improvisation, rhythmic fundamentals, movement analysis, curriculum development, and methods and materials for teaching dance.

Art Education endorsement consists of 24 hours of courses that cover the study of art, the history of art, and the teaching of art.

Elementary Education Curriculum

Each student must have a teaching field in one of the disciplines or an endorsement in a specialty area.

NOTE: Changes in state requirements or state reform initiatives in education may require periodic revisions of the curriculum and admission process.

Endorsements

Endorsement: Bilingual Education is designed for students who are seeking an endorsement in Bilingual Education.  There is a requirement of 24 credit hours in this endorsement.  (Seek Bilingual/English/Spanish/Navajo advisement in the LLSS Department.)

Endorsement: TESOL is designed for students who are seeking an endorsement in Teaching English as a Second Language.  There is a requirement of 24 credit hours in this endorsement.  (Seek TESOL advisement in the LLSS Department.)

Endorsement: Fine Arts is designed for students wishing to develop a teaching field in Theatre, Dance or Art Education.

Teaching Fields

Language Arts is designed for students wishing to pursue a broad field of study in language arts. Disciplines include English, Linguistics, Theatre, Communication and Journalism and Speech and Hearing Sciences. 24 Credit Hours.

Mathematics is designed for students wishing to pursue a teaching field in mathematics. Topics include set theory, logic, number theory, probability, statistics, geometry, measurement and calculus. 24 Credit Hours.

Science is designed for students wishing to pursue a broad field of study in science. The program includes course work in astronomy, biology, chemistry, earth and planetary sciences, physical science and physics. 24 Credit Hours.

Social Sciences is a teaching field designed for students wishing to pursue a broad field of study in the social sciences. The program includes course work in anthropology, economics, geography, political science, history, sociology and psychology. This minor must include at least 12 semester hours of study in each of two disciplines (such as geography, political science, anthropology and economics) and at least 6 hours in a third discipline. 24 Credit Hours.

Dual Major in Elementary Education and Special Education is available. It requires 30 hours of Special Education, 30 hours of Elementary Education, 24 hours in a minor and 11 hours of supporting courses in educational foundations. Students also complete 57 hours of general course work which includes core curriculum requirements. Upon completion, the Dual License Program offers eligibility for Special Education Licensure (K-12) and Elementary Licensure (K-8). Interested students should check with the Undergraduate Coordinator in Special Education for updated information.

Secondary Education

Degrees Offered

B.A. Ed. in Secondary Education
B.S. Ed. in Secondary Education

The Secondary Education Program offers licensure programs at the undergraduate level.  Students seeking licensure as a secondary teacher (grades 7-12) must choose a teaching endorsement in Communicative Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies or World Languages (e.g., Spanish, French and German).

Application Deadline:

B.A.Ed. and B.S.Ed. Licensure Programs             February 1

Admission Information

Steps in the admission process for a B.A.Ed. and B.S.Ed. degree in Secondary Education can be found at our department website: http://coe.unm.edu/departments/teacher-education.html.  Admission is a competitive process as the Secondary Education Program cannot accept all who apply.  Students must be within six hours of completing all required courses in general education, the preprofessional courses and their teaching field when they submit their application. 

The curriculum leading to the Bachelor’s Degree (B.A.Ed. or B.S.Ed.) in Secondary Education is designed for students preparing to teach in middle schools, junior high schools or senior high schools (grades 7-12). The program of studies for the Secondary Education major and licensure preparation has three components:

• General Education Requirements
• Teaching Field Requirements
• Professional Education Requirements

Undergraduate Concentrations–Teaching Fields and Degrees (for teaching grades 7–12)

Communicative Arts Education
Earth Science Education
French
German
Life Science Education
Mathematics Education
Physical Science Education with an emphasis in Chemistry
Physical Science Education with an emphasis in Physics
Social Studies Education
Spanish

Students must meet with a College of Education Academic Advisor for initial consultation about their program, and their secondary faculty advisor through out their program. The Secondary Education faculty advisor must approve enrollment into the professional licensure courses that are offered in a Fall/Spring sequence.

General education requirements include the following disciplines and courses:

NOTE: Changes in state requirements or state reform initiatives in education may require periodic revisions of the curriculum and admissions process.

Secondary Education Concentration–Teaching Field Requirements

In New Mexico, teachers must complete one or more teaching fields (endorsements) to apply for a Secondary Teaching License (grades 7-12). The Concentration–Teaching Fields included within the B.A.Ed. and the B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education degrees meet the state teaching field (endorsement) requirements for initial licensure and federal NCLB requirements for Highly Qualified teachers. Students must achieve a 2.5 GPA overall in Concentration-Teaching Field courses in order to qualify for student teaching.

The B.A.Ed. in Secondary Education includes at least one of the following concentration-teaching fields:

Concentration-Teaching Field in Communicative Arts Education (54 hours): This concentration-teaching field includes interdisciplinary study in literature, writing, communication and journalism and theatre arts. Course requirements include the following:

  
Concentration-Teaching Field in French (30 hours): Completion of this concentration-teaching field leads to a Modern & Classical Languages endorsement in French. Course requirements include the following (at least 12 credit hours at the 300 level or above):

  
Concentration-Teaching Field in German (30 hours): Completion of this concentration-teaching field leads to a Modern & Classical Languages endorsement in German. Course requirements include the following (at least 12 hours at the 300 level or above):

  
Concentration-Teaching Field in Social Studies Education (54 hours): This concentration-teaching field includes interdisciplinary study in social studies including history (U.S. and Western Civilization), political science, anthropology, economics, geography, and sociology. Course requirements include the following:

 
Concentration-Teaching Field in Spanish (24-36 hours): Completion of this concentration-teaching field leads to a Modern & Classical Languages endorsement in Spanish. Course requirements include the following (at least 12 hours at the 300 level or above):

 
The B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education includes at least one of the following concentration-teaching fields:

Concentration-Teaching Field in Earth Science (52-58 hours): This concentration-teaching field requires 30 hours of earth and planetary sciences and eight hours EACH in biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics. Course requirements include the following:

 
Concentration-Teaching Field in Life Science (52-58 hours): This concentration-teaching field requires 30 hours of biology and eight hours EACH in earth and planetary sciences, chemistry, physics and mathematics.

 
Concentration-Teaching Field in Mathematics Education (36 hours): This concentration teaching field requires mathematics courses that enable students to develop proficiencies in calculus, algebra, geometry, probability and statistics, computing, application of mathematics and history of mathematics. Course requirements include the following:

 
Concentration-Teaching Field in Physical Science with Chemistry Emphasis (52-58 hours): This concentration-teaching field requires 30 hours in chemistry and eight hours EACH in biology, earth and planetary sciences, physics and mathematics.

  
Concentration-Teaching Field in Physical Science with Physics Emphasis (52 hours): This concentration-teaching field requires 30 hours in chemistry and eight hours EACH in biology, earth and planetary sciences, physics and mathematics.

Other Content Areas/Endorsement Programs of Studies Available for Secondary Education Majors

Interested students may elect to pursue programs of studies in other COE or university programs that will lead to a K-12 license or endorsement in addition to one of the Concentration-Teaching Fields offered through the Secondary Education program. For more information about licenses or endorsements in other programs or colleges within the university, contact the following appropriate programs:

Teaching Field in Fine Arts–Dance (36 hours): Completion of this teaching field leads to an endorsement in Fine Arts- Dance. This program is administered by the Secondary Education Program, but students should to seek advisement early in the program from both the College of Education and the Department of Theatre and Dance. Requirements may change. See the Theatre and Dance advisor for current information.

Current course requirements include the following (at least 12 credit hours at the 300 level or above):
DANC 105, 212, 250, 311, 416, 462 or 463, 14 hours of dance technique (8 hours must be in Modern, the other hours must be completed in three of the following areas: Ballet, Ethnic, Folk, Jazz or Tap) DANC 105, 212, 250, 311, 416, 462 or 463, 14 hours of dance technique (8 hours must be in Modern, the other hours must be completed in three of the following areas: Ballet, Ethnic, Folk, Jazz or Tap).

Teaching Field in Fine Arts-Theatre (36 hours): Completion of this teaching field leads to an endorsement in Fine Arts-Theatre. This program is administered by the Secondary Education Program, but students should seek advisement early in the program from both the College of Education and the Department of Theatre and Dance. Requirements may change. See the Theatre and Dance advisor for current information.

Current course requirements include the following (at least 12 credit hours at the 300 level or above);
THEA 122, 130, 131, 192, 194, 196, 223, 231, 403, 418 and 419.

Visual Art Licensure: The College of Education offers course work towards a Visual Art Licensure K-12. Those interested should see the section on Art Education in this Catalog and contact a program advisor.

Bilingual Education (27 hours): Students may elect to pursue a New Mexico K-12 endorsement in Bilingual Education with a Spanish/English or Navajo/English area of focus. However, in order to meet federal and state requirements for the 7-12 school curriculum, secondary students interested in a bilingual education endorsement must have a first concentration-teaching field in one of the academic content areas such as Communicative Arts, Social Studies, Mathematics, Life Science, or Earth Science, or French, German, or Spanish listed above in the Secondary Concentration-Teaching Fields section. They may then complete requirements for the bilingual education endorsement as an additional teaching credential. Students must see a Bilingual Education Program advisor in the Department of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural Studies (LLSS) for current information about Bilingual Education Endorsement requirements and approval of entry into Bilingual Education concentration courses.

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (36 hours): Students may elect to pursue a K-12 endorsement in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). However, in order to meet federal and state requirements for the 7-12 school curriculum, secondary students must have a first concentration-teaching field in one of the academic content areas such as Communicative Arts, Social Studies, Mathematics, Life Science, Earth Science, or French, German, or Spanish listed above in the Secondary Concentration-Teaching Fields section. They may then complete requirements for the TESOL endorsement as an additional teaching credential. See a TESOL Program advisor in the Department of LLSS for current information about the TESOL Endorsement requirements and approval of entry in TESOL concentration courses.

Professional Education Requirements (27 hours)

The following professional education sequence is required of all undergraduate students pursuing a secondary education major and eligibility for an initial teaching license for grades 7-12. The two-semester sequence includes consecutive Fall and Spring semesters of the same academic year (i.e., teaching experiences and related courses). In order to qualify for the professional education sequence, students should complete all general education and concentration-teaching field requirements. However, if space is available and other requirements have been met, students may be allowed with faculty approval to proceed into the professional education sequence if lacking no more than six hours total of all other requirements. Students must achieve a 2.5 GPA in their general education courses, a 2.5 GPA in their concentration-teaching field courses, and a 3.0 overall GPA in their professional education courses to advance to student teaching.

 
EDUC 362: Teaching Experience I and EDUC 462: Student Teaching require a field experience in a secondary school. In EDUC 362: Teaching Experience I (pre student teaching), students are in the school every week assisting and teaching in one class (the same class) for the entire semester. Days and times vary depending on the schedule at the school. Students in EDUC 362: Teaching Experience I may begin their field experience at the beginning of the UNM semester. EDUC 462: Student Teaching requires full-time teaching and related educational responsibilities (all day, Monday-Friday) for one semester. A total of 12 credit hours are required for this experience, which includes EDUC 462: Student Teaching (9 hours) and EDUC 464: Student Teaching Seminar (3 hours). EDUC 462: Student Teaching (9 hours) begins at the start of the UNM semester and ends with the conclusion of the UNM Spring semester in May.

Students are required to consult an advisor in the COE Advisement Center and a faculty advisor early in their college careers to ensure that they finish their program in a timely manner. See introductory information in the College of Education section in this catalog regarding application for licensure following completion of all requirements for the B.A.Ed. or B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education.

NOTE: Changes in UNM/New Mexico curricular requirements or state educational reform initiatives may require periodic revisions of the curriculum and admissions process.

Department of Teacher Education Courses

Courses in the Teacher Education Program for Elementary Education, Secondary Education, and Multicultural Teacher and Childhood Education use two course subject codes: EDUC (Education) and MSET (Mathematics, Science and Educational Technology).