Middle Grades Education, Language Arts and Science Concentrations, B.A.

Curriculum Requirements

The B.A. in Middle Grades Education is a rigorous program of study, which integrates content knowledge, skills, and pedagogy. Along with coursework, the program includes extensive field experiences which are situated in diverse cultural contexts. The B.A. in Middle Grades Education prepares graduates to teach two subjects in public middle schools and leads to an initial middle school (6-9) teaching license in the state of North Carolina.

1. 124-127 semester hours:

Middle Grades Education majors complete 124-127 credit hours with a cumulative grade point average of 2.7 or higher. The last 30 credit hours must be completed at NCCU. Grades of ‘C’ or better are required in all major and concentration courses, and all major and concentration courses with grades of ‘D’ and ‘F’ must be retaken. Candidates must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.7 throughout the program.

2. General Education Requirements

Freshman and Sophomore years: Complete the university’s General Education Curriculum  (GEC) as detailed on the four-year course of study. ENG 1110 , ENG 1210 , and MSCM 1250  must be completed with a minimum grade of ‘C’ in each course. See below for GEC recommendations. Additional courses should be chosen from the published GEC list.

The following GEC courses are recommended for the concentration in Language Arts and Science:

To fulfill 3 (of 6) hours of Humanities GEC (select one):

ENG 1300 World Literature I (3)    

ENG 1400 World Literature II (3)   

ENG 1500 Writing about Literature (3)   

To fulfill 6 hours of Science GEC (choose two):

BIOL 1300 Molecules and Cell Function (4)  

GEOG 2100 Physical Geography (3)  

GEOG 2350 Earth Science (3)  

STEM 1200 Scientific Decisions in Everyday Life (3)   

To fulfill 3 (of 6) hours of Social Science GEC:

EDU 3030 Diversity, Pedagogy and Social Change (3)  

3. Major Requirements (89 Credit Hours):

4. Concentration Requirements

Language Arts (24 Credit Hours)

ENG 1300 or 1400 - World Literature I or II (3)*

ENG 1500 - Writing about Literature (3)

ENG 2105 or 4105 - Intro to Tech Writing or Adv Prof Writing (3)

ENG 2310 OR 2320 - British Literature I OR II (3)

ENG 4300 - Shakespeare (3)

ENG 3110 - Advanced English Grammar (3)

ENG 3120 - Advanced Composition (3)

ENG 3310 or 3320 - American Literature I or II (3)

ENG 3410 or 3420 - African American Literature I or II (3)

Science (18 Credit Hours)

BIOL 1300 - Molecules and Cell Function (4)*

BIOL 1610 or 1620 - Anatomy I or II (4)

BIOL 2600 - Environmental Biology (3) (or BIOL 2700 - Environmental Problems)

GEOG 2350 Earth Science (3)* or GEOG 2100 Physical Geography (3)*

STEM 1200 - Scientific Decisions in Everyday Life (3)*

and two approved science electives

* Course may be used to fulfill a GEC Requirement

+ Course must be completed in addtion to a GEC Requirement

5. Additional Requirements:

Admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP)

The TEP follows the University’s policies for admission. During the first two years of the program, candidates complete the University’s General Education Curriculum (GEC). To be eligible for formal admission to the TEP, candidates must:

1. Complete all GEC courses (or be on track to do so the semester that they apply for TEP admission).

2. Have a cumulative grade point average of 2.7 or higher.

3. Earn a grade of ‘C’ or higher in the following English courses: ENG 1110 and ENG 1210, and MSCM 1250.

4. Receive an official Praxis Core score which is at or above the minimum set by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction (or the minimum score on another approved examination such as the ACT or SAT).

5. Submit the completed TEP application and all supporting documentation in Taskstream (details follow).

Taskstream

Taskstream is a candidate assessment system that is used in all programs that lead to licensure. Candidates should discuss Taskstream with their academic advisor and/or program coordinator. Taskstream accounts are created for candidates when they become eligible for formal admission to TEP. Login information is shared with candidates through their NCCU email account. All forms and documentation pertaining to TEP admission and to other programmatic gateways (e.g., Level I Pre-Student Teaching, Level II Student Teaching) must be uploaded and submitted via Taskstream.

Field Experience

All EDU courses require field experience hours in a PK-12 North Carolina public school or another approved educational setting. Field experience requirements associated with professional studies and methods courses range from 10-90 hours per semester. The Level II Student Teaching semester involves a full-time internship in an approved public-school classroom. These hours can be submitted to the Office of Community Engagement and Service Learning and used to fulfill NCCU’s community service requirement.

Criminal Background Checks

All candidates in the TEP will be required to successfully clear a Criminal Background Check (CBC). CBCs may be done at any point in the program (e.g., entry, midpoint, student teaching, licensure). It is the candidate’s responsibility to provide legal information and a letter of explanation regarding any charges (other than minor traffic violations) on the candidate’s record that may present a problem for field experience, student teaching, or licensure. The program coordinator and the coordinator of clinical experiences and licensure will request a meeting with the candidate to discuss any concerns with the information provided. At least one representative from a partner school district may be contacted to determine whether the district(s) will allow the candidate to complete school-based experiences required for licensure. Acceptance, or continuance, in the Teacher Education Program will be based on the nature, recency, date of occurrence, and resolution of the charges, as well as whether or not the candidate is eligible to complete field experiences in public schools.

Student Teaching

Level II Student Teaching is done in PK-12 public schools in North Carolina. Candidates must apply to and participate in Level I Pre-Student Teaching the semester prior to Level II Student Teaching. To be eligible for Level II Student Teaching (i.e., EDU 4107, EDU 4207), candidates must complete Level I Pre-Student Teaching, as well as all coursework, content-area exams, and all other program requirements (except edTPA). No other courses may be taken during Level II Student Teaching. Candidates are required to participate in Level II Student Teaching for the duration of the school day for approximately 15 weeks. This allows student teachers to gradually assume full responsibility for the classroom, while working closely with an experienced cooperating teacher. Candidates are also required to read and follow the expectations outlined in the Student Teaching Manual and to submit all required documentation via the designated assessment system.

edTPA

edTPA is a performance-based, subject-specific assessment and support system used by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) to emphasize, measure, and support the skills and knowledge that all teachers need from Day 1 in the classroom. The edTPA consists of three broad tasks including Planning, Instruction, and Assessment. T0 successfully complete the edTPA, candidates must be able to teach lessons that support students’ strengths and needs, engage real students in ambitious learning, analyze whether their students are learning, and adjust their instruction to become more effective. All initial licensure candidates are required to develop their edTPA, as per the instructions in the official edTPA handbook, and submit it for scoring during their Level II Student Teaching semester. Portfolios that are submitted for scoring are evaluated by highly trained educators external to NCCU. Candidates must earn the minimum cut score as established by NCDPI before they can be recommended for licensure.

Licensure Exams

To be eligible for Level II Student Teaching and to avoid delays in program completion, candidates must pass all required content-area Praxis exams (i.e., both subjects within their dual concentration). To allow time for any necessary retakes, candidates should plan to take all content-area exams at least two semesters before student teaching. Candidates who have not passed their content-area Praxis exams by the end of Level I Pre-Student Teaching will be encouraged to take additional courses to enhance their level of preparation.

Program Notes:

Majors Meetings and Professional Development Activities

Candidates are encouraged to attend Majors Meetings and professional development sessions during each academic semester.

Prepare for Praxis Core

Potential candidates should determine their Praxis Core status early (i.e., freshman year), and begin preparing for any parts of the test they must take at that time. Potential candidates are encouraged to complete all Praxis requirements no later than the second semester of the sophomore year.

Restricted Courses

Courses at EDU 3150 and higher are restricted and require admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP).

NC MGE Teacher Licensure Requirements

Candidates must pass the Language Arts Praxis II examination to be eligible for Student Teaching Internship and licensure in NC.