How Many Credits Is an Elementary Education Program?

To teach in a public school setting, you need a state teaching license. In most states, to earn a teacher certificate, you must have a bachelor's degree in education, which is usually 120 semester credits.

Bachelor's degrees in elementary education are no exception, and these degrees are broken down into different sections that each have a different number of credit hours. Keep reading to learn more about how many credits are in elementary education programs and how these credits break down for education and teaching degrees.

Elementary Education Degree Credit Breakdown

A bachelor's degree in elementary education generally requires 120 semester credit hours, regardless of whether it's a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, or Bachelor of Education degree. This also applies whether it is an on-campus or online bachelor's degree in elementary education.

While the specific breakdown of your elementary education degree will depend on your state and the school of education at your institution, there are some general guidelines that most programs follow. Below, we've broken down the common credit requirements for the bachelor's in elementary education degree.

1. General Education Requirements (30-40 credits)

Nearly all bachelor's degree students, regardless of their major, must complete general education courses as part of their curriculum. Students often complete these within the first two years of their studies before moving on to their core major courses.

While specific degree requirements vary by college or university, general education courses take 30 to 40 credits. Most colleges require all students to take an English composition course.

For the other general education requirements, colleges usually let students select what course they want to take in that category. These categories usually include:

• communication
• humanities, literature, or arts
• mathematics
• natural science
• social studies/social sciences

Most colleges and universities post their general education requirements online, so you can look ahead to see what your school requires. If your institution's college of education requires prerequisites, you may be able to take them as part of your general education core.

2. Core Education Courses (40-50 credits)

The core education courses provide students with the foundation to become successful elementary school teachers. This portion of the program may include some general education courses that all education students must take, as well as courses specifically for elementary education.

Common topics covered in these courses include:

• child development
• educational psychology
• elementary classroom management
• lesson planning
• methods of teaching
• multicultural and diverse learners
• student assessment and intervention

Again, program requirements vary by state, so check with your advisor if you have questions or are worried about staying on track.

3. Subject-Specific Content Courses (20-30 credits)

Another significant part of teacher education programs is the overall science of teaching, often referred to as pedagogy. If you're a general education teacher, you'll learn how to teach a multitude of subjects, such as:

• reading and language arts
• math
• natural and physical science
• social studies
• writing

If you're focusing on a specific content area in elementary school, like art, music, or physical education, your program will focus on teaching methods for those subjects.

4. Electives and Specializations (10-20 credits)

Some students choose to specialize within their elementary education degree, in which case, they'll need to take courses that cover these specializations. Some common specializations for elementary education include:

• early childhood education
• English as a second language
• gifted and talented education
• reading and literacy
• science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education
• special education

Students who don't choose a specialization must fulfill their remaining credit requirements with electives. Some institutions require students to choose from a pre-established list of electives, while others let students choose whatever electives they want.

5. Student Teaching/Field Experience (6-12 credits)

In most states, student teaching is part of the licensure requirements. This field experience is usually toward the end of your program, although some programs scatter smaller practicum experiences throughout the program as well.

During your student teaching experience, you'll be teaching in an elementary classroom setting under the guidance of an experienced, licensed elementary school teacher. You'll develop lesson plans, teach classes, and tutor students.

FAQs on Elementary Teacher Education Credits & Requirements

Below, we've answered some frequently asked questions about elementary teacher education credits and requirements.

What Math Do You Need To Take as an Elementary Education Major?

Elementary education majors usually aren't required to take too many math courses. Usually, you'll need a math course to fulfill your general education requirements; common choices are algebra, pre-calculus, and statistics.

If you're pursuing a general elementary education degree, you'll also need to take courses on math instruction. Expect to take two to three courses on this topic.

How Long Is Student Teaching?

The length of your student teaching experience will depend on the requirements set by the state and your specific program. Twelve weeks is usually the minimum, although many student teaching placements last for a full 16-week semester.

Many colleges and universities have students complete this experience in one chunk at the end of the program, but some will break it into smaller pieces.

How Long Does It Take to Complete the Coursework for an Elementary Education Degree?

Most bachelor's degree programs take four years of full-time study to complete. The coursework and education requirements for the elementary education major usually take two to three years to complete.

Do I Need To Take Additional Courses After Earning My Bachelor's Degree To Be Licensed?

Whether or not you need to take additional courses after your bachelor's degree to earn a teaching license will depend on your state and your program. If your bachelor's degree in elementary education doubled as a state-approved teacher preparation program, as many do, you will most likely not need to take additional courses to earn your license.

However, most states will require you to earn a certain number of professional education credits to maintain your license. You can often do this through coursework, but also via seminars or training programs.