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Elementary Education Degree

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An Elementary Education program that works best for working adults.

Tailored specifically for busy schedules, this program is designed for working adults who want to advance their careers through courses that build solid foundations in elementary education.

This Elementary Education degree has all the tools you need to make a positive impact as a highly effective educator. Our curriculum includes the latest pedagogies, research-based best practices, and full access to SMART technologies. As education majors are required to pass all parts of the Florida Teacher Certification Exams, you will be immediately eligible to apply for your Florida Professional Teaching Certificate upon graduation.

In-Person

Education Information Session

April 1

An on-campus information session for prospective students interested in adult undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral programs within the School of Education at Florida Southern College. This event is designed to present an overview of our education programs and to provide an opportunity to connect at Florida Southern with faculty.

Apply today to start next term
Monday, May 15, 2023

Students are advised to submit applications as early as possible to assure optimal admission consideration.

Top Reasons to choose Elementary Education Degree at florida southern college

Connected

Florida Southern College has partnered with local Polk County schools as Professional Development School Partners designed to prepare future teachers.

Personalized Advising

Your academic advisor works with you from the moment you are accepted to create a roadmap to graduation, creating a custom schedule specific to your needs.

ESOL Certification

Through the infusion of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) techniques into the curriculum, you'll learn to work with students whose native language is not English, earning you a State of Florida ESOL endorsement upon graduation.

Affordable and Accelerated

A timely completion of your degree is critical to your total tuition cost, which is why we offer accelerated courses, providing you a quality education at a fraction of the cost.

Learn More about Affordable and Accelerated

Extensive Preparation

As an adult elementary education student, you’ll put all this learning into practice in real-world classrooms by completing clinical experiences within the Polk County public school system including the final internship.

Be Prepared

You’ll be fully prepared for the 21st-century classroom through our extensive training in instructional technology, including SMART© technologies, preparing you to teach in today’s state-of-the-art classrooms. You will also be exposed to a wide variety of classroom field experiences, and lab school opportunities.

Employment Outlook

Job outlook for elementary school teachers growing from 1.4 million jobs in 2016 to 1.5 million in 2024

Top Employers

Alumni Job Titles

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Meet Our Mocs

Jessica Gavin

Jessica Gavin

My professors encouraged me throughout the program. As a result, I am more prepared as an educational leader and look forward to my future in the education field.

Lana Allen

Lana Allen

As a highly qualified educator, I wanted to continue my education in my field of study. It was important to me to find a program that was flexible for working adults. Florida Southern’s Master of Education in Curriculum was conducive for my needs, offering the flexibility that allowed me to work and enjoy family time. The graduate program was completely online so I never needed to commute to a classroom. One of the requirements for graduation is to complete a Master’s thesis. My professors made this process very understandable and manageable. They walked me through each step and provided insightful feedback on my study. I was able to earn my master’s degree in less than two years!

Victoria Salinas

Victoria Salinas

The Florida Southern Elementary Education program has been a great help in every way. The flexibility and support has been evident throughout my entire journey here.

Katherine Geoghegan

I selected FSC’s Adult Elementary Education program because it allowed me to keep my full-time job while taking classes. Since the beginning of this program, I have obtained many professional connections with professors, Polk County teachers, and other members of the community. I am confident the relationships this program has allowed me to build have helped tremendously in the advancement of my professional career. From foundational classes to field studies, I had support from an abundance of Florida Southern faculty members. The professors I learned from were always attentive and helped me to become more confident in my studies. My academic advisor consistently went above and beyond to be available for my questions and needs, and was there for me every step of the way--something I know will have a lasting impact on my teaching career.

Featured Elementary Ed Faculty

Brooke Veal, MATL
- Program Coordinator and Academic Advisor, Director of Field Study

The Adult Elementary Education degree program at Florida Southern College provides a flexible schedule that allows students to earn their undergraduate degrees while maintaining a work-life balance. This Florida Department of Education approved teacher preparation program prepares future teachers, utilizing research-based instructional practices, to positively impact diverse populations of K-6 student learners.

Read More about Brooke Veal, MATLMeet Our Faculty

Program Details

Available in: 

  • BS

Hybrid

The Elementary Education program is offered in a hybrid format with face-to-face and online classes. Face-to-face courses meet in the evenings (6:30 – 9:30) or on Saturdays. This schedule is designed for working professionals.

  • Personal interview
  • Academic interest inventory
  • Provide official transcripts of all academic work taken previously at other colleges, universities, or professional schools.
  • If fewer than 25 credit hours have been earned from a regionally accredited college or university, student should provide official high school transcript or GED scores.
  • If fewer than 25 credit hours have been earned from a regionally accredited college or university, student should provide official ACT or SAT exam scores, OR as an alternative, applicants should instead submit an updated resume and elect to apply through the test-optional policy.
  • Military service-connected, educational experiences may award transfer credits. Requests should be accompanied by documents describing the educational experience. (Seven semester hours of credit may be awarded.)
  • If admitted, Polk County School Board background clearance

International Student Requirements

  • Official Translated Transcripts With Course By Course Evaluation**
  • Bank Letter Verifying Funds of Sponsor***
  • Sponsor's Guarantee Form
  • Valid Passport
  • Official TOEFL/IELTS Score****

** SpanTran (discount available), Academic Evaluation Services, Inc., Josef Silny, or World Education Services or another similar approved transcript evaluation agency.

*** A bank letter is a written statement on bank letterhead and signed by a bank official.

**** Must have completed an English language training program or at least one year at an English speaking institution to waive the TOEFL/IELTS testing requirement.

Apply Now

Course descriptions are available in the academic catalog.

Academic Catalog
A. General Education Requirements 40 hours
B. Major Requirements 68 hours
Course Number Course Name
EDU 1107 Foundations of Education I
EDU 2200 Field Study Level I
EDU 2203 Foundations of Education II
EDU 2210 Foundations in Special Education
EDU 2235 Methods of Assessment
EDU 2240 Foundations of Reading Instruction
EDU 2241 Clinical Experience in Literacy Instruction
EDU 3279 Foundations of ESOL I
EDU 3323 Field Study Level II
EDU 3333 Foundations of Education III
EDU 3339 Instructional Methods in Elementary Mathematics
EDU 3343 Literacy and Literature in the Classroom
EDU 3347 Diagnostic Assessment and Instruction in Literacy
EDU 3370 Differentiated Instruction of Reading
EDU 4400 Field Study Level III
EDU 4407 Instructional Methods II: Social Studies in the Elementary School
EDU 4409 Instructional Methods III: Science in the Elementary School
EDU 4478 Applied Linguistics – ESOL II
EDU 4887 Reading Endorsement Practicum
EDU 4889 Student Teacher Intern Seminar
EDU 4990 Senior Internship
C. Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements 12 hours
D. Electives 4 hours
E. Total 124 hours

Florida Southern College reserves the right to revise fee schedules.

2022-2023

Base Required Fees Cost
Tuition Per Credit Hour $330
Technology fee per semester is based on credit hours enrolled $30 to $120

Additional Costs

Additional Fees Cost
Chalk and Wire – ePortfolio $65.70 per year
Polk County School Board Background Clearance $79.85 estimated

*Tuition will be billed prior to the beginning of each semester based on credit hours. Tuition must be paid by the first day of class.