English 
Become a teacher, and never stop learning.
Becoming a middle school teacher means stepping into one of the most powerful roles in a young person’s life, right at the age when they’re figuring out who they are and what they care about. You get to be the adult who sees their potential before they see it themselves — the one who lights the spark that turns into a lifelong passion or a hard-won confidence.
No two days are the same: one moment you’re cracking up at their hilarious questions, the next you’re watching them wrestle with big ideas and realize they can. You’ll be shaping not just students, but future leaders, thinkers, and decent humans — and they’ll remember you forever for believing in them when it mattered most. If you want a career that’s meaningful, challenging, and bursting with purpose, middle school teaching isn’t just a job — it’s a calling.
Related Education Resources:
Job opportunities for middle school teachers in math, science, social studies, and English are strong and growing across the U.S. Math and science teachers are especially in demand, often qualifying for hiring incentives or loan forgiveness programs. English and social studies positions are widely available, particularly in districts with growing student populations or teacher shortages. Urban, rural, and underserved schools frequently have open roles and actively recruit passionate, qualified teachers. With teacher retirements and turnover rates, new positions open regularly, offering both full-time and long-term sub opportunities. A teaching license in your subject area makes you highly marketable.
Unique opportunities
You will benefit from small class sizes. Our average is 14 students, and your professors will have teaching experience in various venues in education — public schools, private schools, higher education. The knowledge and skills they bring resonate in every class they teach. These coursework experiences will be applicable within your first year, as you will shadow and student-teach in area schools. Our location provides you with the opportunity to teach in urban, suburban, and rural settings.
Our Middle-Level Education degree at work
At William Woods University, middle-level education students are thoroughly prepared to teach grades 5-9 in the state of Missouri with the choice of one of four concentrations: Social Science, English, Math, or Science.
Recent Employers
Our students are highly sought after by distinguished employers across the country, including:
Other employers of our recent alumni include:
- Fulton Public Schools
- Mexico Public Schools
- and other districts across Missouri
Education Middle Level (5-9)
Requirements
Education majors must complete all major courses, including secondary certification courses (if applicable), with a final grade of ‘C’ or better.
Information on the curriculum, policies and requirements of the university’s Teacher Education Program and of its teacher certification process is available in the Teacher Education Program handbook. View the handbook here »
In order for students to be certified, they must complete the Missouri Education Gateway Assessments. You may find more information at www.mo.nesinc.com
Students interested in becoming certified to teach in other states need to follow these program requirements and be recommended for Missouri certification by the Certification Officer. They must then check with the other states policies to see about transfer policies. More information can be found at www.dese.mo.gov.
Major Requirements
Core Credits: 56.00
| This course addresses various aspects of multiculturalism and cultural diversity such as culture, race, ethnicity, gender, class, religion, language, age, and exceptionality. By examining these micro-cultures, students will understand and use this knowledge to meet individual student needs and address cultural differences effectively in the classroom. Concepts and strategies for teaching different cultural, racial, and ethnic groups, including English language learners, are included. credits: | Multicultural Education -U | 3 |
credits: | Educational Technology | 3 |
| A study of children with special needs who qualify for special education services. Topics include the history and legal basis of special education, the special education process, assessment and evaluation procedures, characteristics, and appropriate intervention strategies and teaching methods. Emphasis is placed on characteristics and teaching strategies for the following exceptionalities: learning disabilities, mental retardation, behavior/emotional disorders and giftedness. credits: | Exceptional Child | 3 |
| This course is a comprehensive overview of the foundations of education in the United States. It focuses on the development of educational institutions and ideas, social forces that have influenced them and current issues affecting educators. It specifically includes a survey of the policies, procedures, portfolios and certification examinations that are part of the Missouri educator certification process. The nine Missouri Teacher Standards will be integrated, and used as a guide, throughout the course. credits: | Foundations of Education | 3 |
| Teacher candidates observe and participate in an assigned classroom for a minimum of 30 hours. They observe and become familiar with the classroom organization and management, curriculum, and the school’s instructional program. They work with students in various groupings and observe and implement differentiation strategies. credits: | Beginning Clinical Experience | 2 |
| Students will examine the history, philosophy, and rationale behind the middle school movement while they engage in coursework that promotes the middle school approach to education. The assignments provide experiences for blending theory and practice, observations and research with reflection, and resources necessary to effectively prepare teacher candidates for career in middle level education. The middle idle performance-based standards focus directly on what middle level teachers should know and be able to do. credits: | Middle School Philosophy and Organi | 3 |
| An online course which concentrates on the appropriate curriculum and instructional delivery for middle-level education. This course requires ten (10) hours of classroom observation and activities. credits: | Middle School Curriculum & Instruct | 3 |
| This course addresses the special demands of content area reading and writing for both elementary and secondary students and encourages teachers in all content areas to reflect on their roles as literacy providers. An overview of the possible causes of reading difficulties and simple assessment procedures are discussed. Students will also learn teaching strategies for improved comprehension of content materials, study skills, and vocabulary. credits: | Reading & Wrtng in the Content Area | 3 |
| Students will understand curriculum and instructional planning of reading and writing in k-12 classrooms. Students will plan and differentiate lessons based on student needs. Instruction will focus on reading, writing and language acquisition in all grade levels. Students will work together and experience different expectations for pre-service teachers in collaborative groups. Throughout this course students will develop a better understanding of literacy development; phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Students will understand how to organize literacy instruction credits: | Teaching Reading and Writing | 3 |
| Teacher candidates observe and participate in various ways in an assigned classroom for a minimum of 45 hours. They become familiar with lesson planning, differentiation strategies, assessment techniques, and the analysis of demographic information. Teacher candidates work with students throughout this experience and plan and execute a lesson with the direction of the cooperating teacher. This lesson is delivered to the whole class, a small group, or an individual student. They then reflect on student learning as a result of this lesson. Prerequisite: EDU291 and Admittance to the Teacher Ed Program credits: | Intermediate Clinical Experience | 3 |
| This course provides an overview of the theory, concepts, and principles of measurement and assessment in education. The emphasis of this course will be on the application of principles, techniques, and procedures involving the construction and use of various forms of formal and informal assessments to enhance the instructional process. The course considers the use of student data, data analysis, and data-based decision-making to monitor student progress and improve student learning and instruction. Prerequisite: EDU 395 credits: | Measurement & Assessment in Education | 3 |
| This is a field based course that covers instruction of language acquisition, phonics, fluency, comprehension and writing in a K-12 classroom. Students will observe a classroom during ELA instruction and tutor a student in reading and writing. Students will spend 12 hours intensively tutoring their assigned student, they will be assisted by collaborating during class meetings to better serve the student. The pre-service teacher will analyze reading and writing samples and assessments of their assigned student, they will then develop an appropriate lessons for language acquisition, phonics, vocabulary, and writing skills. Students will work intensively with students who have been assessed and need assistance to be at grade level in ELA instruction. Prerequisites: Entrance in the Teacher Education Program and EDU 395 credits: | Student Centered Reading & Writing | 3 |
| The nature of behavior problems in schools, including types, etiology, and management through educational and behavioral intervention procedures are addressed. Students are encouraged to take this course the semester before they do their student teaching. Prerequisite: EDU231, EDU395 and Entrance into the TEP Program credits: | Classroom Management | 3 |
| Teaching competence is strengthened through multiple means, including the examination of and reflection upon the students experiences during their supervised teaching placement. This is a writing intensive course that includes a community profile paper, reflection pieces and a culminating portfolio that documents performance standards. Class meetings occur before, during and after the student teaching experience. Prerequisite: Entrance into the Teacher Education Program and EDU 395 Corequisite: EDU 490 or EDU 493 or EDU 495 or EDU 499. credits: | Educational Seminar | 3 |
| Teacher candidates are assigned to a specific 5-9 classroom for 14 weeks. Using a co-teaching model, teacher candidates will work with a certified teacher to implement all of the elements of teaching (MO Teacher Standards). These elements of teaching will be phased in gradually, while continuing to use both teachers in the classroom to improve student learning. The teacher candidate will become the lead teacher as the semester progresses and will be responsible for all elements of teaching for a minimum of 6 weeks, under the guidance of the certified teacher. Teacher candidates will complete the MEES during the student teaching semester and will be supervised by a qualified university supervisor. Passing the MEES is required for MO teaching certification and successful completion of EDU 495. (Course Fee) Prerequisite: Entrance into the TEP program, EDU291 and EDU395 Corequisite: EDU 492 credits: | Supervised Teaching (Middle Level) | 9 |
| The study of the psychological principles that support the foundation of educational theory and practice. The student will be able to understand and apply the psychological principles that form the basis of educational theory and practice. credits: | Educational Psychology -Q | 3 |
| The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of the typical development of a child from birth through emerging adulthood. Biological, cognitive and social development and the influencing factors will be covered. Students will be expected to apply the theories discussed in the course to improve child welfare. credits: | Child and Adolescent Development | 3 |
Concentrations
Language Arts Concentration - 27 Credits
Required Credits: 3.00
| Teacher candidates will study children’s literature and the content areas of language arts. They will create a unit plan which consists of 4 language arts lessons which are literature-based. The course includes units on language development, children’s literature, speaking, listening, spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, penmanship, and interdisciplinary instruction. credits: | Teaching Language Arts & Children's Literature | 3 |
Required Electives - 24 Credits
| Students learn to summarize and critique the ideas, theories, and arguments found in college level academic and non-academic articles. Basic research skills and critical thinking skills are also components of the course. Furthermore, the student will recognize the ways in which plagiarism may be prevented through appropriate and accurate documentation of source material. Prerequisite: English ACT 19-27 or ENG 099 credits: | English Composition I - W | 3 |
| Students learn how to draft, revise, and edit multiple-source papers that have reflective analysis, sound argumentation, clear organization, well developed paragraphs, and correct sentences. Furthermore, students will recognize the ways in which plagiarism may be prevented through appropriate and accurate documentation of source material. Prerequisites: ENG101 credits: | English Composition II -W | 3 |
| A survey of English literature from Old English to the Romantic Period with emphasis on reading, interpretation, and criticism of representative works of major authors, including Chaucer, Shakespeare, Donne, Milton, Swift, and Johnson. Pre-requisite – ENG101 credits: | English Literature I -Q | 3 |
| A survey of English literature from the Romantic Period to the present with emphasis on reading, interpretation, and criticism of representative works of major authors, including Keats, Shelly, Wordsworth, Tennyson, Arnold, Yeats, Eliot, Joyce, and Woolf. Pre-requisite – ENG101 credits: | English Literature II -Q | 3 |
| Creative Writing is considered from aesthetic and structural perspectives: students read and discuss contemporary writing in poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, and/or drama; develop their expressive writing skills through writing assignments; discuss and evaluate concepts related to the aesthetic challenges writers face. Prerequisite – ENG101 credits: | Introduction to Creative Writing -X | 3 |
| This course will explore readings from four centuries of African-American Literature. Students will read examples of writing by African-Americans across the range of genres and styles– poetry, fiction, memoir, drama, comedy, drama, romance, adventure, and more. Prerequisite: ENG101 credits: | African American Literature -U | 3 |
| A survey of American literature to 1860 with emphasis on reading, interpretation, and criticism of representative works of major authors. Prerequisite – ENG101 credits: | American Literature I -Q | 3 |
| A survey of American literature from 1860 to present with emphasis on reading, interpretation, and criticism of representative works of major authors. Prerequisite – ENG101 credits: | American Literature II-Q | 3 |
| Students are introduced to the major genres of literature (fiction, poetry, and drama), as well as their attendant forms, conventions, and contexts. Students are also introduced to techniques for interpreting, analyzing, and commenting on literature, using the vocabulary of literary studies. Prerequisites: ENG101 credits: | Introduction to Literature -Q | 3 |
| A study of modern English grammar, usage, and sentence structure. Students will identify grammar and syntax structures and apply those principles to their own and others’ writing. Prerequisite – ENG102 credits: | Grammar and Syntax | 3 |
| This course is a survey of various myths and legends, both oral and written, told by multiple cultures across the globe. Prerequisite: ENG101 credits: | Legends and Mythology | 3 |
Mathematics Concentration - 30 Credits
Required Credits: 6.00
| This course is designed to provide undergraduate education students an opportunity to become familiar with selected content, appropriate instructional techniques, and materials for teaching mathematics. The philosophy of teaching mathematics recommended by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Curriculum Standards, Common Core State Standards, and Assessment Standards will be emphasized. In addition, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Subject-Specific Competencies for Mathematics Education will also be addressed. credits: | Teaching Mathematics | 3 |
| This course will address the mathematical knowledge, skill, and processes taught in K-8 classroom settings. The course will focus heavily on both the content and process standards developed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and will use the six principles of mathematics as a guide. credits: | Understanding Mathematics for Tchrs | 3 |
Required Electives - 24 Credits
| An introductory course in statistics. Topics include: elementary probability, measures of central tendency and variation, normal distributions, sampling, confidence intervals, estimation, hypothesis testing, regression and correlation. Emphasis on the use of graphing calculators and the utility of mathematics as a problem-solving tool. Extensive discussion of applications in natural science, social science, and business. Prerequisite: MAT 099 or equivalent. credits: | Elementary Statistics -M | 3 |
| A rigorous and in-depth introductory course in Algebra designed to prepare students for higher level courses in math, and/or science and business courses. Specific topics include linear & quadratic equations and inequalities, logarithmic and exponential functions, and polynomials. Emphasis on the use of graphing calculators and the utility of algebra or modeling language for solving real-life problems. Prerequisite – MAT 099 or equivalent credits: | College Algebra -M | 3 |
| An introduction to the concepts of limits, continuity, differentiation of elementary functions, definite and indefinite integrals, and the Fundamental Theorem. Emphasis on use graphing calculators and the utility of mathematics as a problem solving tool. Extensive discussion of applications in natural science, social science, and business. Prerequisite: MAT 118 or MAT 120 credits: | Calculus I -Q | 5 |
| A continuation of MAT 124. Further techniques of differentiation and integration, the calculus of exponential, logarithmic, trigonometric, and probability distribution functions, as well as elementary differential equations. Requires extensive use of graphing calculators. Applications to biology, economics, and physics are studied throughout. Prerequisite: MAT 124 credits: | Calculus II | 4 |
| A study of the techniques used in solving linear systems of equations, the properties and theorems associated with vector spaces, determinates and eigenvalues, and linear transformations. Prerequisite: MAT 124 credits: | Linear Algebra | 3 |
| A study of ordinary differential equations and the following topics: boundary-value problems, Fourier series, and the Laplace transform. Prerequisite – MAT 124 credits: | Differential Equations | 3 |
| A calculus-based introduction to the mathematics of probability and statistics. A study of discrete and continuous probability distributions and their application to areas of statistical inference, including estimation and hypothesis testing. Prerequisite: MAT 124 credits: | Math Probability and Statistics | 3 |
| A study of Euclidean and projective geometries as axiomatic systems, from both the synthetic and analytic approach, and an introduction to non-Euclidean systems. Prerequisite – MAT 124 credits: | Higher Geometry | 3 |
| An introduction to elementary deductive logic to include propositional logic and first-order quantification theory with identity. Emphasis on natural deduction techniques. Some discussion of computability and other topics in the foundations of mathematics and philosophy of logic. Prerequisite – MAT118 credits: | Formal Logic | 3 |
| This is the first course in numerical analysis covering fundamental concepts, theoretical foundations of numerical methods, error analysis and practical computer implementations using Software. An integral part of this course is a series of computational projects designed to illustrate and emphasize the course material. Prerequisite – MAT124 credits: | Introduction to Numerical Analysis | 3 |
| A study of the properties and theorems associated with groups, rings, integral domains, and fields. Prerequisite: MAT 224 credits: | Modern Algebra | 3 |
| A study of divisibility, congruencies, quadratic reciprocity, number theory functions, Diophantine equations, simple continued fractions and algebraic numbers. Prerequisite: MAT 224 credits: | Theory of Numbers | 3 |
Science Concentration - 27 Credits
Required Credits: 3.00
| The focus of this course is on elementary science content knowledge and literacy, concepts, materials/resources, teaching strategies, methods, assessment of instruction, and using an integrated curriculum design for teaching elementary and middle grades students. Integration of the arts is included. Curricular guidelines and standards will follow the Missouri Learning Standards and national professional organizations such as the National Science Teachers Association. credits: | Methods of Teaching Science | 3 |
Required Electives - 24 Credits
| This course will introduce the broad underpinnings of biological science with a focus on the subcellular level. Students will be expected to describe fundamental molecular topics – such as water, DNA, and shape – and begin integrating them in the context of overarching principles such as scientific method, biological systems, and evolution. This course is geared toward science majors and pre-health professions students. Concurrent enrollment in BIO115 required. credits: | Biology I for Majors -N | 4 |
| The purpose of this lab is to offer a hands-on investigative experience with some of the content addressed in BIO 114. Topics include measurement and microscopy, structure and function of the cell, the fundamental chemistry of life, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, Mendelian genetics, and an introduction to molecular biology. Experimental design, use of scientific equipment, and critical thinking are emphasized, culminating in the execution and analysis of a student-designed experiment during the second half of the course. Concurrent enrollment in BIO 114 required. credits: | Biology I Lab for Majors | 0 |
| Students conduct laboratory exercises selected to reinforce and augment the biology lecture course that students earned credit for at a previous institution. Experiments illustrate basic life principles and structures. Available only to students with posted transfer credit for BIO114 at time of enrollment. (Lab fee) credits: | Gen Bio I Lab for Transfer students | 1 |
| A continuation of the introductory sequence in biology, emphasizing the diversity of life as illustrated by organisms in the five major divisions of life forms. Anatomical, morphological, and life cycle characteristics of the various phyla and classes are introduced, and evolutionary and functional relationships stressed. Concurrent enrollment is BIO 125 required. credits: | Biology II for Majors | 4 |
| This laboratory primarily surveys the organisms of the major divisions of life forms, and visually demonstrates the changes in complexity of their form and structure as evolutionary processes have shaped organisms through geological time. Concurrent enrollment in BIO 124 required. Required Lab fee credits: | Biology II Lab for Majors | 0 |
| This course is an introduction to the concepts and principles of environmental science. By its nature, environmental science is an interdisciplinary field, which draws on elements of the natural sciences, including biology, ecology, chemistry, geography and the earth sciences. Its central theme is the interrelatedness of basic environmental processes in association with conserving important aspects of the environment such as clean air, clean water, pristine habitats and native species. Human population growth, ethics, the law and policymaking will be considered in addressing environmental issues. credits: | Introduction To Environmental Science -N | 3 |
| This course will emphasize current developments and techniques in the study of inheritance including extensions and applications of transmission, population, and molecular genetics. Laboratory experiences will include Mendelian crosses of model organisms, computer simulations via software and Internet of traditional and population genetics, and an introduction to cell-molecular genetics techniques including micropipetting, sterile bacterial culture, and visualization and mapping of DNA via gel electrophoresis. Thought processes and problem solving will be emphasized. Concurrent enrollment in BIO 232 required. Prerequisites: BIO114/115 and BIO124/125 (*MAT 118 should be completed prior to or concurrent enrollment with BIO231/232) credits: | Genetics | 4 |
| Laboratory experiences will include Mendelian crosses of model organisms, computer simulations via software and Internet of traditional and population genetics, and an introduction to molecular genetics techniques including micropipetting, sterile bacterial culture, and visualization and mapping of DNA via gel electrophoresis. Concurrent enrollment in BIO 231 required. Required Lab fee credits: | Genetics Lab | 0 |
| Students in this course will explore human anatomy and physiology through the lens of modern scientific literature. Cellular physiology and the structure and function of the nervous, endocrine, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and special sensory systems will be addressed. Emphasis will be placed on learning the normal functions of these by accurately assessing pathologies in real clinical case scenarios. Students will synthesize their understanding of the integration of these systems through a composition in the style of a modern scientific review with concomitant seminar. Concurrent enrollment is BIO 314 required. Prerequisites – BIO114/115 and CHM114/115 (*BIO231/232 or EXS245/246 should be completed prior to or concurrent enrollment with BIO313/314) credits: | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| This course is the laboratory extension of BIO 313. Students will gain practical experience in tissue sample preparation for histological examination. The organ systems examined in BIO 313 will be observed via the dissection of preserved specimen. Students will also gain practice in modern clinical assessments of human organ systems by examining cases of their dysfunction/pathology. Concurrent enrollment in BIO 313 required. Required Lab Fee credits: | Human Anatomy and Physiology I Lab | 0 |
| This course is a study on the diversity and connectivity of the animal kingdom. Students will examine the form and function of anatomical structures from various species and integrate this knowledge with natural history to deduce the evolutionary relationships among animals – how/why they adapted to particular environments. Cellular and physiological parameters among species will be compared. Additionally, discrete knowledge and practice of anatomical/physiological terminology and structural identification will be gained. Concurrent enrollment in BIO 318 required. Prerequisites: BIO124/125 Corequisite: BIO318 credits: | Comparative Anatomy and Physiology | 4 |
| This course is a study on the diversity and connectivity of the animal kingdom with focus on the dissection and comparison across species. Additionally, discrete knowledge and practice of anatomical/physiological terminology and structural identification will be gained.Required Lab Fee Corequisite:BIO317 credits: | Comparative Anatomy and Physiology Lab | 0 |
| A study of the fundamental principles and theories of chemistry with emphasis on stoichiometry and atomic theory and bonding. Must be taken concurrently with CHM115. Prerequisite -MAT099 or Math ACT/SAT of 22/520 or higher credits: | General Chemistry I -N | 4 |
| Concurrent enrollment in CHM 114 required. Meets three hours per week. (Lab fee) credits: | General Chemistry I Lab | 0 |
| Includes laboratory exercises selected to reinforce and augment the chemistry lecture course that students earned credit for at a previous institution. Available only to students with posted transfer credit for CHM114 at time of enrollment. (lab fee) credits: | General Chemistry I Lab transfer st | 1 |
| A continuation of CHM 114 with emphasis on equilibrium, electrochemistry, kinetics, and thermodynamics. Prerequisites:CHM 114 and CHM 115 credits: | General Chemistry II | 4 |
| A laboratory study of principles of equilibrium and inorganic reactions directed toward the qualitative analysis of inorganic materials. Concurrent enrollment in CHM 124 required. (Lab fee) Prerequisites: CHM 114 and CHM 115 credits: | General Chemistry II Lab | 0 |
| An introductory physics course covering the topics of mechanics, thermodynamics, vibrations, and wave motion with an emphasis on critical thinking and problem solving. Computing software is used to provide interactive instruction and develop connections to the mathematical principals involved. Regular in-class demonstrations are performed and discussed in order to enhance conceptual understanding. Concurrent enrollment in PHY 202 required. (Lab Fee) credits: | Physics I -N | 4 |
| The laboratory component of Physics I which reinforces and expands on concepts taught in the lecture. While conducting experiments, students will make observations about physical systems and collect numerical data. Emphasis is placed on identifying patterns and relationships in physical parameters. Students develop hypotheses in order to make predictions and verify presumptions. Formal lab reports are used to summarize relevant findings. Corequisite: PHY 201 credits: | Physics I Lab | 0 |
| Includes laboratory exercises selected to reinforce and augment the physics lecture course that students earned credit for at a previous institution. Available only to students with posted transfer credit for PHY201 at time of enrollment. credits: | Physics I Lab for transfer students | 1 |
| A continuation of the introductory physics sequence which covers topics in electrostatics, magnetism, optics, and modern physics. Fundamental concepts from Physics I are described in greater complexity. Students are expected to apply their understanding of energy, mass, force, and inertia to more advanced problems involving atomic systems. Demonstrations and computational simulations are used to increase conceptual understanding. Concurrent enrollment in PHY 213. (Lab Fee) Prerequisite: PHY 201. credits: | Physics II | 4 |
| The laboratory component of Physics II which reinforces and expands on concepts taught in the lecture. Group experiments are conducted in order to analyze the behavior of physical systems. Emphasis is placed on interpretation and inference as students are expected to use knowledge from the previous course to explain physical phenomena. Computational interface equipment and graphing software are used extensively. Students design and construct their own experiment on two occasions. Corequisite: PHY 212 credits: | Physics II Lab | 0 |
| An exploration of the multi-faceted nature of science and its impact on history, from Galileo to Pasteur and beyond. Emphasis is placed on scientific approaches and historical development. The role of science in society is addressed and the important consequences of various discoveries are discussed. The evolution of science from early natural philosophy to the familiar scientific method is examined in the context of contributions made by individual scientists. credits: | The Scientific Enterprise -N | 3 |
| A study of the various physical aspects of the earth, including the atmosphere, the biosphere and the geomorphology. There are required field trips. (Special Fee) credits: | Earth Science Lecture -N | 3 |
| Introduction to Astronomy is a course intended to introduce or broaden student knowledge of the core sciences through an application to astronomy and astrophysics. Topics covered will include the Sun, the Moon, the Solar System, exoplanets, astrobiology, astrophysics, stars, galaxies, and cosmology. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the Universe we live in and how observation and scientific analysis can reveal the inner workings of the cosmos. Prerequisite:MAT099 (or ACT Math sub score of 22 or higher or SAT math sub score of 520 or higher) credits: | Introduction to Astronomy -N | 3 |
| The laboratory component of Introductory to Astronomy is an introduction to the world of astronomical observation by doing simple observations and computer lab exercises with other students. In this course the student will experience astronomy by doing astronomy. Experiment observations will consist of naked eye, telescope, and computer-based simulated programs which include: learning how to identify constellations, observing changes in lunar phases, plotting a light curve for a variable star, classifying stars and measuring the expansion of the Universe. Corequisite:SCI240 credits: | Introduction to Astronomy Lab | 1 |
Social Science Concentration - 27 Credits
Required Credits: 3.00
| The focus of this course is on elementary social studies content knowledge and literacy, concepts, materials/resources, teaching strategies, methods, assessment of instruction, and using an integrated curriculum design for teaching elementary and middle grades students. Integration of the arts is included. Curricular guidelines and standards will follow the Missouri Learning Standards and national professional organizations such as the National Council for Social Studies credits: | Methods of Teaching Social Science | 3 |
Required Electives - 24 Credits
| This course is an introduction to the nature, method, and scope of economic analysis regarding the macroeconomic performance of nations. Indicators of a nation’s macroeconomic performance include the economic growth rate, the tendency toward inflation, and the level of unemployment. This course introduces students to the process of monetary and fiscal policy, and also introduces students to each policy’s impact on national economic performance. Students also are introduced to the nature of global trade and economic development. credits: | Macroeconomics -Q | 3 |
| This course introduces students to the principles and theories of microeconomics. The course stresses identification of fundamental economic concepts, essential forms of business organization, and introductory theory regarding exchange and price determination under various market conditions. Students additionally learn about distribution of income, the economics of agriculture and labor, and the role of government in business. credits: | Microeconomics -Q | 3 |
| An introductory survey of the world’s geographical regions, focusing on essential characteristics and major problems of the more developed regions, including Europe, the region of the former Soviet Union, Australia, Anglo-America, and Japan. credits: | Regions & Nations of the World I | 3 |
| A continuation of GEO 201, focusing on essential characteristics and major problems of the less developed regions including Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. credits: | Regions & Nations of the Wrld II | 3 |
| History is not imposed on the world. It is the result of the consequences of an individual’s decisions, and the study of history involves analyzing the reasons behind these choices. People are influenced by not only their own beliefs, but also by their society. Despite the vast differences of time and space, common themes continue to emerge throughout the world. This course will trace recurrent historical themes of culture, religion, war, economics, and government. Students will follow the development of the world from the dawn of man into the Renaissance. Topics in this course will include ancient Egypt, classical Greece and Rome, the dynasties of China, the Crusades and the Middle Ages. By using a global focus to examine diverse cultures and societies, students will learn that though history may not repeat itself, it certainly rhymes. credits: | Dawn and Rebirth: A History of the World to 1500 -H | 3 |
| From the Protestant Reformation to space exploration, the modern world offered changing glimpses and understandings of heaven and earth. Sparked by the Renaissance, this course will trace global advancement from Martin Luther and the Age of Exploration through the World Wars and into the modern day. Framed around the concept of globalization, students will inquire into the changing nature of the world from its new ideas to new nations to new technologies. Topics in this course will include the French Revolution, the Cold War, the Meiji Restoration, the rise of Arab nationalism, and imperialism. credits: | Industry, Ideology, and War: A History of the World since 1500 -H | 3 |
| This survey inquiries into the development of American history from the pre-Columbian era through the Civil War and its aftermath. It will explore the major social, cultural, political, and economic themes that dominated early American society. The class will illustrate how America was forged by a combination of cultures and beliefs. The goal of the class is to show the progression of America from a collection of European colonies to an independent nation to two countries divided by war and finally its restoration. Students will be introduced to topics such as: exploration, colonization, Native Americans, slavery, the American Revolution, Manifest Destiny, the Civil War, African American rights, and Reconstruction. Continuing themes will include: individual rights, government control, ethics, leadership, nationalism, state’s rights, frontier expansion, race, and gender. credits: | Early America and the United States: Colonization, Revolution, and Civil War -H | 3 |
| This survey inquiries into the development of American history from the post-Civil War Reconstruction era through the modern day. It will explore the major social, cultural, political, and economic themes that dominated American society. The class will illustrate how America was forged by a combination of cultures and beliefs. The goal of the class is to show the progression of America from two countries divided by war through its emergence as a world superpower. Students will be introduced to topics such as: immigration, industrialization, technology, the Civil Rights Movement, World Wars, the Cold War, foreign relations, peacekeeping and the war on terror. Continuing themes will include: individual rights, government control, ethics, leadership, nationalism, international status, race, and gender. credits: | Modern US History: From Reconstruction to Superpower -H | 3 |
| At least 11,000 years before the first European reached the ”New World,” the Americas had already been settled. Originally traveling from Siberia, numerous groups of Native Americans established diverse cultures and civilizations across two continents. This course will trace the history of Native America from the migration of Paleoindians across Beringia to the modern day, dealing with issues ranging from pre-Columbian society, European encounters, disease, government removal policies, and the creation of reservations. Students will study religion, culture, warfare, etc. from the perspective of the Natives of North and South America. Special attention will be placed on the indigenous people of the Great Plains. credits: | Native America -U | 3 |
| Until the passage of the thirteenth amendment, the inherent hypocrisy of the Declaration of Independence’s phrase ”all men are created equal” and the sin of slavery haunted the nation. But freedom did not end the struggle. This course will trace the history of African Americans from their ancestral origins in Africa into the colonial era and through the modern day—exploring issues of race, culture, enslavement, freedom, rights, and discrimination. It will examine the condition of African American slaves and anti-slavery/pro-slavery politics and economics, and ultimately follow the experience of enslaved and free African Americans into the Civil War and Reconstruction, before transitioning to the quest for equal citizenship in the Civil Rights Movement and the modern day. Students will focus on figures including: Olaudah Equiano, Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Jesse Jackson, and the Obamas. credits: | From Slavery to Freedom to Civil Rights: The African American Experience -U | 3 |
| This course will be a sophomore-level general education course that provides a survey of the history of the southern colonies/states up through the Civil War. Crucial to understanding this region and its development is the race-based chattel slavery and the plantations that they supported. A major component of recent scholarship regarding American slavery has been examining its relationship with capitalism, both as it took root in the north in the form of increased industrialization and in the extractive form of staple crop agriculture that helped the southern states produce the largest accumulation of wealth in the nation by middle of the nineteenth century. Contained within the system of slave labor was a significant contradiction, wherein the very liberty so cherished by the extravagantly wealth planter as well as the lowly yeoman farmers was predicated on the enslavement of a quarter of the total population. This contradiction would be laid bare by internal class divisions that became magnified by war, the constant threat of slave uprisings, and the competition with the free labor system of the northern states. credits: | The Old South: Planters, Yeoman, and the Enslaved -Q | 3 |
| ”Remember the ladies,” Abigail Adams wrote her husband John, reminding him to include the rights of women among the goals of the American Revolution. Although often viewed in a more modern context, the quest for women’s rights in America has existed since the nation’s founding. This course will follow the lives of American women from pre-contact Native society through the modern day. It will explore a variety of themes connected to gender, race, and status by observing the lives of women within diverse societies. In doing so, students will learn to view the women’s liberation movement of the 1960s and 70s against the foundations of the nineteenth and early twentieth century suffragists and the Revolutionary-era Daughters of Liberty and Republican Womanhood. From the witches of Salem to Susan B. Anthony to Gloria Steinem, this course overall aims to tell the story of women in America. credits: | Daughters of Liberty, Suffragists, and Feminists: The Story of Women in America | 3 |
| The Great War had been fought as ”the war to end all wars,” and twenty years later British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain still promised ”peace in our time.” But just six years later, nearly 80 million people were dead. Sparked by the rise of dictatorships, World War II was a clash of nations that represented a global conflict on a scale never before imagined. Exploring the perspectives of both the Allied and Axis powers, students will learn how the clash of ideologies and beliefs resulted in conquest, genocide, and, ultimately, liberation. Although traditionally understood as occurring from 1939–1945, this course will start from the war’s origins—beginning with the end of World War I through the rise of the Nazi Party to the Japanese invasion of China in 1937. Far from just a military history of war in Europe and the Pacific, this course will examine topics including: the Holocaust, ideologies (democracy, communism, fascism, anti-Semitism, racism, etc.), the A-bomb, world leaders (FDR, Truman, Churchill, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, etc.), politics, propaganda, crime, the home front, and many more. Concluding with the Nuremberg and Tokyo War Crimes Trials and the start of the Cold War, the class will also examine the war’s legacy and aftermath. credits: | World War II | 3 |
| This class will be a junior-level history course that will examine the development of Enlightenment era revolutions along the Atlantic Ocean. The class will consist of a balanced mixture of lectures and discussions based on the students’ reading of primary and secondary sources. We will begin with a discussion of the Enlightenment ideology that undergirded the age of revolutions. In this introductory module, students will read excerpts from some key thinkers that provided some of the ideological justifications for disrupting monarchical rule. After delving into social contract theory a bit, we will turn our attention to three Atlantic revolutions: American, French, and Haitian. While we will examine each of these revolutions along with the specific context in which each developed, the goal of the class will be to determine what factors did these revolutions share and what separated them. We will also look at how these revolutions affected class, race, and gender dynamics within their respective countries to help bring about the understanding of the various ways that revolutions played out in this period. credits: | Atlantic Revolutions | 3 |
| An introduction to the field of political science, including a review of political institutions, political action, theory and practice. The American system of Government will be emphasized. credits: | Politics and Government -X | 3 |
| This course will introduce you to the use of critical thinking skills to understand and evaluate political speech and action. The course will be structured around the political principles contained in the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. We will use the tools of critical thinking to engage in analysis and discussion of concepts contained in these documents including the meaning of justice, liberty, equality and freedom. We will then critically evaluate the use of these terms by current political figures and organizations by looking at political speech, proposals, platforms and actions that utilize these terms. credits: | Critical Thinking About Politics -i | 3 |
| An examination of the political philosophies expressed in the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. Considers the viability of these philosophies in the context of contemporary American society and politics. credits: | American Political Theory | 3 |
| An introduction to psychology as a scientific discipline surveying the biological basis of behavior, motivation, learning, sensation, perception, memory, thinking and language. credits: | General Psychology I -U | 3 |
| An introduction to psychology as a scientific discipline surveying interpersonal behavior, personality development, intelligence, psychopathology, assessment, treatment, and research methodology. credits: | General Psychology II -Q | 3 |