Elmhurst University’s innovative program in elementary teacher education prepares students for licensure to teach kindergarten through sixth grade.
The two-year program is designed as a major for juniors and seniors with a minor in a high-need area of education. Because of its design, the program also works especially well for transfer students from community colleges. Students are accepted into the elementary program in the Fall Term of each year.
Students in this program begin their in-school practicum experiences early in their education, with close supervision and coordination from faculty and university supervisors. Candidates are assigned to local schools for practicum experiences.
Recommend Course Sequence
Explore course offerings for the Elementary Education Program in the 2026-2027 catalog. Please note that one unit of credit equals four semester hours.
The prerequisite for all courses 200-level or higher is admission to the program.
Additional courses are required to add minors or endorsements.
Fall Term
- ENG 105 Composition I
- Integrated Curriculum Requirements
Spring Term
- EDU 104 Cultural Foundations of Education in the United States
- ENG 106 Composition II
- Integrated Curriculum Requirements
Fall Term
- EDU 223 Education of PK-12 Learners with Exceptionalities
- MTH 121 College Algebra or a higher level math course
- Integrated Curriculum Requirements
Spring Term
- MTH 345 Elementary Statistics
- Integrated Curriculum Requirements
Fall Term
This semester focuses on kindergarten through third grade classrooms.
- ELM 300 Elementary Curriculum, Planning and Instruction for the Primary Grades
- ELM 314 Elementary Methods and Materials for Literacy Learners in Diverse Primary Classrooms
- ELM 341 Primary Classroom Methods in Elementary Mathematics, Science and Social Science
Spring Term
This semester focuses on fourth through six grade classrooms.
- ELM 350 Elementary Curriculum, Planning and Instruction for the Intermediate Grades
- ELM 372 Methods and Materials for Literacy Learners in Diverse Intermediate and Middle-Level Classrooms
- ELM 382 Intermediate Classroom Methods in Elementary Mathematics, Science and Social Science
- TEL 317 Methods and Materials for Teaching English Language Learners
Fall Term
This term involves two full-day internships in schools with a focus on meeting the needs of individual students and building an inclusive classroom.
- ELM 419 Evidence-based Elementary Classroom Assessment and Learning Environments
- ELM 450 Elementary School Practicum and Professional Practice Seminar
- SPE 440 Diagnosis and Remediation of Reading Difficulties
- SPE 442 Remediation of Difficulties in Understanding and Applying Mathematics
Spring Term
This final terms is a 15-week, full-time student teaching clinical experience in a first through sixth-grade classroom.
- ELM 451 Student Teaching in Elementary Education
Get Started
Completing Elementary Teacher Education Prerequisites at a Community College
Planning to complete the program’s prerequisites at a community college prior to transferring? Use the advising sheets below to determine which courses you need to enroll in at the community college of your choice, so you are prepared to apply to the ELM program.