2023-2024 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2023-2024 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog

Middle School Education, B.A.


The major in middle school education provides the student with a general education curriculum solidly grounded in the liberal arts and provides professional preparation leading to a teaching certificate for grades 5-9. Students seeking this major must select an area of concentration from the following: mathematics, social studies, language arts, and science. A minimum of 24 hours of content coursework is required from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) for recommendation for certification in each content area. To earn a minor (additional hours beyond a concentration) in a content area from a specific department, please see the department chair for the content area.

Program Approval

Students must apply for program approval during the second semester of their sophomore year, upon completing 45 hours. Transfer students apply for program approval in their second semester at Fontbonne University. Program approval is based upon the following criteria:

  • Completion of EDU 269   without conditions (or a transferred course equivalent);
  • Qualifying scores on the Missouri General Education Assessment;
  • Satisfactory completion of the program’s approved dispositional assessment
  • Successful performance of the essential functions of a major in the Education/Special Education Department
  • A cumulative, blended GPA of 3.00* for all professional coursework from all colleges/universities attended;
  • A cumulative, blended GPA of 2.75* from all colleges/universities attended;
  • For middle school candidates, a 3.00* cumulative GPA in the content area of choice;
  • Transfer students who have completed Introduction to Classroom Teaching (or equivalent) at another institution must complete a required zero-hour course: EDU 301 Teacher Education at Fontbonne University  

*Content/professional courses must be graded courses; pass/fail grades are not accepted 

Program Approval with Conditions

This designation is available on a one-time only, one-semester basis, and indicates that the student is deficient in one or more of the above categories. The student may continue to major in a certification program with conditions once, for one semester only. Students who do not eradicate all deficiencies will not be allowed to continue in a certification program, will not be admitted into the teacher certification, and therefore, will not be allowed to student teach. 

Rejection for Program Approval

Students who show little or no capability to successfully complete requirements for a certification program in the department will be rejected for program approval, will not be allowed to enroll for additional education coursework in that major, and will be referred for career counseling pursuant to a change of major. A General Studies major with an emphasis in education (which does not lead to certification), could be an option for such students.

Learning Outcomes


  • The teacher Candidate will show competence in the nine standards required in the State of Missouri and the four standards in the National accreditation board of AAQEP. (see Missouri Teacher Standards and AAQEP standards via MEES)
  • The teacher candidates will model effective verbal, nonverbal, written, and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration and supportive interaction in the classroom. (Disposition Survey)
  • The teacher candidate will demonstrate higher order and critical thinking skills as a reflective practitioner who continually assess the effects of choices and action on others.  The reflective practitioner actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally and utilizes the assessment and professional growth to generate more learning for more students. (Longitudinal reflective Key Assessment)
  • Analyze, design, and intervene/implement via strategies and procedures to engage unique behaviors, standards, and achievement of the individual needs of a middle school education student grades 7-8. (Longitudinal reflective Key Assessment)
  • Apply educational concepts and models to manage and analyze student data sets, to support decision-making and to produce solutions to real-world problems concerning the middle school aged student and families. (Philosophy Paper)

General Education Requirements


General education requirements are presented in the General Education  section in this catalog. A course that meets a general education requirement may also meet a course requirement in the major or a course requirement in another discipline.

The following specific general education courses must be chosen to meet the requirements for this major:

Graduation Requirement


Students must complete one course in religion.

Courses Required in the Content Disciplines


Select one area of study. Students must complete coursework as indicated and complete at least 50% at Fontbonne.