Elementary Education Major
At A Glance
Program Type
Bachelor of Science (BS)
Accreditation
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP)
After Graduation
Path to licensure in four years
Experience
Full year of student teaching before graduation
Do you feel called into a career where your impact resonates beyond yourself and into the next generation? Does your heart skip a beat when you imagine encouraging the growth and development of children as they discover the world around them and their role in it? Pursuing a degree in elementary education will allow you to answer the call of being a difference maker that Christ has put on your heart.
Few professions offer such a direct opportunity to catalyze change, inspire young people, and ignite the imagination. Yes, the life of an educator can be challenging. But that’s part of the joy. We believe the rewards far outweigh the hardships.
Earn Teaching Licensure in Four Years
Many universities only offer a graduate-level fifth-year program in elementary education. At George Fox, you can earn teaching licensure for education at the early-childhood and elementary levels by completing our four-year program and passing the required tests.
ESOL Endorsement and Optional Mid-Level Authorization
Coursework and training for the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) endorsement is also embedded to add to your qualifications and teaching license. This endorsement is highly sought after in school districts across the country and will greatly increase your employment prospects.
You also have the option of adding the middle-level authorization (grades 5-10) to the elementary and early childhood authorization if you meet the testing and coursework requirements in a content area, take the required courses, and complete additional student teaching at the middle level.
Online Accelerated Teaching Degree
If you already have your Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT) degree, you may want to consider George Fox's accelerated online teaching degree for working adults. Program graduates earn Oregon PreK-12 preliminary teaching licensure in either multiple subjects for elementary school or single subjects for middle and high school.
Program Distinctives Why Study Elementary Education at George Fox?
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You will engage in collaborative partnerships with area school districts both locally and abroad. Or, teach abroad in Ecuador through our longtime partnership school that meets Oregon’s licensing requirements.
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You have the option to take electives in STEAM education ("Science & Technology, interpreted through Engineering & the Arts, all based in Mathematical elements") and trauma-informed practices.
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You are joining a program dedicated to equipping the educator in all aspects of practice – from the administrative to classroom management to district leadership levels – as evidenced by our masters and doctoral programs in education.
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You are joining a TSPC-approved and nationally accredited program.
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You will be grounded in courses that promote being a teacher with high moral standards and ethics, preparing you to be an educator of integrity and compassion.
Courses / Curriculum What Will I Study?
Our spaces/Where Will I Learn?
Classrooms Locally and Abroad
You’ll graduate with a full year of teaching experience in the classroom and will learn classroom management, curriculum development and teaching strategies within classrooms. You’ll also have the opportunity to teach at local Oregon schools through our partnerships or even abroad in Ecuador.
Career Outlook What’s After George Fox
Job prospects are best for teachers in high-demand fields such as math, science and bilingual education, and in less desirable urban and rural areas. The largest growth is expected at the postsecondary level: The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment for postsecondary teachers is expected to grow 8% through 2033, with a large number of jobs becoming available as older teachers move into retirement.
- Teaching positions in districts throughout Oregon, Washington, California, Idaho, Alaska, Hawaii and across the U.S.
- Principal, Linus Pauling Middle School, Corvallis, Ore.
- Elementary and missions teachers in China, Japan, Korea, Morocco, Austria, Swaziland and other countries around the world
- Director of High School at Qingdao Baishan School, Qingdao, Shandong, China
- University of Washington
- University of Idaho
- University of Nevada
- Baylor University
- University of Pittsburgh
- Seattle Pacific University
- Portland State University
- Western Oregon University
- University of Colorado, Denver
- Salem School District
- Woodburn School District
- Newberg School District
- Yamhill-Carlton School District
- Sherwood School District
- Portland School District
- McMinnville School District
- Tigard-Tualatin School District
- Tillamook School District
Nurturing a Love of Numbers
“It’s rewarding not only to help these kids learn math, but also to see the look on their faces when they get it,” says Delaney Moritz, a first-year elementary education major who participated in the event.
Family Math Night helps foster learning among Nellie Muir’s elementary students, but it also contributes to the education of George Fox’s elementary education majors.
Logan Benfield
Initially, I did not know what I wanted to major in. When I changed majors, God sent me on a path of discovering my passion for developing and bringing up the next generation. He placed amazing professors, peers and mentors in place to develop my skills as an educator. The decision to become a teacher truly impacted my time at George Fox in a greater way than any other moment.
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