Integrated Expeditionary Programs

Undergraduate programs in teacher education include elementary education, special education, and early childhood education. Often referred to as the "integrated expeditionary program," this program is composed of courses and experiences that are common to all students as well as specialized experiences within each major. The majors also share a common structure in which students progress in cohort groups consisting of students from all three majors.

The integrated expeditionary program includes extensive field experiences and learning expeditions incorporated into coursework. The learning expeditions emphasize the development of essential questions regarding the themes of each block or set of courses, and strategies to address those questions. In addition, the integrated expeditionary program and each major include courses and competencies designed to enable teachers to meet the needs of students with special needs. Many courses require three or more hours of field work each week, as noted in the course syllabi.

All of the undergraduate education programs include more than the traditional 120 credit hours because initial certification and additional endorsements, such as English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), are incorporated into each degree program.