A Combined Degree program enables undergraduate students to enroll in graduate courses in their senior year, which can be counted towards the completion of both their Bachelor's and Master's degree requirements. The ability to take these "swing courses" allows students to earn both their Bachelor's and Master's degrees in a shortened period of time, typically within five years. Undergraduate students interested in this option can find more information regarding program requirements on the University's Combined Programs website.
The Combined Degree with Dual Certification program is a 5-year program that leads to teacher certification in Elementary School Teacher in Grades K-6, teacher certification in Teacher of Students with Disabilities, a baccalaureate degree and a master’s degree. Interested students must apply to and be admitted to the Teacher Education Program as an undergraduate. Students must successfully complete the undergraduate portion of the program in order to be admitted to the Graduate School and complete the one-year master’s portion of the program.
Please visit the Teacher Education Program website for the required undergraduate professional sequence of courses, overall course outline, and other important Program requirements, guidelines, and procedures. Students also are strongly advised to review the Teacher Education Program Handbook.
120 credits of coursework is required for the baccalaureate degree with a minimum 3.0 overall GPA. Major GPA requirements differ depending on field of study. Consult the Teacher Education Program Handbook for more information.
Program Requirements Overview
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 21 | |
| World Languages and Cultures Requirements | 0 | |
| Major Requirements | 36 | |
| Teacher Education Program Requirements | 60 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Major Requirements
Requirements for the graduate portion of this combined program can be found here.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisites | ||
| These courses will be waived for students who place above this level. | 0-9 | |
| Spanish I | ||
| Spanish II | ||
| Spanish III | ||
| Required Courses | ||
| Language Elective | ||
| Complete one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Basic Spanish for Heritage Learners | ||
| Fundamentals of Spanish Grammar | ||
| Spanish Composition and Stylistics | ||
| Culture Elective | ||
| Complete one course from the following: | ||
| Perspectives on Latin America | ||
| Image and Identity: Representation of Latin American Women in Film and Fiction | ||
| Spanish Language Review Through Literature, Culture and Film | ||
| SPAN 376 | Cultural Studies: Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Complete 8 courses from the list below. Only 2 LALS courses may be completed (counting required courses and electives). | 24 | |
| Total Credits | 30-39 | |
Electives
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LALS 201 | Perspectives on Latin America | 3 |
| LALS 205 | Image and Identity: Representation of Latin American Women in Film and Fiction | 3 |
| LALS 390 | Special Topics in Latin American and Latino Studies | 3 |
| LALS 401 | Capstone Course in Latin American and Latino Studies | 3 |
| SPAN 221 | Spanish for Business | 3 |
| SPAN 332 | Negotiation Skills in Spanish | 3 |
| SPAN 343 | Introduction to Spanish Phonetics | 3 |
| SPAN 344 | Spanish Conversation | 3 |
| SPAN 346 | Special Topics in the Spanish Language | 3 |
| SPAN 347 | Spanish in the United States | 3 |
| SPAN 348 | Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics | 3 |
| SPAN 349 | Introduction to Hispanic Literary Studies | 3 |
| SPAN 361 | Voices of the Past and Present: Spain | 3 |
| SPAN 363 | Voices of the Past and Present: Latin America | 3 |
| SPAN 373 | Special Topics in Spanish and Latin American Literature | 3 |
| SPAN 374 | Cultural Studies: Spain | 3 |
| SPAN 375 | Spanish Study Abroad | 3 |
| SPAN 376 | Cultural Studies: Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 |
| SPAN 410 | Advanced Spanish Grammar | 3 |
| SPAN 421 | Special Topics in Teaching Spanish K-12 | 3 |
| SPAN 439 | Spanish Film and Fiction | 3 |
| SPAN 441 | Contemporary Spanish Novel | 3 |
| SPAN 442 | Spanish Poetry and Drama of the 19th Century | 3 |
| SPAN 443 | Spanish Prose of the 19th Century | 3 |
| SPAN 444 | Contemporary Spanish Theater | 3 |
| SPAN 446 | The Latin American Essay and Crónica | 3 |
| SPAN 447 | Short Stories and Cross-Cultural Processes in the Spanish-Speaking World | 3 |
| SPAN 448 | Poetics of Resistance in Hispanic Poetry | 3 |
| SPAN 449 | Negotiating Identity and Power in the Hispanic Novel | 3 |
| SPAN 450 | Introduction to Interpreting | 3 |
| SPAN 460 | El Quijote | 3 |
| SPAN 466 | Scripts and Stages: Hispanic Theater and Performance | 3 |
| SPAN 469 | The Drama of the Golden Age | 3 |
| SPAN 470 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| SPAN 471 | Contemporary Trends in the Spanish-American Novel | 3 |
| SPAN 472 | Puerto Rican Literature and Thought | 3 |
| SPAN 473 | Sexual Subversion in Contemporary Hispanic Literature and Film | 3 |
| SPAN 480 | Independent Study | 3 |
Teacher Education Program Requirements
General Education Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A. New Student Seminar | ||
| Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar course. | 1 | |
| C. Communication | ||
| 1. Writing | 3 | |
| 2. Literature | 3 | |
| 3. Communication | ||
| Fundamentals of Speech: Communication Requirement (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.) | ||
| D. Fine and Performing Arts | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course. | 3 | |
| F. Humanities | ||
| 1. Great Works and Their Influences | 3 | |
| 2. Philosophical and Religious Perspectives | ||
| Philosophical Orientation to Education (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.) | ||
| G. Computer Science | ||
| Complete a 3 credit Computer Science course. | 3 | |
| H. Mathematics | ||
| Mathematics in Elementary Schools I (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.) | ||
| I. Natural Science Laboratory | ||
| Complete a 4 credit Natural Science Laboratory course that also fulfills the Teacher Education Health/Hygiene requirement. | 4 | |
| J. Physical Education | ||
| Complete a 1 credit Physical Education course. | 1 | |
| K. Social Science | ||
| 1. American and European History | ||
| Historical Foundations of American Education (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.) | ||
| 2. Global Cultural Perspectives | ||
| Fulfilled in the major. | ||
| Perspectives on Latin America | ||
or LALS 205 | Image and Identity: Representation of Latin American Women in Film and Fiction | |
| 3. Social Science Perspectives | ||
| Introduction to Psychology (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.) | ||
| L. Interdisciplinary Studies | ||
| Perspectives on Early Childhood and Elementary Education in a Democracy (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.) | ||
| Total Credits | 21 | |
World Languages and Cultures Requirements
Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| World Languages | ||
| Fulfilled by the major. | 0 | |
| World Cultures | ||
| Fulfilled in the major. | ||
| Cultural Studies: Spain | ||
or SPAN 376 | Cultural Studies: Latin America and the Caribbean | |
| Total Credits | 0 | |
Recommended Roadmap to Degree(s)
This recommended five-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within five years. This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.
Fifth year courses are taken at the graduate level, after matriculation into the graduate portion of this combined degree program.
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (A) New Student Seminar | 1 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (C2) Literature | 3 |
| GENERAL EDUCATION: (C1) Writing | 3 | GENERAL EDUCATION: (C3) Communication | 3 |
| 4 | 6 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Spring | Credits | ||
| EDFD 220 | 3 | ||
| MTHM 201 | 3 | ||
| 6 | |||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ECEL 279 | 3 | ECEL 375 | 3 |
| FSHD 314 | 3 | ECSE 305 | 3 |
| MTHM 302 | 3 | ECEL 408 | 3 |
| READ 399 | 3 | ||
| 12 | 9 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ECSE 339 | 3 | ECSE 523 | 3 |
| READ 408 | 3 | ECSE 536 | 3 |
| READ 515 | 3 | ||
| 6 | 9 | ||
| Total Credits 52 | |||