Interdisciplinary Studies, BS (with EC–6 or 4–8 Teacher Certification)

Students completing the requirements for the undergraduate degree will receive the Bachelor of Science with a major in interdisciplinary studies. The undergraduate program requires a minimum of 120–126 semester hours. The specific number of hours required is determined by one’s choice of grades EC–6 or grades 4–8 options as described below.

The last two long semesters of this degree are structured as a Professional Development School (PDS)* model and must be taken in sequence. PDS 1 is the first semester with two days per week of coursework and two days of field experience working in EC-12 classrooms at a partnering public school district. PDS 2 (Internship/student teaching) is the second semester and includes 14-weeks of full-time student teaching in the same school district plus attendance at a weekly seminar.

*Students seeking Grades 4–8 Science with English as a Second Language supplemental certification or Grades 4-8 Math with English Math with English as a Second Language certification do not participate in the PDS model. These students complete the Teach North Texas (TNTX) specialized math and science education sequence. See your advisor for details.

Degree requirements

Students must be admitted to the Teacher Education (TEd) Program before enrolling in most education courses in the degree. In addition, students must maintain a 2.75 GPA in various sub-areas of their degree audit (i.e., university core, academic major, and education/pedagogy courses) in order to be eligible for PDS 1, field experience, PDS 2, and student teaching. Students seeking EC–6 or 4–8 teacher certification must also earn grades of C or above in all required courses on their degree audit. Contact the College of Education Student Advising Office, 940-565-2736; Matthews Hall, Room 105; or coe.unt.edu/student-advising for details and to apply for admission to the Teacher Education program.

Hours required and general/college requirements

A minimum of 120–126 semester hours (depending upon teacher certification and course options selected), of which 42 must be 3000 or 4000 level courses, and fulfillment of degree requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree as specified in the “University Core Curriculum ” in the Academics section of this catalog and the College of Education requirements.

The department recommends specific courses (best choices) in some categories. Students may elect to take other courses listed under the University Core Curriculum to fulfill these requirements; however, doing so may add hours to the degree.

Students should consult with their advisors to determine how best to meet the core requirements.

Major requirements

Early Childhood through Grade Six (EC–6) Core Subjects teacher certification options

Students may prepare for a EC-6 Core Subjects certificate with English as a Second Language supplemental certification, EC-6 Core subjects certificate with Bilingual Education Supplemental Certification, or EC-6 Core Subjects with EC-12 Special Education certification. Students should consult with their advisors to determine the best sequence for taking core courses, prerequisite courses, major courses and PDS courses. Part of this degree is two semesters of courses in a Professional Development School (PDS). Courses taken during the first semester of PDS require two days per week of course work and two days per week internship at a PDS site. The second semester of PDS is 15 weeks of student teaching internship plus attendance at a weekly seminar.

EC–6 Core Subjects Certificate with English as a Second Language Supplemental Certification

All three of the following

Core Subjects EC–6 Certificate with Bilingual (BIL) Supplemental Certification

All three of the following

EC–6 Core Subjects Certificate with Special Education EC–12 Certification

All three of the following

Grades 4–8 content areas with English as a Second Language supplemental teacher certification options

Grades 4–8 English Language Arts and Reading with English as a Second Language supplemental certification

Theatre

One of the following:

Communication

One of the following:

Plus the following

An approved American Literature course (advanced)
An approved British Literature course (advanced)
Any two approved mathematics courses (6 hours, in addition to the core)
Any two approved science courses (6 hours, in addition to the core)

Grades 4–8 Mathematics with English as a Second Language supplemental certification

Additional mathematics courses

Two additional courses selected from:

MATH 1580 - Survey of Mathematics with Applications
or
MATH 1581 - Survey of Mathematics with Applications and Algebra Review (if already completed)
MATH 2000 - Discrete Mathematics
MATH 2100 - Functions and Modeling for Secondary Mathematics Instruction
MATH 2700 - Linear Algebra and Vector Geometry
MATH 2730 - Multivariable Calculus
Or any mathematics courses numbered above
MATH 1720
.

Science, 6 hours

Any two approved science courses (6 hours, in addition to the core).

Grades 4–8 Science with English as a Second Language supplemental certification

Grades 4–8 Social Studies with English as a Second Language Supplemental Certification

Plus the following

Any two approved U.S. history courses (6 hours, advanced)
Any approved European history course (3 hours, advanced)
Any approved world history course (3 hours, advanced)
Any approved American government and politics course (3 hours, advanced)
Any approved comparative government and politics course (3 hours, advanced)
Any two approved mathematics courses (6 hours, in addition to the core)
Any two approved science courses (6 hours, in addition to the core)

Internship (student teaching), 6 hours

Students seeking EC-6 Core Subjects with ESL Supplemental or EC-6 Core Subjects with BIL Supplemental Certification:

Students seeking EC–6 Core Subjects Certificate with Special Education EC–12 Certification:

Students seeking any Grades 4-8 Certificate:

Minor requirements

There is no minor for this degree.

Electives

There are no electives for this degree.

Other requirements

Admission to the Teacher Education (TEd) Program. You must be accepted to the Teacher Education Program prior to enrolling in the first education course. To be eligible for admission, students must have:
- Completed a minimum of 60 semester hours, including the University Core Curriculum. (See “General University Requirements” in the Academics section of this catalog.) Programs in teacher education require specific courses contained in parts of the University Core Curriculum to satisfy particular degree requirements. Students should consult program advisors for best choices in the core;
- A 2.75 UNT GPA;
- A 2.75 overall GPA (includes all courses transferred to UNT, plus all courses taken at UNT);
- Appropriate exam scores on either the ACT or SAT, or TSI Complete status; (contact the Student Advising Office in Matthews Hall, Room 105, for further information on the exam requirement); andFormally applied and been admitted to Teacher Education through the College of Education Student Advising Office in Matthews Hall, Room 105. Contact the College of Education Student Advising Office, 940-565-2736; Matthews Hall, Room 105; or https://coe.unt.edu/student-advising for details and to apply for admission to the Teacher Education.

Eligibility for Teacher Certification and Recommendation: Teacher certification is granted by the State Board for Educator Certification. Completion of the bachelor’s degree and the required education courses does not necessarily result in certification by the agency. In order to be recommended for teacher certification through the University of North Texas, students must have:
- Successfully completed an approved teacher education program for the preparation of early childhood, elementary middle grades, secondary or all-level teachers;
- Successfully completed student teaching, including attendance at appropriate seminars;
- Passed the TExES Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) and all required content tests of the Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES), as applicable.
- Eligibility to test. Access to register for Texas teacher certification exams (TExES) is granted to students who have been formally admitted to the Teacher Education program at UNT. Some content areas require that students take their content practice exam as part of a course requirement, or prerequisite for Early Field Experience. Only students who have been admitted to the Teacher Education program may sit for the practice exam.

The TExES Practice exams are offered four times in each long semester and twice during the summer. Students should visit with the TExES Success Office in Matthews Hall, Room 119, for further information about their required exams (940-369-8601).

This addition will require approval by UUCC as it was not previously included in the Department description.