Overview

Offered by the the Department of Teaching and Learning, the Bachelor of Science in Education in Middle Grades Education prepares undergraduate students for middle level teaching (fourth to eighth grades). Middle grades teachers are increasingly sought out and in high-demand in Pennsylvania as well as across the country.

The College of Education and Human Development's program in Middle Grades Education is designed to ensure not only that there are certified teachers to fill the growing vacancies, but that our students graduate highly knowledgeable about learning and teaching as well as committed to pre/adolescent learners from diverse ethnic, economic and geographic backgrounds. To that end, our program focuses on building deep content-specific pedagogical knowledge aligned to the breadth of academic standards and the wide-ranging developmental needs of middle grades students. To develop a strong link between learning theories and actual pedagogical practice, we also require that our students engage in early, often and strategic field/clinical education experiences in middle grades settings.

Our program stands out as cutting-edge because we prepare undergraduate students to teach in both the upper elementary and middle grades classrooms.

Middle Grades Education students must select one of the following concentrations:

  • Language Arts
  • Mathematics
  • Mathematics and Language Arts
  • Mathematics and Science
  • Science
  • Science and Language Arts
  • Social Studies

In addition to becoming certified to teach all elementary subjects in 4-6th grades, all students in the BSEd in Middle Grades Education with a Concentration in Social Studies will pursue certification for 7-8th grades in the area of social studies.

Campus Location: Main

Program Code: ED-MGRE-BSED

GPA Requirements

In order to maintain good standing in Middle Grades Education, students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and a 2.0 grade point average in the course work in their concentration area.

Accreditation

The program is approved as a teacher preparation program by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Licensure/Certification

Upon successful completion of the program requirements, candidates may apply for a Pennsylvania Instructional I Teaching Certificate. Please note, Pennsylvania requires assessment of candidates in General Knowledge, Professional Knowledge and/or Subject Area Knowledge prior to issuance of a certificate. Please refer to the PDE web site for testing requirements.

Contact Information

Undergraduate Advising, College of Education and Human Development
edadvising@temple.edu

Tim Fukawa-Connelly, Program Coordinator
tim.fc@temple.edu

Kristie Newton, Teaching and Learning Department Chair
KJNewton@temple.edu

Learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Education in Middle Grades Education.

These requirements are for students who matriculated in academic year 2024-2025. Students who matriculated prior to fall 2024 should refer to the Archives to view the requirements for their Bulletin year.

Summary of Requirements

University Requirements

All students are required to complete the university's General Education (GenEd) curriculum. 

All students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive (WI) courses at Temple University. Writing intensive course numbers end in 96, 97 and 98. 

College Requirements

Students receive a Bachelor of Science in Education degree with a recommendation for Pennsylvania teacher certification upon the successful completion of their program requirements with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or must meet the Pennsylvania Department of Education's qualifying Praxis score standards. All students seeking to graduate with the recommendation for certification must also meet the requirements for Candidacy.

The required total minimum credit hours for the Middle Grades Education concentration in Social Studies is 120. These credit hours are satisfied by taking courses in four categories:

  1. University General Education requirements (General Education)
  2. Education courses
  3. Teacher Education Certification Courses (i.e. methods and student teaching)
  4. Concentration courses

Major Requirements

EDUC 2103Socio-cultural Foundations of Education in the United States 13
EDUC 2109Adolescent Development for Educators 13
SPED 2231Introduction to Special Education 13
SPED 3187Integrated Literacy and Special Education Practicum3
SPED 3211Effective Instructional Strategies for Students with Disabilities3
MGSE 3196Teaching and Learning Literacy in the Middle Grades3
MGSE 3404Teaching and Learning Math in the Middle Grades3
MGSE 3405Teaching and Learning Science in the Middle Grades3
TESL 3631Principles and Practice for Teaching English Learners3
SPED 4103Classroom Management and Positive Behavior Support3
MGSE 4296Cultures, Communities, and Families3
MGSE 4801Senior Seminar and Performance Assessment in Grades 4-12 Education3
MGSE 4888Student Teaching in Grades 4-129
Total Credit Hours45
1

These courses must be completed with a C- or better to be eligible for Candidacy approval. Pre-Candidacy coursework includes a variety of courses, including a minimum of 1) two college-level math courses totaling at least six credits, 2) one college-level writing/composition course with a minimum of three credits (GenEd Analytical Reading and Writing), and 3) one literature course with a minimum of three credits: Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life, Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good, or an ENG 2000 level course, as specified; no 0700 or pre-college level courses can count toward these requirements.

Program Requirements for Concentration in Social Studies

BIOL 1011General Biology I4
BIOL 1012General Biology II4
or PHYS 1022 Introduction to General Physics II
ECON 1001Introduction to the Economy3
or ECON 1103 Global Economics
ENG 2501Survey of British Literature3
or ENG 2502 Survey of American Literature
or ENG 2503 Survey of Global Literature
GUS 2002Space and Place3
or GUS 2014 Urban Geography
HIST 1101U.S. History to 18773
or HIST 1102 U.S. History since 1877
HIST 1702World History Modern3
or HIST 2304 20th Century Europe: A Continent in Crisis
or HIST 2511 Introduction to African History
HIST 2103African American History to 18653
or HIST 3101 Colonial America
HIST 2104African American History 1865-Present3
or HIST 2111 Recent American History
or HIST 2216 U.S. Civil War
or HIST 2217 Vietnam War
MATH 1015Introduction to Numbers & Figures 14
MATH 1021College Algebra 14
MATH 1022Precalculus 14
PHYS 1021Introduction to General Physics I4
POLS 1301International Politics3
or POLS 1101 The American Political System
Total Credit Hours48
1

These courses must be completed with a C- or better to be eligible for Candidacy approval. Pre-Candidacy coursework includes a variety of courses, including a minimum of 1) two college-level math courses totaling at least six credits, 2) one college-level writing/composition course with a minimum of three credits (GenEd Analytical Reading and Writing), and 3) one literature course with a minimum of three credits: Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life, Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good, or an ENG 2000 level course, as specified; no 0700 or pre-college level courses can count toward these requirements.

Suggested Academic Plan

Bachelor of Science in Education in Middle Grades Education with Social Studies Concentration

Suggested Plan for New Students Starting in the 2024-2025 Academic Year

To best prepare students in this major for the Praxis II exams, we strongly encourage taking the suggested GenEds listed.

(Certain courses require that a student secure clearances as per the College of Education and Human Development policy; students should check the current list of courses that require clearances on the College of Education and Human Development web site.)

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
FallCredit Hours
BIOL 1011 General Biology I 1 4
MATH 1021 College Algebra 3,4 4
ENG 0802
Analytical Reading and Writing [GW] 4
or Analytical Reading and Writing: ESL [GW]
or Honors Analytical Reading and Writing [GW]
4
GenEd Breadth Course 5 3
 Credit Hours15
Spring
MATH 1015 Introduction to Numbers & Figures 3,4 4
PHYS 1021 Introduction to General Physics I 1 4
Select one of the following: 3
Space and Place  
Urban Geography  
IH 0851
Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY] 4
or Honors Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY]
3
GenEd Breadth Course 5 3
 Credit Hours17
Year 2
Fall
EDUC 2103 Socio-cultural Foundations of Education in the United States 4 3
MATH 1022 Precalculus 3,4 4
Select one of the following: 4 3
Survey of British Literature  
Survey of American Literature  
Survey of Global Literature  
Select one of the following: 3
African American History to 1865  
Colonial America  
IH 0852
Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ] 4
or Honors Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ]
3
 Credit Hours16
Spring
EDUC 2109 Adolescent Development for Educators 2,4 3
SPED 2231 Introduction to Special Education 2,4 3
Select one of the following: 1 4
General Biology II  
Introduction to General Physics II  
Select one of the following: 3
U.S. History to 1877  
U.S. History since 1877  
GenEd Breadth Course 5 3
 Credit Hours16
Year 3
Fall
TESL 3631 Principles and Practice for Teaching English Learners 2 3
Select one of the following: 3
World History Modern  
20th Century Europe: A Continent in Crisis  
Introduction to African History  
Elective 3
Elective 2
GenEd Breadth Course 5 3
 Credit Hours14
Spring
MGSE 3196 Teaching and Learning Literacy in the Middle Grades [WI] 3
MGSE 3404 Teaching and Learning Math in the Middle Grades 3 3
MGSE 3405 Teaching and Learning Science in the Middle Grades 3
SPED 3187 Integrated Literacy and Special Education Practicum 3
Select one of the following: 3
African American History 1865-Present  
Recent American History  
U.S. Civil War  
Vietnam War  
 Credit Hours15
Year 4
Fall
MGSE 4296 Cultures, Communities, and Families [WI] 3
SPED 3211 Effective Instructional Strategies for Students with Disabilities 3
SPED 4103 Classroom Management and Positive Behavior Support 3
Select one of the following: 3
Introduction to the Economy  
Global Economics  
Select one of the following: 3
International Politics  
The American Political System  
 Credit Hours15
Spring
MGSE 4801 Senior Seminar and Performance Assessment in Grades 4-12 Education 3
MGSE 4888 Student Teaching in Grades 4-12 9
 Credit Hours12
 Total Credit Hours120
1

The sequence of either 1) BIOL 1011 and BIOL 1012 or 2) PHYS 1021 and PHYS 1022 constitutes a waiver for both of the GenEd Science and Technology (GS) courses required in the GenEd Science and Technology (GS) category if the courses are completed with a C- or better. Students must successfully complete all requirements in one sequence or the other.

2

Completion of 1) SPED 2231, 2) EDUC 2109, and 3) TESL 3631 constitutes the waiver for the GenEd Human Behavior (GB) category if the courses are completed with a C- or better.

3

Completion of 1) MATH 1015, 2) MATH 1021, 3) MATH 1022, and 4) MGSE 3404 constitutes a waiver for the GenEd Quantitative Literacy (GQ) category if the courses are completed with a C- or better.

4

These courses must be completed with a C- or better to be eligible for Candidacy approval. Pre-Candidacy coursework includes a variety of courses, including a minimum of 1) two college-level math courses totaling at least six credits, 2) one college-level writing/composition course with a minimum of three credits (GenEd Analytical Reading and Writing), and 3) one literature course with a minimum of three credits: Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life, Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good, or an ENG 2000 level course, as specified; no 0700 or pre-college level courses can count toward these requirements.

5

Suggested GenEd courses: Global/World Society (GG) = ANTH 0867 or GUS 0867; Race & Diversity (GD) = AAAS 0829, ANTH 0829, GUS 0829, HIST 0829, POLS 0829, SOC 0829 or SOC 0929; U.S. Society (GU) = AMST 0848 or HIST 0848.