Education
Edu 103: Orientation in Special Education – 1 credit hour
Observation of selected area special education, vocational preparation, and residential programs. Overview of service delivery systems in special education. Introduction to systematic classroom observation techniques.
Edu 108: Orientation to School of Education – 1 credit hour
Required for the transfer student who has completed the basic “Introduction to Education” course elsewhere. This course orients the pre-candidate to Brescia’s program, its conceptual framework, its educator disposition expectations, its continuous assessment system and practices, and its Ursuline foundation.
Edu 204: Introduction to Education – 3 credit hours
Examines the historical, philosophical, and social foundations of education; focus upon the organization, curriculum, and administration of the American school system; review of current educational research. Includes a required field component. May not be taken as directed study. Prerequisite: Fifteen hours of University course work.
Edu 213: School Health, Safety, Nutrition, and the Environment – 3 credit hours
Required for elementary education majors, this course provides a basic background for understanding how the body functions, health-related problems, personal hygiene, good health practices, nutrition, environmental issues, safety measures in the community, and the roles and responsibilities of teachers as advocates for children.
Edu 246: Technology Application and Integration in Education – 3 credit hours
Introduction to current educational technology hardware, software, and research-based practices that seek to have a positive impact on teaching and learning in diverse settings and with diverse populations. Specific emphasis will focus on awareness of best-practice technology integration techniques into the design, execution, and assessment of learning. Candidates will practice using 21st-century technology equipment to leverage necessary skills as a future education professional. Field Experience required. Prerequisite: Word processing competency.
Edu 255: Teaching Diverse Populations of Children and Youth – 3 credit hours
Introduction to issues regarding elements of diversity in P–12 children and youth that affect educational performance and outcomes. Elements of diversity examined include: gender, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, language, exceptionalities, religion, and geographical area. Current issues include: legal requirements at state and federal levels, definitions, characteristics, educational needs of identified and at-risk students, appropriate adaptations/accommodations/modifications for school environments and for instructional design/implementation/assessment and ethical professional practice. Field experience required. Prerequisites: Sophomore status; Eng 102 recommended.
Edu 256: Adaptive Physical Education – 1 credit hour
Introduction to physical education and recreation programs for special populations. Overview of safety considerations and proper techniques for lifts, transfers, and positioning. Introduction to accessibility and adaptive needs for persons with orthopedic handicaps. Exposure to variety of orthopedic/adaptive equipment and technological assists.
Edu 257: Physical Education (P–5) – 1 credit hour
Designed to enable understanding of motor and social developmental stages of P–5 students and to facilitate the acquisition of the skills necessary to conduct programs appropriate to the needs and abilities of those students.
Edu 301: Growth, Development, and Learning Theory – 3 credit hours
This course provides an in-depth study of human growth and development with respect to physical, social, cognitive, gender, emotional, and personality issues, in conjunction with consideration of theories of learning and teaching that apply to student development. Field experience required. Prerequisite: Edu 204 or permission of instructor.
Edu 307: Early Childhood Special Education – 3 credit hours
Course content includes issues, intervention techniques, and service delivery models for infants, toddlers, and preschool children who are considered developmentally disabled or at risk. It also examines transdisciplinary approaches to Individual Family Service Plans, assessment and curriculum, transition, integration; and it explores the developmental and functional approaches to instruction. Field experience required. Prerequisite: Admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 314: Children’s Literature – 3 credit hours
Provides a general overview of the literature appropriate for elementary grades and beyond; acquaints candidates with books and their uses in the literature-based approach to teaching. Field Experience required. Prerequisite: Sophomore status or permission of instructor.
Edu 315: Adolescent Literature – 3 credit hours
Provides a general overview of the literature appropriate for elementary and middle grades; acquaints candidates with books and their uses in the literature-based approach to teaching. This course fulfills a requirement in the English and Communication component in the curriculum for the Provisional Certificate for Teaching in the Middle Grades. Field Experience required. Prerequisite: Sophomore status.
Edu 319: Social Studies in Elementary Grades – 3 credit hours
Prepares teachers at the elementary level to organize and teach social studies concepts, providing them with appropriate content, methodology, and activities for reinforcing those concepts. Field experience required. Prerequisites: Completion of a global and a U.S. history course and admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 320: Science for Elementary Grades – 3 credit hours
This course is designed to assist the teacher of the elementary grades in presenting science concepts in an interesting and challenging way so as to help the candidate acquire and maintain a high level of curiosity about science and to enjoy the information acquired. It will provide models of inquiry and a methodology for teaching the science curriculum. Field experience required. Prerequisites: Completion of a biological and a physical science course and admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 321: Teaching Reading in the Elementary Schools – 3 credit hours
This course is designed for elementary school teachers to survey reading research, develop a meaningful repertoire of teaching strategies, and integrate reading skills and materials across the elementary school curriculum. Field placement required. Prerequisites: Edu 204 and admission to School of Education; or permission of instructor. Edu 314 strongly recommended.
Edu 322: Teaching Reading in the Content Areas – 3 credit hours
This course is designed for middle school teachers. It approaches reading as a cognitive process and offers teaching strategies, skill development strategies, aids, and approaches to assessing the readability of materials in middle school content areas. Field experience required. Prerequisites: Admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 323: Math Methods for Elementary Grades – 3 credit hours
This course prepares teachers to assist children in acquiring an understanding of mathematical concepts and principles and the operations to which they apply; upon achieving this understanding, children will learn the skills they need to use mathematics effectively in a wide variety of situations. Field experience required. Prerequisites: Mth 203, 204, and admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 324: Teaching Mathematics – 3 credit hours
A study of the content and methodology for teaching mathematics in the middle school. Deals with process of learning mathematics, content to be taught, and methods of teaching. Not applicable toward a mathematics major or minor. Field experience required. Prerequisites: Mth 204 and admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 325: Teaching Language Arts in the Elementary School – 3 credit hours
This course is designed for elementary school teachers. The purposes of this course are to survey the language arts research, examine and evaluate approaches to teaching language arts, and develop teaching strategies and skills that will integrate language arts in the elementary school curriculum. Field placement required. Prerequisites: Edu 204 and admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 326: Teaching Language Arts in the Content Areas – 3 credit hours
This course is designed for middle school teachers. The purposes of this course are to survey the language arts research, examine and evaluate approaches to teaching language arts in the content areas, and to develop teaching strategies and skills that will integrate language arts into the middle school content areas. Field placement required. Prerequisites: Edu 204 and admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 327: Teaching Reading: Secondary Schools – 3 credit hours
Methods of teaching reading and study skills in content areas; survey of diagnostic instruments, instructional materials, and organization of reading program; focus upon current research and practice. Field experience required. Prerequisite: Admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 328: Teaching Social Studies – 3 credit hours
This course is designed to direct prospective teachers in their efforts to organize and conduct successful social studies learning experiences in the middle grades and to provide detailed information about content to be covered, methods of teaching, materials to be used, and activities appropriate for each content area. Field experience required. Prerequisites: Completion of a global and a U.S. history course, Edu 204, and admission to School of Education or permission of instructor
Edu 329: Teaching Science – 3 credit hours
This course is designed to give directions to the prospective teacher on how to organize and conduct successful learning experiences in the middle grades and to provide detailed information for each content area, along with appropriate learning activities and methods of teaching science effectively. Field experience required. Prerequisites: Completion of a biological and a physical science course and admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 334: Introduction to Learning and Behavior Disorders – 3 credit hours
A survey of the nature and needs of individuals with a variety of mild learning and behavior disorders, including Learning Disabilities, Behavior Disorders, Mild Mental Disabilities, and Orthopedic Handicaps. Considers characteristics, definitions, historical developments, legal requirements, family concerns, and programming and intervention issues. Field experience required. Prerequisite: Admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 336: Methods: Learning and Behavior Disorders – 3 credit hours
Methods, materials, and curriculum for planning and providing systematic instruction to individuals with mild learning and behavior disorders. Focus is on individualized diagnosis, strategies, formative evaluation, collaboration, and use of technology in the classroom. Service delivery systems and research findings are examined. Field experience required. Prerequisites: Edu 334 and admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 337: Behavior Disorders: Techniques and Procedures – 3 credit hours
Application of behavior management skills with emphasis on changing student behavior; establishing effective behavioral environments; and identifying, monitoring, and charting targeted behaviors. Behavior modification, effective teaching variables, self-monitoring techniques, and other theories are discussed. Field experience required. Prerequisite: Admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 340: Teaching Secondary School Subjects – 3 credit hours
Overview of secondary school structure, historical perspective, curriculum, diagnosis, planning. Comprehensive thirty-hour field experience in an area high school is required. May not be taken as a directed study. Prerequisites: Edu 301 and admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 350: Diagnosis and Assessment in Special Education – 3 credit hours
Instruction in the development and utilization of informal and formal evaluation instruments for use in providing diagnostic/prescriptive teaching in the curriculum areas. Field experience in assessment required. Prerequisites: Edu 334 and admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 360: Teaching Literacy across the Curriculum – 3 credit hours
This course, designed for secondary majors, surveys methods of teaching literacy as a secondary teacher of English and as a secondary teacher of content; it also addresses the effective use of assessment, instructional materials, and organization of a literacy program, focusing on current research and practice. Prerequisite: Edu 204 and admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 399: Independent Study – 1- 4 credit hours
This course designates a field of study that is not part of the regular curriculum. It is generally offered based on teacher candidate interests and needs. Prerequisite: Submission and approval of “Application for Admission to Independent Study.”
Edu 401: ESL: Language and Culture – 3 credit hours
For the candidate seeking an ESL endorsement, this course assists teachers in understanding the diversity in foundational belief systems and world views, and how language is used to express those systems. The candidate is introduced to the idea of universal and particular beliefs of various cultures. Field hours required. Prerequisites: Admission to School of Education and six (6) hours modern language, or current teaching certificate.
Edu 402 ESL: Acquisition and Skill Set for Teaching ESL Students – 3 credit hours
For candidates seeking an ESL endorsement, this course assists teachers in understanding how language is learned, and consequently how to teach the English language more effectively. The course emphasizes the impact of the theories of second language acquisition on ESL pedagogy and introduces the teaching of the ESL skill set, based on the most recent or respected research on how each language skill is learned. These skills will include teaching ESL reading, writing, oral skills, and vocabulary. Field hours required. Prerequisites: Admission to School of Education and six (6) hours modern language, or current teaching certificate.
Edu 403 ESL: Methods and Materials for Teaching P–12 ESL Students – 3 credit hours
For those seeking an ESL endorsement, this course uses knowledge derived from the linguistic sciences about the nature of language and how it is learned to assist pre-service teachers in exploring and evaluating the various methods, techniques, and approaches to the teaching of English as a Second Language. The course also provides opportunities for the development of skills, procedures, and strategies for teaching from and utilizing commercial material and developing teacher-made materials for teaching ESL students. Field hours required. Prerequisites: Admission into School of Education and six (6) hours modern language, or current teaching certificate.
Edu 404: ESL Practicum – 1 credit hour
Supervised teaching experience. This class focuses on the assessment, design, and implementation of systematic instruction and collaboration practices for ESL students. Requires 30 field hours and meetings with instructor. Prerequisites: Admission into School of Education and six (6) hours modern language, or current teaching certificate.
Edu 410: Methods and Materials: Secondary Curriculum – 3 credit hours
Examines teaching techniques/strategies for secondary classroom. Focus upon instructional materials in various areas of secondary certification; use of media; and micro-teaching. Thirty-hour field experience in candidate’s major discipline required. May not be taken as a directed study. Prerequisites: Edu 407 and admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 412: Curriculum and Classroom Management for the Middle Grades – 3 credit hours
This course acquaints the candidate with the philosophy and organization of the middle school, appropriate curriculum concepts, discipline strategies, and classroom management. Fifteen field hours required. Prerequisites: Admission to School of Education, junior status, and sixty hours of field experience.
Edu 413: Curriculum and Classroom Management – 3 credit hours
Acquaints the candidate with management techniques and theory, effective classroom environments, discipline techniques, effective classroom behaviors, conferencing, observation and report-writing skills. Fifteen field hours required. Prerequisites: Admission to School of Education, junior status, and sixty hours of field experience.
Edu 415: Practicum – Elementary – 1 credit hour
Supervised teaching experience during the semester immediately preceding clinical practice. Focuses on the assessment, design, and implementation of systemic instruction and collaboration for Elementary grades. Required 50 field hours and meetings with instructor.
Edu 416: Practicum – Middle School – 1 credit hour
Supervised teaching experience during the semester immediately preceding clinical practice. Focuses on the assessment, design, and implementation of systemic instruction and collaboration for Middle grades. Required 50 field hours and meetings with instructor.
Edu 417: Practicum – Secondary – 1 credit hour
Supervised teaching experience during the semester immediately preceding clinical practice. Focuses on the assessment, design, and implementation of systemic instruction and collaboration for Secondary grades. Required 50 field hours and meetings with instructor.
Edu 418: Practicum – Special Education: LBD – 1 – 3 credit hours
Supervised teaching experience during the semester immediately preceding clinical practice. Focuses on the assessment, design, and implementation of systematic instruction and collaboration practices for students with learning and behavior disorders. Requires minimum of 50 active field hours per semester credit hour and meetings with instructor.
Edu 426: Professional Laboratory Experiences – 4-8 credit hours
A practicum approach to teaching that may include selected laboratory experiences, group/ individual sessions, and readings. When appropriate, this course could satisfy the requirement for a supervised clinical practice requirement. Prerequisites: For experienced teachers only; approval of program chair and admission to School of Education.
Edu 430: Adaptive and Assistive Technology: Communication and Curricular Issues – 3 credit hours
Explores language development, language disorders associated with students with disabilities, adaptive and assistive technologies, and strategies to promote language and communication. Experiences will include assessment, program development, use and evaluation of technologies, collaborative problem solving. Field experiences will be required. Prerequisite: Admission to School of Education or permission of instructor.
Edu 431: Transition to Kindergarten Curriculum and Methods – 3 credit hours
Methods, materials, and curriculum for planning and providing systematic instruction to individuals transitioning to and enrolled in kindergarten; included are children with and without identified disabilities. Focus is on individualized diagnosis, strategies, formative evaluation, collaboration, literacy development, and use of appropriate technology in the classroom. Service delivery systems and research findings are examined. Field experience is required. Prerequisites: Admission to School of Education and completion of Edu 311 or permission of instructor.
Edu 434 : Clinical Practice: Elementary (P–5) – 9 credit hours
Observation, participation, and teaching experiences for minimum of fourteen (14) weeks in approved public or private school; minimum of seven (7) weeks in a primary P–2 placement and a minimum of seven (7) weeks in an intermediate grades 3–5 placement. Includes development of professional portfolio. Prerequisites: Admission to clinical practice, course work through the junior year, and completion of all methods courses
Edu 434L: Clinical Practice: Elementary (P–5) – 6 credit hours
Observation, participation, and teaching experiences for a minimum of nine (9) weeks in approved public or private school; includes development of professional portfolio. Open only to Special Education majors. Prerequisites: Admission to clinical practice, declared special education major, course work through the junior year, and completion of all methods courses.
Edu 435: Clinical Practice: Middle School (5–9) – 9 credit hours
Observation, participation, and teaching experiences in approved public and private schools — middle grades, 5–9 — for a minimum of fourteen (14) full weeks (typically distributed seven (7) weeks full time in each specialty area); includes development of professional portfolio. Prerequisites: Admission to clinical practice, course work through the junior year, and Edu 412.
Edu 435L: Clinical Practice: Middle School (5–9) – 6 credit hours
Observation, participation, and teaching experiences in approved public and private schools — middle grades, 5–9 — for minimum of nine (9) full weeks; includes development of professional portfolio. Open only to Special Education majors. Prerequisites: Admission to clinical practice, declared Special Education major, course work through the junior year, and Edu 412.
Edu 436: Clinical Practice: Secondary (8–12) – 9 credit hours
Observation, participation, and teaching experiences in approved secondary public or private school for a minimum of fourteen (14) weeks; includes development of professional portfolio. Prerequisite: Admission to clinical practice.
Edu 436L: Clinical Practice: Secondary (8–12) – 6 credit hours
Observation, participation, and teaching experiences in approved secondary public or private school for a minimum of nine (9) weeks; includes development of professional portfolio. Open only to Special Education majors. Prerequisite: Admission to clinical practice, declared Special Education major, and course work through the junior year.
Edu 437L: Clinical Practice: Special Education LBD – 6 credit hours
Observation, participation, and extensive teaching experience with students having learning and behavior disorders; includes development of professional portfolio. The experience is for a minimum of nine (9) weeks in an approved public school. Prerequisites: Edu 336, admission to clinical practice, and permission of instructor.
Edu 441: Career Education and Family Life – 3 credit hours
Course content includes transition plans, life-centered curricula, materials, and methods to meet the lifelong career, community involvement, family life, and sex education needs of individuals with disabilities. Clinic and field hours required. Prerequisites: Admission to School of Education and permission of instructor.
Edu 443: Legal Aspects, Parental Issues, and the IEP – 3 credit hours
Examines laws, regulations, due process procedures, and court decisions that affect Special Education providers, individuals with exceptionalities, and their families. Also explores communication and counseling issues for working with parents and families. Develops techniques for creating individualized educational programs. Prerequisites: Admission to School of Education and permission of instructor.
Geography
Geo 211: World Geography I – 3 credit hours
This course is a survey in general geography designed to describe the earth’s topography, political, and cultural divisions.
Geo 212: World Geography II – 3 credit hours
This course continues the survey in general geography designed to describe the earth’s topography, political, and cultural divisions.