Elementary Certification Program

If you wish to see the specific course requirements for a major or minor, click on the icon to take you to the worksheet.

Please note: All students who were in our program - fully accepted before May 1, 2003 - are encouraged to proceed on their old requirements. The new programs must be followed by all students accepted into the program after May 1, 2003. All old programs must be completed for certification no later than May 2005.

Major and Minor Requirements

The student who elects to pursue a straight elementary teaching certificate (K-5) may choose any one of 6 approved majors at Hope College. For purposes of state certification in elementary education, the following majors may appear on the teaching certificate: English, Fine Arts Group, Language Arts Group, Science Group, Social Studies Group and Mathematics (which is a new program just going through review at the state level).

Minors may be declared in selected areas, Kinesiology (Physical Education), Math, and Dance. The chart above provides detailed worksheets of the State-approved majors and minors available at Hope College for elementary certificaion. When planning for the major and/or minor, the student may want to coordinate courses with requirements for the General Education (Core) program.

Major Requirements - Elementary

The prospective elementary teacher has the option of fulfilling the major area of study requirements specified by the State of Michigan by completing a major in English (36 credits), Mathematics (33 credits) or a group major of 36-39.5 credit hours in a combination of disciplines: Fine Arts Group (38-39.5 credits), Language Arts Group (36 credits), Integrated Science Group (38 credits) and Social Studies Group (38 credits). Courses taken on a Pass/Fail basis are NOT permitted in the major areas of study.

Group Majors:

Because of the organization and approach of the typical elementary school , elementary teachers are expected to be "generalists"--this means they must teach something of everything! It is recommended that most prospective elementary teachers take a group major. A group major consists of at least 36-39.5 credit hours in three-four related fields with a core area of significant credits and the additional hours in two or more other areas. The principal content areas are: Language Arts Group (literature, writing, speaking and listening); Science Group (life science, physical science and earth/space science); and Social Studies Group (economics, geography, history and political science). The Fine Arts Group includes art, dance, music and theatre.

Academic Majors:

If a prospective teacher contemplates teaching in the upper elementary grades (4-6), at the middle school level (6-8), or in content area teams, it may be advisable to consider a straight academic major in English or Mathematics. Requirements for each major and minor certification program are listed as worksheets, accessed from the above table.

Minor Requirements - Elementary

The prospective elementary teacher has the option of fulfilling the requirements for a minor by completing a "substantive" minor constructed from General Education courses, or a minor in one of three available content areas: Kinesiology (Physical Education), Mathematics, or Dance. Although Hope College does not require a minor for graduation, the State Department of Education does require a minor for certification. Courses taken on a Pass/Fail basis are NOT permitted in the minor area of study.

Academic Minor:

A student may select a straight academic minor in mathematics (22 credit hours), Kinesiology (25 credit hours), and Dance (20.5 credit hours). A minor declaration form must be submitted for these programs.

PLEASE NOTE: Departments are constantly reviewing their courses and overall curriculum. They may change course numbers and credit hours or add new courses. The Education Department will monitor these changes and update the worksheets with the most current information. It will be important to consult with your advisor regarding any changes.