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2024-25 Catalog

Education, Middle Level

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Academic Programs

Associate in Science Degree with a Concentration in Education, Middle Level (882)

The middle level education concentration will prepare students to transfer to a four-year institution to earn a bachelor's degree in middle level education and teacher licensure (Grades 6-9) in the state of Illinois. Students in middle level education complete a core of required methods courses, and then complete discipline-specific courses to be licensed in one or more content areas. Content areas include English Language Arts, Social Sciences, Mathematics, and Science.

The associate in science (A.S.) degree is designed to complete the lower-division (freshman and sophomore) portion of a bachelor of science degree in STEM-related majors. As a result, the A.S. degree does not include the entire General Education Core Curriculum (GECC). Therefore, students will need to complete MORE general education courses after transfer by completing the GECC curriculum while enrolled at the participating Illinois transfer institution OR fulfilling the general education requirements of their selected non-participating transfer institution.

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Transfer Considerations

General education and major field requirements vary significantly by intended transfer institution. Students who have already chosen the university to which they plan to transfer should consult that institution's catalog or department advisor and an SVCC academic advisor in planning their program. Transfer guides for some universities are available at svcc.edu/transfer.

Competitive Admissions

Since admission is competitive, completing the recommended courses does not by itself guarantee admission.

  1. A minimum grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale), dependent on the transfer school requirements, is required for program admission
  2. Students will also need to achieve a C or better grade in all general education coursework.

Special Considerations

  1. To teach in Illinois middle schools (grades 6-9), teachers must be licensed by the state of Illinois. Information regarding Illinois standards for Professional Educator License is available on the Illinois State Board of Education Website at isbe.net.
  2. Criminal History Check Policy: Illinois law requires Illinois school boards to conduct a criminal background investigation on applicants for employment. This law also prohibits the employment of a person who has been convicted of committing or attempting to commit any one or more of a number of offenses. At present, offenses include first degree murder; any Class X felony; juvenile pimping; soliciting for a juvenile prostitute; exploitation of a child; obscenity; child pornography; harmful material; criminal sexual assault; aggravated criminal sexual assault; offenses set forth in the Cannabis Control Act; and crimes defined in the Illinois Controlled Substance Act. Employment must be denied whether the offenses and/or conviction occurred inside or outside the state of Illinois.

Students who perform classroom observations through coursework at Sauk Valley Community College may be required by the selected school/site to undergo a criminal background check prior to placement. Students may be denied at any observation site based on the results of that check.

Students who feel their criminal background may exclude them from observation or employment should seek counseling with SVCC faculty or advising staff early in their program to determine how it may affect their participation and eligibility.

Program Contacts at Sauk Valley Community College

  • Academic Advising, 815-835-6354
  • Amanda Eichman, Professor of Education and English, 815-835-6319

Minimum Total Credit Hours - 64 Hours

Suggested Course Sequence

First Semester - 16-18 Hours

  • **Physical Science 3-5 Semester hour(s)
  • Social/Behavioral Science 3 Semester hour(s)

  • EDU105 - Prep for Careers in Education ( 2 Semester Hours)

    This course introduces the student to licensure standards, course sequences, and skills required for education majors. Students will be introduced to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards and will become familiar with the roles and responsibilities of teachers and the dispositions of effective teachers. Students will be exposed through observation activities to varying grade levels/ classrooms with the purpose of aiding in choosing the correct licensure path. Prerequisite: None 2 Semester hour(s) Lecture/Lab Hours: 2 lecture/week

  • ENG101 - Composition I ( 3 Semester Hours)

    This course (1) develops awareness of the writing process; (2) provides inventional, organizational, and editorial strategies; (3) stresses the variety of uses for writing; and (4) emphasizes critical skills in reading, thinking, and writing. Prerequisite: Required placement score on approved English placement test, high school unweighted GPA of 3.0 or higher, or a grade of C or higher in ELA 099. 3 Semester hour(s) Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI): C1 900 Lecture/Lab Hours: 3 lec/week

  • FYE101 - First Year Experience ( 1 Semester Hours)

    The focus of this course is how to be successful in college. Study skills, goal setting, academic planning, time and money management, and information research skills are among the core topics included in this course. Within a supportive environment, students will share their college experiences and develop connections with fellow students and SVCC staff. Prerequisite: None 1 Semester hour(s) Lecture/Lab Hours: 1 lec/week

  • *

    MAT203 - Calculus & Analytic Geometry I ( 4 Semester Hours)

    The elementary concepts of differential and integral calculus are introduced and applications are discussed. These include limits, continuity, the derivative, rules of differentiation, the indefinite and definite integral. Trigonometric functions are dealt with. Some applications are: related rates, graphing, extreme value problems, and Newton's method for finding roots of equations. Prerequisite: A grade of C or better in MAT 121, College Algebra, AND MAT 122, Trigonometry OR appropriate placement (see current placement score prerequisite chart) 4 Semester hour(s) Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI): M1 900-1, MTH 901 Lecture/Lab Hours: 4 lec/week

    OR

    MAT221 - Calc for Bus & Soc Science ( 4 Semester Hours)

    A brief course in elementary differential and integral calculus. Primarily for students of business, economics and social science, with emphasis on applications. Prerequisite: MAT 121 with a grade of C or higher or appropriate placement score, or four years of college preparatory high school mathematics with grades of C or higher OR Math 3 with a grade of C or higher. 4 Semester hour(s) Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI): M1 900-B Lecture/Lab Hours: 4 lec/week

       

    Second Semester - 14-17 Hours

    • **Additional Science OR Mathematics 4-5 Semester hour(s)
    • Fine Arts 3 Semester hour(s)
    • **Life Science 3-5 Semester hour(s)
    • Personal Development 1 Semester hour

    • ENG103 - Composition II ( 3 Semester Hours)

      An advanced course in essay writing with emphasis on formal research, ENG 103 serves to develop a proficiency in the collection and selection of data as applied to the completion of a formal research paper. In addition, students receive instruction in logic and reasoning, including the fundamentals of argumentative and persuasive writing. Prerequisite: A grade of C or higher in ENG 101 or its equivalent or consent of instructor. 3 Semester hour(s) Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI): C1 901R Lecture/Lab Hours: 3 lec/week

    Third Semester - 16-17 Hours

    • **Additional Science or Mathematics 4-5 Semester hour(s)
    • Fine Arts 3 Semester hour(s)
    • Social/Behavioral Science 3 Semester hour(s)

    • COM131 - Intro to Oral Communication ( 3 Semester Hours)

      The oral communication course combines communication theory with the practice of oral communication skills. The course: (1) develops awareness of the communication process; (2) provides inventional, organizational, and expressive strategies; (3) promotes understanding of and adaptation to a variety of communication contexts; and (4) emphasizes critical skills in listening, reading, thinking, and speaking. Prerequisite: None 3 Semester hour(s) Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI): C2 900 Lecture/Lab Hours: 3 lec/week

    • EDU220 - Educ of the Exceptional Child ( 3 Semester Hours)

      An introductory overview of the field of special education and the educational and evidence-based strategies that support children with exceptional cognitive, social, physical, and emotional needs. Services and interventions will be examined, including federal and state requirements for eligibility. Students will be introduced to the various exceptionality categories that occur in the population including an overview of characteristics of individuals in each category, with emphasis on category-appropriate interventions and teaching strategies. Prerequisite: None 3 Semester hour(s) Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI): ECE 913 Lecture/Lab Hours: 3 lec/week

    Fourth Semester - 15-18 Hours

    • ****EDU elective 3 Semester hour(s)
    • Humanities 3 Semester hours(s)
    • ***Content Area Electives or additional requirements 8-11 Semester hour(s)

    • EDU276 - Clinical Exper in Education ( 1 Semester Hours)

      This minimum 26-clock hour experience is offered to help meet clinical and/or observation requirements for education programs in Illinois. Seminar students will work one-on-one with students in support positions (tutoring, small group instruction, individual aid) and attend accompanying seminars focused on exploration of individual characteristics of learners and professional standards for teachers. Emphasis will be on teaching techniques, classroom dynamics and the effects of student developmental status on behavior and learning. A journal noting these factors will be kept by each seminar student. Prerequisite: None 1 Semester hour Lecture/Lab Hours: 2 lab/week Notes: This class contains an observation component. Schools may require students to undergo a criminal background check before being allowed into the classroom

    Footnotes

    • * Teaching content area will determine the most appropriate mathematics course(s). Mathematics content area should select MAT 203.
    • **Science content area should select CHE 105, CHE 106, BIO 105 plus PHY 201, PHY 202 as schedule allows. Some institutions require BIO 123 Intro to Botany and BIO 131 Zoology, in addition to BIO 105. Mathematics content area should select from MAT 204, 205, 220.
    • ***Student's content area and transfer school will guide the selection of content area/elective course work.
    • **** Suggested Education electives include EDU 176, 210, 224, 275.