Centenary adds undergraduate degrees in education
SHREVEPORT, LA — Undergraduate students interested in pursuing careers in education will have a new option at Centenary beginning in the 2018-2019 academic year. The College’s Department of Education will offer bachelor of arts degrees in elementary education and vocal music education (K-12) and a bachelor of science in elementary education. Students will also be able to add a minor in education or secondary education. All programs have the option for state certification.
“This is a really exciting opportunity for Centenary undergraduate students,” says Dr. Karen Soul, vice provost for academic affairs and chair of the department of education. “The new education programs, developed by faculty from across the College, provide coursework and experiences that will prepare students to successfully address the most pressing needs of students, schools, and communities.”
Adding the new undergraduate education major fulfills a core initiative in the Centenary’s new strategic plan, reflecting an emphasis on academic programs that are responsive to the needs of the marketplace, local community, and the world at large.
“We need a great educational system to move our region and our state forward, and a great educational system desperately needs excellent, well-trained teachers,” says Centenary president Dr. Christopher L. Holoman. “At Centenary, we are ready to lead the way in filling that need. I am very pleased with the work the faculty has done creating a new curriculum that builds on Centenary’s long history of strength in the sciences, music, and social justice.”
Centenary’s undergraduate education program will offer two unique concentrations – Community and Social Justice for the B.A. and STEM for the B.S. The Community and Social Justice concentration helps train teachers to understand that social factors in students’ lives, such as poverty and discrimination, affect how they learn. The curriculum incorporates courses on diversity and social justice in education, ethics, sociology of the family, and prejudice and stereotyping to equip graduates to teach in a variety of environments. Students pursuing a STEM concentration will add courses in engineering, biology, chemistry, math, or physics to their education core.
Building on the traditional strengths in the music curriculum at the College’s Hurley School of Music, the new B.A. degree in vocal music education will prepare students to teach music and lead vocal performance ensembles in K-12 schools. Courses range from content and pedagogy to music theory, conducting, and music history.
All of the undergraduate education degrees also require a minimum of nine hours of clinical practice, including student teaching, senior seminar, and focused career exploration.
Centenary also offers a Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) in elementary education, secondary education, and K-12 choral music. Centenary undergraduates who have completed 90 hours of coursework may, upon approval, enroll in courses in the M.A.T. program. Upon successful completion of bachelor’s degree requirements and PRAXIS examination, these students may be formally admitted to the M.A.T. program to continue their education studies.
For more information about Centenary’s undergraduate education programs, visit centenary.edu/education or contact Dr. Karen Soul at ksoul@centenary.edu.