Education - Elementary

Major

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Why Study Elementary Education at Goshen College?

A nationally respected teacher preparation program rooted in equity, cultural responsiveness, and educational justice.

If you’re passionate about shaping young minds and creating inclusive, engaging classrooms, Goshen College’s elementary education program is the perfect place to start your journey.

From your very first year, you’ll gain hands-on experience in local classrooms and build your confidence through small, supportive classes and one-on-one mentoring from experienced faculty.

Goshen College is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), a recognition of our excellence in content, clinical partnerships, candidate support, and continuous improvement. Learn more about our accreditation and our CAEP accountability measures of success.

What This Program Is

  • 9:1
    Student-faculty ratio, small class sizes with professors who care and foster student success.
  • K–6
    You will have field placements across a variety of ages and contexts.
  • 100%
    of students complete our program with confidence and real-world teaching experience.

    Built on Hands-On Learning

    You won’t just study teaching, you’ll practice it. Real classrooms, real students, real responsibility, from your very first year.

    • Participate in classroom placements starting your first year
    • Complete a full semester of student teaching in local schools
    • Join education-focused service projects and clubs

    Our on-campus laboratory kindergarten provides a valuable opportunity to observe child development and behavior in a rich interactive environment. At Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center, you’ll have the chance to explore environmental education in a hands-on setting.

    What You’ll Study

    As an elementary education major, you’ll dive into courses on child development, curriculum design, exceptional learners literacy instruction, assessment, classroom management, and more. This major requires a minimum of 37 credit hours, in addition to the Goshen CORE (63–76 credits).

    You’ll gain experience through multiple classroom placements and spend a full semester student teaching, so you graduate ready to lead your own classroom with confidence. This program also requires you to complete one of the licenseable minors shown below.

    Along with Elementary Education, if you minor in Special Education or English Learners you will be licensed in both areas.

    Course Catalog

    Choose Your Minor

    • Special Education (K–6)

      12 credit hours. Build classroom-tested skills for supporting students with learning differences in elementary settings.

    • Special Education (K–12)

      15 credit hours. Expanded preparation covering elementary, middle, and high school classrooms.

    • English Learners (K–6)

      17 credit hours. Add the in-demand EL endorsement to your license and support multilingual classrooms.

    • Other Licenseable Minor

      Choose from additional licenseable minors offered through other departments. Education faculty will help you plan the right fit.

      • I graduated from Goshen College’s program with a strong pedagogical foundation, a multitude of classroom management skills, a network of support, a passion for education, and a civic responsibility to serve my community.

        Madeline Bollinger

        2025 grad, 4th/5th Grade Dual Language Teacher Bayard Taylor Elementary School

      Career Paths

      Graduates from Goshen College’s elementary education program go on to become:

      • Curriculum Designers
      • Educational Program Coordinators
      • Elementary School Teachers
      • Literacy Specialists
      • Reading Interventionists

      This program prepares students for licensure as educators and is designed to meet the standards set by the Indiana Department of Education. For more information, please view our Professional Licensure Disclosure.

      Scholarships

      Additional scholarships for education majors may be available, be sure to check with the education department for more information.

      Explore More Scholarships

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        Related majors & minors

        All Majors & Minors

        • Undecided

          Choosing to be undecided means being intentional about finding a path that’s right for you.

        • Special Education – Elementary

          If you’re passionate about shaping young minds and creating inclusive, engaging classrooms, Goshen College’s elementary education program is the perfect place to start your journey.

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        • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)

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          All Majors & Minors