College of Education Health and Human Services
School of Teaching, Learning and Curriculum Studies
www.kent.edu/ehhs/tlcs

About This Program

The Bachelor of Science in Education in Middle Childhood Education equips students with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed as a middle school teacher. With a focus on hands-on learning, experienced faculty, and real-world experience, this program prepares graduates to make a meaningful impact on young students. Read more...

Contact Information

• Kent: Danielle Gruhler | dgruhler@kent.edu | 330-672-6517
• Geauga: Robin Dever | rdever2@kent.edu | 440-834-3720
• Stark: Shelly Heron | mheron@kent.edu | 330-244-3403
• Speak with an Advisor
  • Geauga Campus
  • Kent Campus
  • Stark Campus
• Chat with an Admissions Counselor: Kent Campus | Regional Campuses

Program Delivery

• Delivery:
  • In person
• Location:
  • Geauga Campus   Applications to the B.S.E. in Middle Childhood Education are not being accepted starting spring 2024 on the Geauga Campus.
  • Kent Campus
  • Stark Campus

Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*

Accreditation 

Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation | Association of Middle Level Education

^{* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.}

Admission Requirements

Applications to the B.S.E. in Middle Childhood Education are not being accepted starting spring 2024 on the Geauga Campus.

Admission to this major is selective. Admission to the college does not guarantee admission to a major and/or admission to professional coursework for a selective admission program. To be admitted directly into a teacher education program, it is required that new freshmen have a 2.750 high school GPA.

Students who do not meet the GPA requirement at the time of admission for this major will be admitted to the EHHS General non-degree program until which time they have established a Kent State GPA of 2.750. They may then submit a change of program to declare this major.

Current Kent State and Transfer Students: Active Kent State students who wish to change their major must have attempted a minimum 12 credit hours at Kent State and meet all admission criteria listed above to be admitted. Students who have not attempted 12 credit hours at Kent State will be evaluated for admission based on their high school GPA for new students or transfer GPA for transfer students. Transfer students who have not attempted 12 credit hours of college-level coursework at Kent State and/or other institutions will be evaluated based on both their high school GPA and college GPA.

International Students: All international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions to waive) by earning a minimum 71 TOEFL iBT score, minimum 6.0 IELTS score, minimum 47 PTE score or minimum 100 DET score, or by completing the ELS level 112 Intensive English Program. For more information on international admission visit the admissions website for international students.

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

¹

A minimum C grade is required in either ENG 22071 or ENG 22072 for students in the Language Arts concentration.

²

Teacher candidates are only permitted to repeat a field experience course once. Please see Repeating Field Experience Courses in Teacher Education Programs policy for details.

³

A minimum C grade is required for students in the Social Studies concentration.

Language Arts and Mathematics Concentration Requirements

Language Arts and Science Concentration Requirements

¹

Additional mathematics course(s) may be required depending on mathematics placement. Please see your advisor.

Mathematics and Science Concentration Requirements

Mathematics and Social Studies Concentration Requirements

Social Studies and Language Arts Concentration Requirements

Social Studies and Science Concentration Requirements

¹

Additional mathematics course(s) may be required depending on mathematics placement. Please see your advisor.

Progression Requirements

Students must meet all professional requirements for admission to advanced study. To be admitted, students must display evidence of the following:

• Adequate communication skills
• Sound content area knowledge (language arts, mathematics, science or social studies)
• Basic understanding of the teaching profession
• Basic understanding of young adolescents
• Dispositions aligned with the conceptual framework of the College of Education, Health and Human Services, including being open-minded, flexible, caring and responsible.

Faculty will select the most qualified applicants based on an interview, letters of recommendation, and GPA¹. Applicants to the Middle Childhood Education major should have experience working with young adolescence in a supervisory capacity, such as tutoring, camp counseling, volunteer work or related experience. Students should contact the College of Education, Health and Human Services’ Vacca Office of Student Services, 304 White Hall, at the Kent campus, or the Geauga Student Services Office at 440-834-4187 at the Geauga campus, or the Office of Student Services, 132 Main Hall, 330-244-3251 at the Stark campus, during the first year of study to inquire about the procedures and criteria associated with advanced study

¹

Undergraduate students who have not completed a minimum of 12 Kent State University credit hours will be evaluated for advanced study and professional phase based on their high school GPA for new freshmen or transfer GPA for transfer students.

Graduation Requirements

Licensure Information

Candidates seeking Ohio licensure are required to pass specific assessments in order to apply for licensure. See Ohio Department of Education-Educator Preparation website for more information on assessments specific to licensure type. Taking and passing the licensure tests prior to graduation is encouraged but not required.

Students must apply for State of Ohio Licensure (defined by completion of all licensure program requirements) within 12 months of program completion. After 12 months, applicants must meet state-approved program/licensure requirements that are in effect at the time of application. This means that students who apply after the 12-month deadline may have to take additional coursework if the content, methods courses, program requirements or licensure requirements have changed from the catalog in force.

Roadmaps

Language Arts and Mathematics Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Language Arts and Science Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Mathematics and Science Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Mathematics and Social Studies Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Social Studies and Language Arts Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

Social Studies and Science Concentration

This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.

University Requirements

All students in a bachelor's degree program at Kent State University must complete the following university requirements for graduation.

NOTE: University requirements may be fulfilled in this program by specific course requirements. Please see Program Requirements for details.

Kent Core Requirements

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the program will be able to:

1. Demonstrate the knowledge, skills and disposition needed to work collaboratively with diverse others.
2. Demonstrate content knowledge in two licensure specialization areas.
3. Demonstrate in-depth instructional and planning skills to effectively meet the needs of all their students.

Full Description

The Bachelor of Science in Education degree in Middle Childhood Education prepares students for teacher licensure in selected subject areas, plus reading, for grades four to nine. In addition to content coursework and a substantial amount of field experiences, the Middle Childhood Education major includes intensive pedagogy courses that prepare students to understand the unique social, physical, cognitive and emotional needs of the young adolescent; these courses are taken as a cohort. Student teaching occurs during the final semester of the program.

Students choose two concentrations from the following:

• The Language Arts concentration includes courses in communication, grammar, literature, reading and writing.
• The Mathematics concentration includes courses in algebra, trigonometry, calculus, geometry and statistics.
• The Science concentration includes diverse courses in chemistry, biology, geology and physics.
• The Social Studies concentration includes diverse courses in economics, history, political science and geography.

Professional Licensure Disclosure

This program is designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure or certification and contact information for state licensing boards at Kent State's website for professional licensure disclosure.