The Educational Studies major is designed for students seeking certification at the Elementary level. Students in the Educational Studies program can earn certification for teaching pre-kindergarten through 3rd grade (PK-3) and/or 3rd grade through 6th grade (3-6).  Students also have the option to take additional courses to earn an endorsement in Special Education (K-12) or teaching English as a Second Language (K-12).

The Educational Studies major ensures that novice teachers are:

• prepared to address the needs of the whole child
• use relevant, research-based criteria to establish a supportive, engaging environment that fosters learning
• and use practices that meet individual children’s needs. 

Students complete several structured field experiences embedded throughout the program.

To earn Elementary Teacher Certification, all GVSU students must complete the Educational Studies major through the College of Education and Community Innovation, and the PCKET (Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Elementary Teaching) major through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This double major program offers courses that meet Michigan Department of Education Standards for the Preparation of Teachers of Lower and/or Upper Elementary Education.

In the PCKET major, students learn content and pedagogy in the academic disciplines that are taught in an elementary curriculum: English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, fine arts, and health and physical education. PCKET faculty engage students in discipline-specific teaching and learning, opportunities for research and scholarly activity in the disciplines, experiences in area classrooms and in the community, and study abroad programs.