MAJORS
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Undergraduate Majors
The College of Education is the hub of teacher education at Purdue. Seventeen undergraduate majors are part of a collaborative teacher education program organized across six colleges with shared curriculum goals and jointly-appointed faculty.
Each of these majors leads to a bachelor’s degree, and if you meet all of the requirements and deadlines, licensure in the state of Indiana. If you’re interested in becoming a licensed teacher in one of these subjects, click the link below for more details.
Majors in the College of Education
Elementary Education
English Education
Social Studies Education
Inclusion: Dual Licensure in Special Education (Mild and Intense Intervention) and Elementary Education
Special Education: Mild & Intense Intervention K-6, BA
Special Education: Mild & Intense Intervention 5-12, BASpecial Education: Mild Intervention P-12 3-year, Fast-Track – currently not accepting applications
College of Agriculture
College of Health and Human Sciences
Early Childhood Education and Exceptional Needs
Family and Consumer Sciences Education
College of Liberal Arts
Visual Arts Education
Visual Arts Design Education
World Language Teaching Concentrations
- Chinese Teaching Concentration
- Classics Teaching Concentration
- French Teaching Concentration
- German Teaching Concentration
- Japanese Teaching Concentration
- Spanish Teaching Concentration
College of Science
Biology Education
Chemistry Education
Earth/Space Science Education
Mathematics Education
Physics Education
Purdue Polytechnic Institute
Non-Licensure Education Majors
4+1 Bachelor’s & MS in Applied Behavior Analysis (New!)
General Education: Curriculum & Instruction
General Education: Educational Studies
Learner Specialty Concentrations
Purdue’s teacher education program sets you apart! One of the ways we do this is through our Learner Specialty Concentrations. As an undergraduate student preparing for your teaching career, you will dive more deeply into understanding the unique talents and academic needs of different types of learners. As a part of your required teacher education coursework, you will take one or two courses that introduce you to working with students with gifts and talents, English learners, students with disabilities, and using positive behavior interventions. Beyond these introductory courses, you will also choose one Learner Specialty Concentration for a deeper exploration and preparation. This unique preparation will better prepare you to teach the variety of learners that will be in your future classroom and will help both you and your future students succeed.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
With an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) concentration, pre-service teachers gain advanced knowledge and skills in behavior approaches to instruction and student supports. The 12-credit, 4-course sequence focuses on procedures for evaluating behavior and target skills, designing data-driven interventions, and monitoring progress.
Pre-service teachers also have the option to add two courses to the 4-course sequence, EDPS 36201 Positive Behavior Supports and EDPS 40300 Individualized Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Supports, to fulfill the Behavior Analyst Certification Board course content requirements and be eligible to sit for the Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA) exam.
English Language Learners (ELL)
With the English Language Learning (ELL) concentration, pre-service teachers pursue a pathway to dual licensure in Elementary, Secondary or Special education and English as a New Language (ENL). After completing the 13-credit hour concentration and passing the required Indiana examination, teacher education candidates can add the ENL teaching license to an existing Indiana instructional license.
This concentration helps meet the needs of the increasing ELL student population in Indiana by providing teachers with the professional preparation to support English Learners K-12 in developing both English language and content area knowledge.
Special Education
Because approximately 60% of students with disabilities spend most of their school days in general education classrooms, all teachers need to have both the knowledge and the skills to teach students with disabilities. All teaching majors at Purdue learn about disabilities and how to provide each student in the classroom with access to the curriculum.
Pre-service teachers choosing the Special Education concentration complete additional coursework to increase their understanding of special education laws and their role and expectations in the shared responsibility of educating students with disabilities. Pre-service teachers in the Special Education concentration will have additional opportunities to develop their teaching practice in classroom experiences that include students with disabilities.
Gifted, Creative, and Talented (GCT)
In the Gifted, Creative, and Talented (GCT) concentration, pre-service teachers prepare for teaching excellence through a strengths-based, student-centered approach to teaching and learning. Based on a talent development perspective, we know all learners have strengths, talents, and interests that can be discovered and developed by teachers with knowledge and skills in academic, social-emotional, and personal talent development.
The goal of the GCT concentration is to not only identify gifted students but to identify and nurture the strengths and academic needs of all students, providing appropriate levels of challenge for maximum academic success and support to help youth develop healthy social and emotional skills. Successful completion of this 4-course concentration and successfully passing the required Indiana examination leads to K – 12 High Ability licensure as an additional credential to an Indiana teaching license.
Other Opportunities
Challenge Yourself
No matter what major you choose, there are more opportunities to challenge yourself at Purdue. For students who want to become a part of a vibrant intellectual and residential community of young scholars, consider also applying to the Honors College. If you are interested in academic research, you can gain invaluable experience in the Undergraduate Research Training Program (URT).
The College of Education also offers a Certificate in Collaborative Leadership (CCL) in which students learn many useful management skills. Such skills include team-building, empowerment of others and identifying and capitalizing on human resources to reach goals. The CCL is available campus-wide and consists of just 3-credit bearing courses.
Already have a bachelor’s degree and want to become a teacher? Request a transcript evaluation and credential review to find out what coursework you’ll need to complete.