Elementary Education

Polk State’s Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education Program is a 60-hour, state-approved teacher preparation program that builds on an Associate in Arts degree. During the course of the bachelor’s degree, students complete requirements for Florida Professional Teacher Certification (kindergarten-sixth grade).

Field experiences are an integral component of the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education Program, providing real-world settings for students to make connections between what is learned in class and how that knowledge is applied in professional practice at a variety of school settings and grade levels as they progress through the program.

The culminating teaching experience, the final internship, provides ample time for teacher candidates to demonstrate mastery of the skills and competencies delineated by the State of Florida as necessary for effective teaching and learning. The typical final internship experience is a 12-week placement in a local school where teacher candidates assume the role of a full-time classroom teacher. Field experience and internship placements for teacher candidates will be limited to schools within Polk County. Graduates of the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education Program will be eligible for Florida Professional Teacher Certification with Elementary Education (Grades K-6)/ESOL Endorsement/Reading Endorsement.