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• URBAN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

  Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies

  Elementary Education

  Bilingual Education

  Secondary Education

  Early Childhood Endorsement

  English-as-a-Second-Language Endorsement

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URBAN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Barbara Erwin, EdD, Chair

Room 601-South, 713-221-8906

Faculty

Professor:		Erwin
Associate Professor:		Sikka
Assistant Professors:		Bhattacharjee, Brown, Chen, R. Johnson, Key, Kline-Cherry, Middleton, Mullinnix, Woods-Stellman
Instructors:		Cmajdalka, Garcia, Hood, Thielemann
Academic Areas:		Elementary education, secondary education, bilingual education, English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL), Early Childhood (ECH)

Program of Study

Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies

Mission and Objectives

The Urban Education Department offers preparation for persons seeking elementary, secondary, bilingual certification, and an endorsement in English-as-a-Second-Language. The department also offers courses for post-baccalaureate students seeking elementary, secondary, and bilingual certification. Courses in this department are taught as integrated interdisciplinary blocks (9-10 hours each) and are field-based in public schools within the Houston Independent School District and surrounding districts.

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Building upon an understanding of cultural and linguistic diversity developed through the program’s general education requirements and its Urban Education Core, the Interdisciplinary Blocks will provide (1) opportunities for future teachers to observe and interact with master teachers and divergent learners within the school setting; (2) interact with children of diverse backgrounds and experiences to create an understanding of themselves, their own culture, and the cultures of others; (3) develop a community of learners which acknowledges the similarities of diverse members and appreciates differences; (4) plan and implement effective strategies which ensure academic success for all learners; and (5) use technology in effective ways to enhance student achievement.

It is expected that at the end of the teacher education program, the new teacher will have internalized the five state-identified proficiencies for teacher education and scored at an acceptable level on the state-mandated ExCET test. To promote and ensure student success, both ExCET objectives and state proficiencies have been integrated throughout the program.

Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies

Barbara Erwin, EdD, Coordinator

Room 601-South, 713-221-8906

Degree reqirements

The elementary interdisciplinary studies major requires a minimum of 120 to a maximum of 139 hours. For degree completion, at least the last 30 hours, representing the professional development courses, must be earned through instruction offered by UH–Downtown. Formal admission to teacher education requires the following: formal application to program, 2.5 overall grade point average for undergraduate majors or 2.5 overall GPA for post-baccalaureate students, 2.5 GPA in teaching field, 60 hours of course work, successful completion of TASP (all three sections), and completion or concurrent enrollment in SOS 3306 Culture of the Urban School. Nine hours of courses from the Urban Education Core (noted by an asterisk*) and foreign language instruction must be chosen as a part of this degree. Graduation requires successful completion of all course work including the three interdisciplinary blocks. In addition, certification requires acceptable scores on state-mandated ExCET examinations.

Elementary Education

Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies

(120–139 hours)

Students seeking certification in elementary education within the Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies degree will choose the following courses:

Common Core Requirements (42 hours)

See listing under General Education Requirements in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Students who have not yet completed their history requirement in the core are urged to fulfill 3 hours of the requirement by taking HIST 2309* Ethnic Minorities in American History. In fulfillment of the Behavioral Sciences requirement, PSY 1303 General Psychology is recommended. If not taken in the core, PSY 1303 should be added to the following preparatory requirements. Students who have not taken 6 hours of science in the core are encouraged to take 6 hours form Natural Sciences 3310, 3311, or 3312.

Preparatory Requirements (24–32 hours)
These courses are preliminary requirements for the degree and are in addition to the core curriculum, with the possible exception of one three-hour course in introductory behavioral science courses that may have been taken as part of the core:
ENG 3302			Business and Technical Report Writing
Three hours of mathematics above the level of MATH 1300
ANTH 2302*			Cultural Anthropology
PSY 1303			General Psychology
SOC 1303			Principles of Sociology
SOSE 3306*			Culture of the Urban School
SOSE 3320			Assessment and Evaluation of Children
One of the following:
	PSY 2310		Human Growth and Development
	PSY 3303		Child Psychology
	PSY 3305		Adolescent Psychology
	PSY 4304		Learning

Spanish (3–8 hours)

Depending upon placement, either two semesters of lower division Spanish* or SPAN 3301 Advanced Spanish Grammar (While Spanish is the requirement, other languages may be accepted upon appeal.)

Major Requirements and Academic Specializations
Courses required for all (18 hours):
GEOG 1302			World Geography (may be omitted here if transferred as part of the core curriculum)
MATH 3321			Math Concepts I
MATH 3322			Math Concepts II
ENG 3351			Children’s Literature
READ 3305			Foundations of Reading
One course in linguistics:
	ENG 3319		Introduction to the Study of Language or
	ENG 3320		History of the English Language

Within this degree, one elementary academic specialization in either English, History, Speech Communication, Biology or Mathematics must be chosen. Each specialization requires a minimum of 18 hours. Listed here are the required hours not already included in other parts of the degree program:

Academic Specialization in English (9 unduplicated hours)
Six hours in sequence of sophomore survey (three hours from core curriculum can be applied).
	ENG 2301–2302		Literature of the Western World
	ENG 2311–2312		American Literature
	ENG 2313–2314		British Literature
Three hours from genre courses:
	ENG 3311		Studies in Poetry
	ENG 3312		Studies in Fiction
	ENG 3313		Studies in Dramatic Literature
Three hours of upper division English electives by advisement 36

Academic Specialization in History (12 unduplicated hours)
In addition to the six hours of U.S. History courses from core curriculum, this specialization requires Three hours of World History
	HIST 3315		World History I or
	HIST 3316		World History II
Nine hours of upper-division History electives approved by the advisor

Academic Specialization in Speech Communication (15 unduplicated hours)
Three hours of lower division speech courses (may be met in core curriculum)
	SPCH 1304		Introduction to Speech Communication
	SPCH 1385		Communication in the Classroom
	SPCH 2307*		Intercultural Communication
Six hours from:
	SPCH 1302		Oral Interpretation of Literature
	SPCH 1304		Introduction to Speech Communication
	SPCH 2303		Argumentation and Debate
	SPCH 2307
	SPCH 2309		Interpersonal Communication
Nine hours from:
	SPCH 3304		Public Speaking
	SPCH 3306		Business and Professional Speech Communication
	SPCH 3308		Family Communication
	SPCH 3310		Women, Men and Communication
	SPCH 4310		Communication with the Organization
	SPCH 4390		Issues in Speech Communication

Academic Specialization in Biology (12–20 hours)
BIOL 1301/1101			General Biology I with Lab (may be omitted here if taken as part of the core curriculum)
BIOL 1302/1102			General Biology II with Lab (may be omitted here if taken as part of the core curriculum)
BIOL 3305/3105			Comparative Anatomy with Lab
BIOL 3320/3120			Comparative Animal Physiology with Lab
Four hours from:
	BIOL 3303/3103		General Genetics with Lab
	BIOL 3304/3104		Vertebrate Embryology with Lab
	BIOL 3330/3130		Plant Biology with Lab

Academic Specialization in Mathematics (9–12 unduplicated hours)
MATH 1301			College Algebra (may be omitted here if taken as part of the core curriculum or the preliminary requirements)
Six lower level hours, with MATH 1301 as a prerequisite, such as:
	MATH 1305		Finite Mathematics and Applications
	MATH 1306		Fundamentals of Calculus with Applications
Three upper level hours, for example:
	MATH 3309		Statistical Analysis for Business Applications I
	MATH 4312		History of Applied Mathematics

Professional Development Sequence (28 hours)

Courses in the professional development sequence must be taken as a block of courses. These courses will not be offered as individual courses. These blocks will be offered at various times to accommodate student schedules. Blocks I and II each require 15 clock-hours weekly for a semester, and Block III represents a full-semester, full-day student teaching experience. In order to successfully complete each block, students must demonstrate mastery of the content by passing a comprehensive Block Exam after Block I and Block II. Admission to these blocks is by approval of the advisor/coordinator of the Urban Education Department.

Interdisciplinary Block I (10 hours)
EED 3301		Understanding the Learner in the Elementary School
EED 3311		Integrating Language Arts and Social Studies in the Elementary Classroom
READ 3303		Emergent Literacy Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for Early Childhood
CS 1105		Technology in Education Lab Technology in Education Lab must enroll

Interdisciplinary Block II (9 hours)
EED 3302		Enhancing Student Achievement in the Elementary School
EED 3312		Using Effective Teaching Strategies in Math and Science
READ 3304		Literacy Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment in Grades 3–8

Interdisciplinary Block III (9 hours)
SOSE 4303*		Current Issues in Urban Teaching
EED 4301		Student Teaching in the Elementary Classroom
EED 4302		Student Teaching in the Elementary Classroom

Bilingual Education

Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies

(126–137 hours)

Room 601-South, 713-221-8906

Students seeking certification in bilingual education within the Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies degree will choose the following courses.

Common Core Requirements (42 hours)

See listing under General Education Requirements in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Students who have not yet completed their history requirement in the core are urged to fulfill 3 hours of the requirement by taking HIST 2309* Ethnic Minorities in American History. In fulfillment of the Behavioral Sciences requirement, PSY 1303 General Psychology is recommended. If not taken in the core, PSY 1303 should be added to the following preparatory requirements. 37

Preparatory Requirements (27–30 hours)
These courses are preliminary requirements for the degree and are in addition to the core curriculum, with the possible exception of one three-hour course in introductory behavioral science courses that may have been taken as part of the core:
ANTH 2302*		Cultural Anthropology
PSY 1303		General Psychology
SOC 1303		Principles of Sociology
SOSE 3306*		Culture of the Urban School
SOSE 3320		Assessment and Evaluation of Children
PSY 2310		Human Growth and Development
SPAN 2301		Intermediate Spanish I or SPAN 2311 Spanish I for Native Speakers (may be bypassed by placement exam)
SPAN 2302		Intermediate Spanish II or SPAN 2312 Spanish II for Native Speakers (may be bypassed by placement exam)
MATH – 3 hours above 1300
ENG 3302		Business and Technical Report Writing

Major Requirements
Bilingual Delivery System and Courses for Elementary School Teachers (30–36 hours)
GEOG 1302			World Geography
MATH 3321			Math Concepts I
MATH 3322			Math Concepts II
ENG 3351			Children’s Literature
SPAN 3301			Advanced Composition and Grammar
SPAN 4310			Spanish Linguistics
HUM 3330			Second Language Acquisition
ENG 3322			Introduction to Mexican American Literature or another literature course with the advisor’s approval
READ 3305			Foundations of Reading
Three hours from:
	ENG 3319		Introduction to the Study of Language
	ENG 3320*		History of the English Language
Six hours from:
	HIST 3313*		Urban History
	SOC 3304*		Minorities in America
	HUM 3321*		Hispanic Culture and Civilization
	HUM 3304*		American Ethnic Heritage
	HUM 3320*		Foreign Literature in Translation
Or, with the advisor’s approval, other courses that explore culture and ethnicity

Professional Development Sequence (28 hours)

Courses in the professional development sequence must be taken as a block of courses. These courses will not be offered as individual courses. These blocks will be offered at various times to accommodate student schedules. Blocks I and II each require 15 clock-hours weekly for a semester, and Block III represents a full-semester, full-day student teaching experience. In order to successfully complete each block, students must demonstrate mastery of the content by passing a comprehensive Block Exam after Block I and Block II. Admission to these blocks is by approval of the advisor/coordinator of the Urban Education Department.

Interdisciplinary Block I (10 hours)
BED 3301		Understanding the Second Language Learner
BED 3311		Foundations of Bilingual/ESL Education
READ 3304		Literacy Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment in Grades 3–8
CS 1105		Technology in Education Lab

Interdisciplinary Block II (9 hours)
BED 4301		Teaching Language Arts and Reading in Spanish
BED 4311		Integrating Curriculum in a Bilingual Classroom
READ 3303		Emergent Literacy Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment for Early Childhood

Interdisciplinary Block III (9 hours)
SOSE 4303*		Current Issues in Urban Teaching
EED 4301		Student Teaching in the Elementary Classroom
EED 4303		Student Teaching in the Bilingual/ESL Classroom

Secondary Education

Bachelor of Science in Professional Writing with English Certification

Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics with Mathematics Certification

Bachelor of Science in Biology with Biology Certification

Room 601-South, 713-221-8906

Certification as a secondary school teacher in the fields of English, mathematics and biology is provided through the professional development sequences in the Urban Education Department.

Three UHD degrees have been approved by the State Board of Educator Certification and the Coordinating Board of Higher Education for teacher certification. They are the Bachelor of Science in Professional Writing with English Certification, the Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics with Mathematics Certification and the Bachelor of Science in Biology with Biology Certification. Other degrees and teaching fields are under consideration by the coordinating board. Students seeking secondary certification must be advised in their program by the Department of Urban Education, and they should also consult an advisor in the department offering the degree major for degree-specific assistance. Formal admission to teacher education through the Urban Education Department requires the following: formal application to program, 2.5 GPA overall for undergraduate majors or 2.5 GPA overall for post-baccalaureate students, 2.5 GPA in the teaching field, 60 hours of course work, successful completion of TASP (all three sections), and completion or concurrent enrollment in SOS 3306 Culture of the Urban School. Nine hours of courses from the Urban Education Core* must be chosen as part of this degree. Graduation requires successful completion of all course work including the three interdisciplinary blocks. In addition, certification requires acceptable scores on state-mandated ExCET examinations.

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Teaching Field—English (Bachelor of Science in Professional Writing) (36-hour teaching field)
ENG 3302		Business and Technical Report Writing
ENG 3304		Advanced Business and Technical Report Writing
ENG 3330		Production I
ENG 3331		Production II
ENG 4322		Editing, Rewriting and Copyreading
Twelve additional hours in writing and/or English language Nine hours of upper level literature and/or theory (Additional twelve hours in directly related fields in humanities and fine arts are found within the degree requirements.)

Teaching Field—Mathematics (Bachelor or Science in Applied Mathematics) (49-hour teaching field)
MATH 1301			College Algebra
MATH 1505			Introduction to Analysis
MATH 2305			Discrete Mathematics
MATH 2307			Linear Algebra
MATH 2401			Calculus I
MATH 2402			Calculus II
MATH 2403			Calculus III
MATH 3301			Differential Equations
MATH 3302			Statistics
MATH 3308			Numerical Methods
MATH 4294			Senior Seminar
Three hours from:
	MATH 3306		Applied Modern Algebra or
	MATH 3307		Intermediate Analysis
Three hours from:
	MATH 4395		Senior Project
	MATH 4312		History of Applied Mathematics
	MATH 4306		Mathematical Models and Computer Simulation
Six hours of senior-level mathematics courses by advisement

Teaching Field—Biology (Bachelor of Science in Biology) (36-hour teaching field)

BIOL 1301/1101 and 1302/1102 MBIO 2305/2105 BIOL 3303/3103 BIOL 3305/3105 or BIOL 4310/4110 BIOL 3320/3120 or BIOL 3304/3104 BIOL 3330/3130 BIOL 4360/4260 BIOL 4340 or BIOL 4350

Teaching Field—Generic Secondary (for post-baccalaureate students only) 36-hour teaching field (from initial degree)

Required for all teaching fields: SOSE 3306 Culture of the Urban School

Professional Development Sequence (28 hours)

Courses in the professional development sequence must be taken as a block of courses. These courses will not be offered as individual courses. These blocks will be offered at various times to accommodate student schedules. Blocks I and II each require 15 clock-hours weekly for a semester, and Block III represents a full-semester, full-day student teaching experience. In order to successfully complete each block, students must demonstrate mastery of the content by passing a comprehensive Block Exam after Block I and Block II. Admission to these blocks is by approval of the advisor/coordinator of the Urban Education Department.

Interdisciplinary Block I (10 hours)
SED 3301		Understanding the Learner in the Secondary School
SED 3311		Curriculum Foundations for Teaching in the Urban Secondary School
READ 3311		Teaching Reading in the Secondary School Content Area
CS 1105		Technology in Education Lab

Interdisciplinary Block II (9 hours)
SED 3302		Enhancing Student Achievement in the Secondary School
SED 3312		Curriculum in the Secondary School
SOSE 3321		Assessment and Evaluation in the Classroom

Interdisciplinary Block III (9 hours)
SOSE 4303*		Current Issues in Urban Teaching
SED 4301		Student Teaching in the Secondary School
SED 4302		Student Teaching in the Secondary School

Early Childhood Endorsement

(12 hours)

Room 601-South, 713-221-8906

Endorsements have a prerequisite of a bachelor’s degree and a valid Texas teacher certificate. Most require a year or more of successful teaching experience or student teaching. The Early Childhood endorsement is available through the Urban Education Department. Admission to the program requires the following: Bachelor’s Degree, Texas teaching certificate, 2.5 GPA overall, and 2.5 GPA in teaching field. The following courses are required for the ECH endorsement.

PED 4311		Early Childhood Curriculum
PED 4312		The Young Child
PED 4313		Early Childhood Learning Environment
And
EED 4304		Student Teaching in an Early Childhood Classroom or one year successful teaching in an approved Early Childhood program.

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English-as-a-Second Language Endorsement

(15 hours)

Room 601-South, 713-221-8906

Endorsements have a prerequisite of a bachelor’s degree and a valid Texas teacher certificate. Most require a year or more of successful teaching experience and/or student teaching. The English-as-a-Second Language endorsement is available through the Urban Education Department. Admission to the program requires the following: Bachelor’s Degree, Texas teaching certificate, 2.5 GPA overall, and 2.5 GPA in teaching field. The following courses are required for ESL endorsement:

ENG 3319		Introduction to the Study of Language
HUM 3330		Second Language Acquisition
BED 3311		Foundations of Bilingual/ESL Education
BED 4311		Integrating Curriculum in a Bilingual/ESL Classroom
BED 3301		Understanding the Second Language Learner
EED 4303		Student teaching in a Bilingual Classroom or One year of successful teaching in an approved ESL program.

Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification

Students who possess a baccalaureate degree may obtain certification through a deficiency plan. Certification is available in elementary with academic specializations in English, history, math, speech communication, biology and bilingual education. A variety of secondary teaching fields is offered.

A deficiency plan sponsored by the University of Houston– Downtown requires a minimum of 30 semester credit hours to be taken after the date of the student’s bachelor’s degree. All courses taken in fulfillment of the deficiency plan are to be taken at UHD unless the student has written permission in the form of a waiver from the Office of the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences. Students enrolled in the Fort Bend Multi-Institutional Teaching Center may consider courses taken at the UHS at Fort Bend sites as “at UHD.”