Select your program:

Overview

Early childhood elementary education is available to elementary education students. Beyond the certificate and endorsement eligibility, WMU's early childhood program provides:

  • An opportunity to belong to a community of students and faculty with common interests
  • Experience with children of all ages, with special emphasis on children from birth to eight years
  • A portfolio of evidence of increasing skill level—a valuable tool in securing professional employment

For information regarding early childhood education please contact the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies at (269) 387-3465 or Lori Farrer.

Please note: You must complete your background check prior to any clinical experience.

program overview     Advising     Clinical experience map     

Courses with clinical experiences

ED 2900 K-8 Teaching as a Profession

Twenty contact hours. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course.

ED 3090 Assessment and Instruction in Early Childhood Inclusive Education

Twenty contact hours. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course.

ED 3690 Early Childhood Classroom Organization and Management

One full day in a classroom.  Apply the semester before in Tk20. Please see your advisor for registration information and contact the Office of Clinical Experiences with any questions. 

ED 4500 Pre Internship in Elementary Education

Two full days per week in a classroom. Apply the semester before in Tk20.  Please see your advisor for registration information and contact the Office of Clinical Experiences with any questions. 

ED 4700 Intern Teaching in Early Childhood 

Five half days in a school. Apply the semester before in Tk20. Please see your advisor for registration information and contact the Office of Clinical Experiences with any questions. 

ED 4710 Intern Teaching in Elementary/Middle School

Full time in a classroom. Apply one year ahead in Tk20. Please see your advisor for registration information and contact the Office of Clinical Experiences with any questions.

Overview

Graduates of the elementary education program will be eligible for certification to teach:

  • Grades K-8 in content major and additional minors
  • Kindergarten to 5th grade in all subjects
  • Kindergarten to eighth grade in all subjects when teaching in a self-contained classroom—one in which the majority of instruction is provided by a single teacher

For information regarding elementary education please contact the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies at (269) 387-3465.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW     ADVISING     CLINICAL EXPERIENCE MAP     

Courses with clinical experiences

ED 2900 K-8 Teaching as a Profession

Twenty hours. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course. 

ED 4500 Pre-internship in Elementary Education

Two full days in a school. Apply the semester before in Tk20. Please see your advisor for registration information and contact the Office of Clinical Experiences with any questions. 

ED 4710 Intern Teaching Elementary/Middle School

Full time in a classroom. Apply one year ahead in Tk20. Please see your advisor for registration information and contact the Office of Clinical Experiences with any questions.

Overview

Graduates in the secondary education program will be eligible for certification to teach:

  • Grades 6-12 in content area major(s) and minor(s) subjects.

For information regarding secondary education, please contact the Department of Teaching, Learning and Educational Studies at (269)387-3465 or Amy Bentz.

Please note: You must complete your background check prior to any clinical experience. 

PROGRAM OVERVIEW     ADVISING     CLINICAL EXPERIENCE MAP     

Courses with clinical experiences

ED 3000 Adolescent Development and School Learning

Fifteen contact hours. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course. 

ENG 4790 Writing Secondary Schools and HIST 4940  Teaching Methods for Secondary School 

Contact hours vary. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course. 

ED 4065 Instructional Design and Methods in Secondary Education

One full day or two half days per week in a classroom. Apply the semester before in Tk20. Please see your advisor for registration information and contact the Office of Clinical Experiences with any questions. 

ED 4086 Organizing Learning Environments in Secondary Education

One full day or two half days per week in a classroom. Apply the semester before in Tk20. Please see your advisor for registration information and contact the Office of Clinical Experiences with any questions.

ED 4750 Intern Teaching Secondary

Full time in a classroom. Apply one year ahead in Tk20. Please see your advisor for registration information and contact the Office of Clinical Experiences with any questions. 

Overview

Music Education at the WMU School of Music is a four-year bachelor's degree program that emphasizes a solid foundation in music performance and field-based learning experiences.

  • Music education majors complete the same musical education as performance majors during their first two years.
  • In their junior and senior years, students focus on music education by and teaching young students.
  • WMU partners with area school districts to provide practicum experiences in each music education methods class.
  • Students serve as instructors in the Saturday Music Lab as part of their coursework.

For information regarding music education please contact the School of Music at (269) 387-4667 or Ken Smith.

Please note: You must complete your background check prior to any clinical experience.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW     ADVISING     CLINICAL EXPERIENCE MAP     

Courses with clinical experiences

MUS 1800 Experiencing Music Education

Six contact hours. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course. 

MUS 2480 Teaching and Learning Music 

Twenty seven contact hours.This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course.  

MUS 3360 and 3400 Choral and General Methods OR MUS 3440 and 3470 Instrumental Methods I and II

Contact hours vary. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course. 

ED 4750 Intern Teaching

Full time in a classroom. Apply one year ahead in Tk20. Please see your advisor for registration information and contact the Office of Clinical Experiences with any questions.

Overview

Art education is a professional, career-oriented program that prepares students for positions as educators and artists in the community. Graduates of the WMU art education program occupy leadership positions in schools, colleges and universities, non-profit arts organizations, art museums and professional associations.

By integrating studio skills with knowledge of historical and contemporary arts, critical theory, learning theory and pedagogical practice, the art education curriculum guides students to a deep understanding of the creative process and the personal and cultural value of visual expression. Students engage in pre-internship teaching experiences through the Saturday Morning Art program and service learning in the community. Successful completion of the art education program, including a fifth-year of internship in the schools, can lead directly to K-12 teacher certification and the visual arts education endorsement and/or to graduate studies.

For information regarding art education please contact the Frostic School of Art at (269) 387-2436 or Christina Chin.

Please note: You must complete your background check prior to any clinical experience.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW     ADVISING     CLINICAL EXPERIENCE MAP     

Courses with clinical experiences 

Art 3250 Art, Education and Child Development

Seven contact hours. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course.

Art 4520 Art, Education and Adolescent Development

Seven contact hours. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course.

Art 5520 Art Education Practicum

Twenty eight contact hours. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course.

ED 4750 Intern Teaching

Full time in a classroom. Apply one year ahead in Tk20. Please see your advisor for registration information and contact the Office of Clinical Experiences with any questions. 

Overview

WMU’s PHETE program will prepare you as a pre-service teacher candidate to be certified in both physical education and health education, offered in a 4-year or 5-year degree plan. The overarching goal of this dual-major degree program is to assist you in acquiring the skills, knowledge and real-world experiences to become effective, competent and committed physically- and health-literate professionals in today’s society.

For more information regarding physical and health education teacher education please contact The Department of Physical and Health Education at (269) 387-2710 or Dr. Mauro Andre.

Please note: You must complete your background check prior to any clinical experience.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW     ADVISING     CLINICAL EXPERIENCE MAP     

Courses with clinical experiences 

HPHE 1500 Foundations of Physical and Health Education

Three contact hours. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course. 

HPHE 1501 and 1502 Teaching Assistantship in P.E. and Health

Contact hours vary. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course. 

HPHE 3460 Physical and Health Education Methods; Special Populations

Twenty contact hours. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course. 

HPHE 4475 K-12 Health Methods

Thirty contact hours. Apply the semester before in Tk20. See deadlines for dates. 

HPHE 4485 K-12 Physical Education Methods

Thirty contact hours. Apply the semester before in Tk20. See deadlines for dates. 

HPHE 4740 K-12 Physical and Health Education Methods

Full time in a classroom. Apply one year ahead in Tk20. Please see your advisor for registration information and contact the Office of Clinical Experiences with any questions. 

Overview

The undergraduate special education program at Western Michigan University is an innovative and demanding preparation program preparing special education teachers to meet the unique needs of a diverse range of K-12 students with learning disabilities and emotional impairments. Candidates are prepared to implement evidence-based instructional practices promoting access to and success in the general education curriculum through assessment, intentional instruction, and evaluation.

For more information regarding special education please contact The Department of Special Education and Literacy Studies at (269) 387-5935 or Sarah Summy.

Please note: You must complete your background check prior to any clinical experience.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW     ADVISING     CLINICAL EXPERIENCE MAP     

Courses with clinical experiences 

SPED 3310 Classroom Practicum in Special Education

Sixty contact hours. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is NOT an application because you will register yourself for the course.

SPED 3710 Classroom Practicum- Emotional Impairments

Sixty contact hours. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is NOT an application because you will register yourself for the course.

SPED 4040 Classroom Practicum- Assessment for Intervention

Forty contact hours. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is NOT an application because you will register yourself for the course.

ED 4500 Pre Internship in Elementary Education

Five half days in a school. Apply the semester before in Tk20. See deadlines for dates. 

SPED 4810 Classroom Practicum: Assessment for Intervention

Sixty contact hours. Apply one year ahead in Tk20. See deadlines for dates. 

ED 4710 Intern Teaching Elementary/Middle School

Full time in a classroom. Apply one year ahead in Tk20. Please see your advisor for registration information and contact the Office of Clinical Experiences with any questions. 

SPED 4750 SPED Internship Emotional Impairments or SPED 4760 Internship Learning Disabilities 

Full time in a classroom. Apply one year ahead in Tk20. Please see your advisor for registration information and contact the Office of Clinical Experiences with any questions.. 

Overview

The Western Michigan University model for workforce education and development teacher education involves a core of professional education courses and an intern teaching experience taken by all WFED students, which is instructed and supervised by faculty from the College of Education and Human Development. Technical content requirements are delivered by faculty from the Colleges of Business, Engineering and Health and Human Services, depending upon the selected major or minor. However, all WFED undergraduate students must have a minimum of 122 credits for graduation.

For more information on workforce education and development contact The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at (269) 387-3704 or Chuck Bruce.

Please note: You must complete your background check prior to any clinical experience.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW     ADVISING     CLINICAL EXPERIENCE MAP     

Courses with clinical experiences 

WFED 5120 Principles of Workforce Education and Development

Two contact hours. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course.  

WFED 3480 Student Assessment and Management

Eighty Eight contact hours. This clinical experience is part of the course requirements. There is not an application because you will register yourself for the course. 

WFED 4750 Intern Teaching

Full time in a classroom. Apply one year ahead in Tk20. Please see your advisor for registration information and contact the Office of Clinical Experiences with any questions.