Elementary Education

Elementary Education

Change the world for the better, one child at a time

Being a teacher is hard work. You must be engaged and engaging, open and collaborative. Dedicated. But ask any Holy Cross College education graduate, and they will tell you: when you see the change you can create in the lives of your students, the hard work is worth it.

Whether you’re enrolled in our four-year dual licensure degree in Elementary Education and English as a New Language (ENL), participating in our 24-credit Transition to Teaching Program, or adding an ENL Certification to your teaching resume, you will learn from caring professional mentors who will help you grow as a teacher every step of the way.

When you graduate, you’ll do so with a highly marketable degree that will prepare you to be a culturally competent teacher.

Learn more about the Education Department Programs here.

675 hours in the field

In addition to a degree in elementary education and eligibility to teach at the K-6 level in the state of Indiana (which is reciprocal with all 50 US states), students in the Elementary Education program will also be prepared to teach English language learners and will be eligible for Indiana’s English as a New Language endorsement. Holy Cross Education majors will amass hundreds of hours of professional experience that will enable them to hit the ground running once they have their own classrooms.

During your student teaching assignment, you’ll spend a full year in one classroom. We work closely with students to provide you with the grade level, school, and teacher placement of your choice.

Learn more about student teaching.

Explore all the options we have and how we can get you ready to teach immediately after graduating

Traditional BA

It takes a unique type of person to become a teacher. Someone who wants to inspire young minds and help children not only experience and learn new things, but see the world from new and bigger vantage points. Our 4-year program with Elementary K-6 licensing and ENL endorsement will give you a strong start to your career.

Non-Traditional BA

This degree is available for teacher candidates with Associate’s Level completed coursework. This is a Grow-You-Own Program that offers online, traditional, and summer coursework.

Click here to fill out a program inquiry form.

Transition to Teaching

24 credits. 3 semesters. 1 new career.

Whether you’re yearning to make a career change or you’re already working in education but lack the qualifications to lead your own classroom, the Transition to Teaching Program at Holy Cross offers you a competitively priced and convenient option to make a change.

Launched in Fall 2020, the Transition to Teaching Program offers college graduates with an undergraduate degree in any major the opportunity to prepare for a rewarding career as a K-6 teacher in the state of Indiana.

This competitively priced, 3 semester, 24-credit program is designed to be completed while maintaining a full-time teaching position or other full-time work and includes:

Supervised practicums and student teaching in a local K-6 classroom
A combination of hybrid, online courses, and in-person, on-campus, evening courses
Valuable preparation for the Indiana CORE exams, which, upon earning a passing score, will enable you to be eligible for an initial K-6 Elementary Education Teaching License in the State of Indiana

For more information, contact Anne Bingham, Ph.D. at [email protected]

Click here to fill out a program inquiry form.

ENL Certification

Meet your students where they are

Serving the community since 2013, Holy Cross’s ENL Certification Program prepares professional educators and administrators to use the most current research-based pedagogy and instruction to meet the learning and developmental needs of English language learners in today’s classrooms.

This one year, 14-credit program is available to K-12 education professionals with a current teaching/administration license. The program features:

Affordable pricing
A convenient combination of hybrid, online courses, and in-person, on-campus, evening courses
A flexible program structure designed to be completed while students maintain a full-time teaching or administrative position

Upon completion of the program and a passing score on the Indiana CORE exam, completers will be eligible for an English Language Learner Endorsement in the state of Indiana.

Use this link to access the application for all of our Non-traditional programs, including the ENL Certification Program and our Stand-alone, 3-credit introductory course ENL Methods for Educators.

Learn more about the ENL Certification Program here. For more information contact Annette Romans at [email protected]

Click here to fill out a program inquiry form.

ENL Professional Development Course

Holy Cross College offers a Professional-Level ENL Methods course for those individuals seeking to become qualified to serve as an EL Teacher-of-Record. This course is blended, including on-campus and online meetings, accommodating practicing teachers and administrators. Participants must have an active educator or administrator license.

Click here to fill out a program inquiry form.

Dual-enrollment

The dual-enrollment program at Holy Cross College invites high school students to follow their passion to serve and teach young minds. Students can earn up to 20 credits during their junior and senior years of high school. These classes are taught on Holy Cross’s campus and are paired with a practicum field experience course. Students are assigned to an elementary school in the diocese or their home district, where they observe and engage in high-quality classroom instruction. Dual Enrollment students are also eligible for the Cabrini Scholarship, which is a full-time scholarship to attend Holy Cross College.

Click here to sign-up for dual-enrollment classes.

Cabrini Scholarship

In order to make a vocation as a teacher more feasible, and to attract more underrepresented and first-generation students, Holy cross College has established the Cabrini Scholars Program. The scholarship program is named for St. Fraces Xavier Cabrini, who founded schools and orphanages dedicated to serving the poor and disadvantaged. Cabrini Scholars will receive, through a combination of federal, state, and College aid, a full-time scholarship to attend Holy Cross College. Cabrini Scholars must be committed to being teachers and serving the local community. Students who participate in the College’s dual-enrollment program and qualify will be given preference.

Professional preparation that extends beyond the classroom

Holy Cross graduates have gone on to be:

Teachers
Coaches
Tutors
Child care professionals
Youth developers
Social workers
School counselors
Principals

Education Major Requirements

Education Minor Requirements

Application to the Teacher Education Program

Apply to TEP here

Any student enrolled at Holy Cross College may apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP) after meeting the following requirements:

Admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP)

Overall GPA of 2.5 or better
Grade of C+ or better in EDUC 200
Submit TEP Application
Minimum test scores:
– SAT 1100 or ACT 24 or GRE 1100 ; GRE 301
OR
– Core Academic Skills Assessment (CASA) Passing Scores: Reading (MCQ-multiple choice question): cut score 20, Mathematics (MCQ): cut score 19, Writing (MCQ): cut score 20, Writing (CRI-constructed response item): cut score 5.
Philosophy of Teaching statement
Completion of introductory field experience required by the program with satisfactory evaluation by the mentoring teacher and the college instructor for EDUC 200 and EDUC 220
Minimum of C in all courses required by the major, minor and licensing areas
An interview with two members of the Teacher Education Committee (TEC) with passing rating
Acceptance into the TEP is necessary for enrollment in 300 and 400 level Education courses
Two letters of recommendation from faculty or field-related acquaintances (i.e. supervisor for job at childcare facility)

Faculty major academic advisor

Professors. Mentors. Professional sounding boards. The Holy Cross College elementary education faculty will help you connect your passion for teaching with the needs of the world.