Linn-Benton Community College A.A.O.T. to Western Oregon University B.S. in Education

Concentration: Early Childhood / Elementary Teacher Preparation

Prepares you to teach all subjects in elementary schools.

A streamlined and affordable way to become a teacher

Western Oregon University and Linn-Benton Community College have worked together to develop a smooth pathway to earning a B.S. in Education: Early Childhood / Elementary Concentration and becoming a teacher. Our teacher education pathway allows you to become a licensed elementary teacher in as little as four years. With flexible courses and teaching placements throughout Oregon, you have choices about where and how you complete most requirements.

Choose between our campus-based pathway or our evening/weekend/online pathway to complete the last half of your degree through WOU in the format that works best for you.

Start teaching and making a difference for Oregon students

Degree Timeline

Complete your lower division courses through Linn-Benton Community College and then transfer to Western Oregon University to complete your upper division courses. You will have the flexibility of completing your upper division courses in the timeline and format that works best for you (full time or part time; on campus or remotely; daytime or evening). If you are a full time student, you can earn both your bachelor’s degree and your teaching license in four years.

Year 1 through LBCC

  1. If you’re not a student at Linn-Benton Community College already, apply for admission.

  2. Complete year 1 coursework.

  3. Meet with a LBCC Education Advisor (Christy Stevens or Ellen Carlson) to develop an education plan and steps for transferring.

    Christy Stevens

    stevenc@linnbenton.edu | 541-917-4780
    Schedule an advising appointment with Christy

    Ellen Carlson

    carlsoe@linnbenton.edu | 541-917-4780
    Schedule an advising appointment with Ellen

  4. Meet with our WOU pre-education advisor if you started classes before 2020 or have already taken classes different from what’s listed in the course list below.

Year 2 through LBCC

  1. Complete year 2 coursework.

  2. Apply for admission to WOU in fall term.

  3. Complete Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Oregon Student Aid Application (ORSAA) in October

  4. Complete Office of Student Access and Completion (OSAC) scholarship application in December.

  5. Complete WOU general scholarship application in February.

  6. Complete the Bilingual Teacher Scholars and/or Diverse Teacher Scholars scholarship applications (if eligible) in February.

  7. Complete first 30 hours of classroom observation

Year 3 through WOU

  1. Complete year 3 coursework.

  2. Complete second 30 hours of classroom observation.

  3. Apply to licensure program before the first Friday in April.

Year 4 through WOU

  1. Complete year 4 coursework.

  2. Complete student teaching.

  3. Apply for Oregon Teaching License.

  4. Interview for jobs.

Course Lists

The course lists below are based on WOU and LBCC’s current course catalog, if you are using a previous year’s course catalog please contact an advisor. Each student’s situation is unique, so individual advising is encouraged.

All foundational and discipline studies courses must be a minimum of 3 credits, except for HPE courses which may be any number of credits. ENG 221 and all ED and HDFS prefix courses must be passed with a B- or better. All other courses must be passed with a C- or better. Your cumulative GPA should be 2.75 or higher.

Course Credits
Writing
WR 121: English Composition 4
  • Choose one:
    • WR 122: English Composition: Argumentation
    • WR 227: Technical Writing
4
Math
MTH 211: Fund Of Elementary Math I 4
Oral Communication
  • Choose one:
    • COMM 111: Public Speaking or any AAOT approved COMM class
3
Health / Wellness / Fitness
PE 231: Lifetime Health & Fitness or any AAOT-approved Health or PE class 3
Arts and Letters
ENG 221: Children’s Literature 3
ED 240: Creative Drama for Classroom 3
  • Choose one:
    • ENG 104: Literature: Fiction
    • ENG 106: Literature: Poetry
3
Social Sciences
ANTH 110: Intro to Cultural Anthropology 3
PSY 201: General Psychology or any AAOT-approved PSY class 4
  • Choose two:
    • HST 201: US History: Origins to 1820
    • HST 202: US History: 1820 to 1920
    • HST 203: US History: 1920 to Present
8
Sciences / Math / Computer Science
MTH 212: Fund of Elementary Math II 4
BI 101: General Biology 4
GS 106: Phy Sci: Prin of Earth Science 4
  • Choose one:
    • GS 104: Physical Sci: Prin of Physics
    • GS 105: Physical Science: Principles of Chemistry
    • GS 108: Oceanography
4
Additional Courses
ED 152: Creativity & the Arts 3
ED 282: Working w/Child w/Special Need 3
HDFS 225: Infant and Child Development 4
HDFS 229: School-Age Adolescent Development 4
PS 201: Intro Amer Politics/Government 3
MTH 213: Fund of Elementary Math III 4
MTH 243: Introduction to Statistics 4
ED 216: Purpose/Structure/Function 3
  • Choose one:
    • ED219: Civil Rights and Multicultural Issues in Education
    • HDFS 248: Learning Experiences/Children
3
Total
You must complete a total of 90 quarter credits to earn the AAOT*
89

*If you would like to earn the Elementary Education AAOT, consider also taking these courses: ED101A, HD120, ART131 (these courses are not a requirement for your degree at WOU).

View course descriptions in the Linn-Benton Community College Catalog.

Year 3 courses can either be completed in our traditional pathway format (face-to-face/daytime) or in our flexible pathway format (evening/weekend/online). All ED prefix courses must be completed with a B- or better. Your cumulative GPA should be 2.75 or higher.

Course Credits
ED 352: Elementary Social Studies Methods 3
ED 325: Elementary Science Methods 3
GS 325: Learning Science Through Scientific Practices 3
MTH 396: Elementary Problem Solving 3
ED 353: Elementary Mathematics Methods 3
LING 314: Language Study for Elementary/Middle Teachers 4
  • Choose one:
    • LING 214: Linguistics and Education
    • LING 209: Introduction to Language Study
4
ED 374: Teaching Writing in the Elementary Classroom 3
EXS 433: Physical Education in the Elementary School 4
  • Choose one:
    • HE 351: School Health Programs Elementary
    • ED 232: Health & Safety Practices for the Early Childhood Environment (birth-4th grade)
4
ED 373: Intro to Curriculum and Assessment 3
ED 464: Families & Community Involvement in Early Childhood Education 3
ED 481: Intro to ESOL and Bilingual Education 3
Total 43

Year 4 includes a full academic year of student teaching on site at school districts throughout Oregon, plus upper division ED courses, which can be completed in our traditional pathway format (face-to-face/daytime) or in our flexible pathway format (evening/weekend/online). All ED prefix courses must be completed with a B- or better. Your cumulative GPA should be 2.75 or higher.

Course Credits
ED 404: Clinical Experience Seminar I 2
ED 411: Clinical Experience I 3
ED 405: Clinical Experience Seminar II 2
ED 412: Clinical Experience II 3
ED 418: Assessment, Planning and Instruction 3
ED 421: Technology Integration 3
ED 429: Professional Development Seminar III 2
ED 443: Supporting Language, Literacy and Culture 3
ED 444: Content Literacy 3
ED 446: Environments for Diverse Learners 3
ED 450: Methods for Classroom Management 3
ED 498: Clinical Experience III 10
Total 40

Contact Us

Western Oregon University

Brenda Plata-Hurtado

Bilingual Pre-Education Advisor who works with elementary transfer students.

Email: platahurtadob@wou.edu

Linn-Benton Community College

Christy Stevens

Advisor
Office: Takena Hall
Email: stevenc@linnbenton.edu
Phone: 541-917-4780

Linn-Benton Community College

Ellen Carlson

Advisor
Office: Takena Hall
Email: carlsoe@linnbenton.edu
Phone: 541-917-4780