HDFS & Elementary Education (VCSU)
HDFS & Elementary Education Dual Degree Program
The Human Development and Family Science (Child Development option) & Elementary Education program is a collaborative effort between NDSU and Valley City State University (VCSU). Through this curriculum, offered on the NDSU campus, students are concurrently enrolled in both universities, culminating in a bachelor’s degree from NDSU in Human Development and Family Science (Child Development option) as well as a bachelor’s degree from VCSU in Elementary Education. Students are certified to teach Elementary Education in public schools and may, with additional course work and an additional student teaching experience, be certified to teach kindergarten as well. The HDFS degree complements and strengthens the Elementary Education curriculum and helps future teachers understand development and its diversity, making them more effective teachers and helping them work with children from a wide variety of backgrounds.
Major Requirements
Dual Degree Program
Major at NDSU: Human Development & Family Science
Major at VCSU: Elementary Education
Degree Type at: B.A. or B.S.
Required Degree Credits to Graduate: 126
General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| First Year Experience (F): | ||
| HD&E 189 | Skills for Academic Success (Students transferring in 24 or more credits do not need to take HD&E 189.) | 1 |
| Communication (C): | ||
| ENGL 110 | College Composition I | 3 |
| ENGL 120 | College Composition II | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Writing in the Health Professions | ||
| Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences | ||
| Researching and Writing Grants and Proposal | ||
| COMM 110 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning (R): | ||
| MATH 104 | Finite Mathematics | 3 |
| Science & Technology (S): | ||
| BIOL | 3 | |
| CHEM or PHYS | 3 | |
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology | 3 |
| or GEOL 106 | The Earth Through Time | |
| A one-credit lab must be taken as a co-requisite with a general education science/technology course unless the course includes an embedded lab experience equivalent to a one-credit course. Select from current general education list | 1 | |
| Humanities & Fine Arts (A): | ||
| HIST 103 | U.S. to 1877 | 3 |
| or HIST 104 | U.S. Since 1877 | |
| Select from current general education list | 3 | |
| Social & Behavioral Sciences (B): | ||
| PSYC 111 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 250 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| Wellness (W): | ||
| HDFS 242 | Couples, Marriages and Families | 3 |
| Cultural Diversity (D): | ||
| HDFS 475 | Children and Families Across Cultures | 3 |
| Global Perspectives (G): | ||
| GEOL 105 | Physical Geology | 3 |
| or GEOL 106 | The Earth Through Time | |
| Total Credits | 41 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Requirements | 40 | |
| HDFS & Elementary Education Requirements | ||
| HDFS 110 | Introduction to Human Development and Family Science | 1 |
| HDFS 135 | Family Science | 3 |
| HDFS 250 | Introduction to Research Methods in Human Development and Family Sciences | 3 |
| HDFS 330 | Child Development | 3 |
| HDFS 475 | Children and Families Across Cultures | 3 |
| EDUC 210 | Creative Activities | 2 |
| EDUC 240 | Educating Exceptional Students | 2 |
| EDUC 250 | Introduction to Education | 3 |
| EDUC 283 | Understanding Cultural Diversity | 3 |
| EDUC 300 | Educational Technology | 2 |
| EDUC 315 | Math in the Elementary School | 3 |
| EDUC 320 | Social Studies in the Elementary School | 3 |
| EDUC 321 | Foundations of Reading Instruction | 3 |
| EDUC 322 | Methods of Language Arts Instruction | 3 |
| EDUC 323 | Reading in Elementary School | 2 |
| EDUC 330 | Children's Literature | 3 |
| EDUC 350 | Elementary School Practicum and Classroom Management (2 cr.) | 3 |
& HDFS 496 | Field Experience (1 cr.) | |
| EDUC 352 | Culturally Diverse Practicum | 1 |
| EDUC 355 | Science Methods/Elementary Teachers | 3 |
| EDUC 400 | Educational Psychology | 2 |
| EDUC 450 | Trends in Assessment & Education Issues | 2 |
| EDUC 490 | Student Teaching (Elementary - 10 cr.) | 11 |
& HDFS 496 | Field Experience (1 cr.) | |
| HDFS Electives: (Cannot take HDFS 230 or HDFS 496) | ||
| HDFS | Elective | 3 |
| HDFS | 300-400 level | 6 |
| Other Elementary Education Requirements | ||
| CSCI 114 | Microcomputer Packages | 3-4 |
| or CSCI 116 | Business Use of Computers | |
| GEOG 111 | Survey of Geography | 2 |
| MATH 277 | Math for Elementary Teachers I | 3 |
| MATH 278 | Math for Elementary Teachers II | 2 |
| EDUC 491 | Seminar (Senior Portfolio) | 1 |
| College Requirement | ||
| HD&E 320 | Professional Issues | 1 |
| Total Credits | 126-127 | |
Degree Requirements and Notes
- A grade of ‘C’ or better is required for all HDFS courses for graduation.
- A 2.50 cumulative GPA is required in major courses for graduation.
- Course taken Pass/Fail will not be used to satisfy any requirements other than total credits.
- Though not required, many majors pursue a Reading or STEM credential or an endorsement in Kindergarten, Middle School, English Language Learners (ELL), or as a Special Education Strategist.
Plan of Study Grid
| Freshman | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| HD&E 189 | 1 | ENGL 120 | 3 | ||
| ENGL 110 | 3 | MATH 104 | 3 | ||
| Science/Tech Gen Ed | 3 | CSCI 114 or 116 | 3-4 | ||
| ENGL 100 | 1 | HIST 103 or 104 | 3 | ||
| PSYC 111 | 3 | PSYC 250 | 3 | ||
| COMM 110 | 3 | ||||
| HDFS 110 | 1 | ||||
| HDFS 135 | 3 | ||||
| 17 | 15-16 | ||||
| Sophomore | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| Science/Tech Gen Ed | 3 | HDFS 250 | 3 | ||
| Matching Science Gen Ed Lab | 1 | HDFS 330 | 3 | ||
| Humanities/Fine Arts Gen Ed | 3 | HDFS 300-400 level elective | 3 | ||
| HDFS 242 | 3 | EDUC 250 Intro to Ed | 3 | ||
| HDFS electiveany level | 3 | EDUC 283 Understanding Cultural Diversity | 3 | ||
| HDFS 300-400 level elective | 3 | ||||
| 16 | 15 | ||||
| Junior | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| HDFS 475 | 3 | HD&E 320 | 1 | EDUC 210 Creative Activities | 2 |
| Science/Tech Gen Ed | 3 | Directed Elective | 2-3 | Directed Electives | 0-3 |
| EDUC 300 Ed. Tech | 2 | EDUC 315 Math Methods | 3 | ||
| EDUC 240 Exeptional Students | 2 | EDUC 320 Social Studies Methods | 3 | ||
| Math 277 Math for Elem I | 3 | EDUC 321 Foundation of Reading | 3 | ||
| EDUC 352 Culturally Diverse Practicum | 1 | EDUC 330 Children's Literature | 3 | ||
| Geography | 2 | EDUC 450 Assessment and Ed Issues | 2 | ||
| Math 278 Math for Elem II | 2 | ||||
| 16 | 19-20 | 2-5 | |||
| Senior | |||||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| ENGL 325 or 358 or 459 | 3 | EDUC 400 Ed Psych | 2 | ||
| EDUC 322 Language Arts Methods | 3 | EDUC 490 Student Teaching | 10 | ||
| EDUC 323 Reading Methods | 2 | HDFS 496 (automatic enrollment)The registrar will automatically enroll students during student teaching semester | 1 | ||
| EDUC 350 Elem. Practicum | 2 | EDUC 491 (Senior portfolio may be taken in fall or spring of senior year) | 1 | ||
| EDUC 355 Science Methods | 3 | ||||
| Directed Electives | 3-6 | ||||
| 16-19 | 14 | ||||
| Total Credits: 130-138 | |||||
