Middle Childhood Education (Grades 4-9)
Program Details
Are you ready to make a difference in the lives of young learners? Xavier University’s undergraduate program in Middle Childhood Education is designed to equip you with the skills needed to teach grades 4-9 in two fields of concentration. Starting your freshman year, you’ll develop a deep understanding of middle school curriculum and pedagogy while gaining valuable hands-on experience through over 200 hours of classroom observation and teaching practice in urban, rural, public and private school settings.
Xavier University is ranked #2 in Ohio for ‘Best Undergraduate Teaching Programs’ by U.S. News & World Report (2024).
Xavier University’s education programs are designed to prepare students for licensure and/or certification in the state of Ohio. Xavier’s School of Education is fully accredited by the Ohio Department of Education and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.
Concentrations
Choose two: Social Studies, Mathematics, Science or Reading/Language Arts
Degree Awarded
Bachelor of Science in Middle Childhood Education
Curriculum
The sample course sequence below illustrates class offerings for the Middle Childhood Education (Grades 4-9) major. Consult the official Xavier University course catalog for detailed registration and advising information.
Fall
- CORE 100 First-Year Seminar............ 3cr.
- ENGLISH 100/115 Composition/Rhetoric............ 3cr.
- EDUCATION 110 Human Development and Learning............ 3cr.
- Natural Science elective............ 3cr.
- MATH 120............ 3cr.
- Second Language I............ 3cr.
- CORE 101 Goa: First-Year Co-Curriculum Program I............ 0cr.
Spring
- EDUCATION 100 Intro to Education............ 3cr.
- EDUCATION 260 Cultural Diversity in Education............ 3cr.
- MATH 150............ 3cr.
- THEOLOGY 111 Theological Foundations............ 3cr.
- Second Language II............ 3cr.
- Scientific Perspectives............ 3cr.
- CORE 102 Goa: First-Year Co-Curriculum Program II............ 0cr.
Fall
- EDMC 212 Nature and Needs of Adolescence............ 3cr.
- MATH 211 Foundation of Arith. in MCED............ 3cr.
- EDUCATION 251 Instructional Technology ............ 3cr.
- EDCH 326 Children's Literature for MCED ............ 3cr.
- PHILOSOPHY 100 Intro to Ethics ............ 3cr.
- CHEM 102,103 ............ 3cr.
Spring
- EDSP 200 Special Ed. Identification & Issues ............ 3cr.
- MATH 212 Geometry & Measurement in MCED ............ 3cr.
- CHEM 104,105 ............ 3cr.
- EDRE 269 Phonics & Foundations of Literacy ............ 3cr.
- PHILOSOPHY 200 Philosophical Perspective ............ 3cr.
- Historical Perspectives ............ 3cr.
Fall
- EDMC 340 Middle School Philosophy & School Org ............ 3cr.
- Theological Perspectives ............ 3cr.
- MATH 116 Elementary Statistics ............ 3cr.
- EDRE 314 Reading Methods for Middle Grades ............ 3cr.
- EDMC 345 Intro to EDMC Classroom Mgmt. ............ 3cr.
- MATH 213 Algebra Concepts MCED ............ 3cr.
Spring
- ENGLISH 205 Literature & Moral Imagination ............ 3cr.
- MATH 214 Math Prob. Solving MCED ............ 3cr.
- EDMC 325 Arts in Middle Childhood Education ............ 3cr.
- EDMC 351 Middle School Methods I ............ 3cr.
- EDMC 354 Middle School Methods II ............ 3cr.
- BIOL 120, 127 ............ 3cr.
Fall
- EDMC 455 Student Teaching Middle Childhood ............ 9cr.
- EDMC 456 Seminar: Current Issues in EDMC ............ 1cr.
- EDRE 471 Content Area Literacy ............ 3cr.
Spring
- Creative Perspectives Elective ............ 3cr.
- EDRE 478 Diagnosis/ Reading Disabilities ............ 3cr.
- EDUCATION 351 Instructional Strategies for ELL ............ 3cr.
- PHYS 116, 117 ............ 3cr.
- Science Elective ............ 3cr.
- ER/S Elective ............ 3cr.
Sample Courses
- Introduction To Education (EDEL 100) - This immersive learning course provides an introduction to the foundational, philosophical and organizational patterns of United States education. Topics include the review of history, philosophy, societal impact and school culture. Lesson planning introduced. Field experience included.
- Advanced Human Development (EDFD 110) - This course introduces theories on human growth, development and learning. Through observations, media presentations and film reviews, students will apply these theories and develop observational and report writing skills. The course covers thematic stages of development from birth to adolescence, emphasizing their relevance to lifelong learning. Additionally, students will gain insight into the physical, cognitive and social/emotional domains of development, and understand how family, culture and environment impact development. Field experience in diverse settings is required.
- Instructional Technology (EDEL 251) - Methods and management for integrating educational technologies into the instructional design process and curricula. Applications will include, but not be limited to word processing, spreadsheets, multimedia presentation software, Web 2.0, Internet and other technological hardware resources and media. Assistive technologies for children with disabilities.
- Middle School Science Curriculum, Pedagogy, and Assessment (EDMC 353) - This course consists of theory and research that will provide a foundation for science teaching. There are hands-on active teaching strategies; integration of science content; the nature of science; use of electronic educational technology; science and society issues; assessment for student outcomes; classroom management and safety for the science classroom.
Career Outcomes
99% of Xavier students, including those in the middle childhood education major, are working, volunteering or in graduate school within six months of graduation (Class of 2022). Additionally, 99% of students in Xavier’s education majors pass state licensure exams. Explore our Career Outcomes Dashboard to view career outcomes by major.
Alumni of Xavier’s education programs have gone on to work at:
- Cincinnati Public Schools
- Deer Park Community City Schools
- Hamilton County Educational Service Center
- Lakota School District
- Lockland Local Schools
- Princeton School District
- Reading Community School District
- Roger Bacon High School
- Sacred Heart of Jesus School
- St. Bernard School District
- Sycamore City School District
More: Xavier's Career Development Office assists students in their search for employment by offering individual career counseling sessions, conducting workshops and maintaining an employer database. More than 100 nationally known companies visit the campus annually to interview graduating seniors for open positions.
Student Clubs
- Educators for Justice- Educators for Justice is the club for all education majors. It meets in the spirit of St. Ignatius and exists to form solidarity with each other and with the communities surrounding our campus and the school districts our majors are interfacing with. It includes the Xavier Leadership Initiative, which holds events and an annual retreat targeting future leaders in education. We meet once a month and also plans multiple service projects throughout the year. Dr. Knestrict and Dr. Bender-Slack are the faculty leaders of this dynamic club.
- Kappa Delta Pi- Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) is an international honors society for education students. Its purpose is to foster professional fellowship and professional development and to honor achievement. This club works to honor and celebrate the accomplishments of education students, provide professional development opportunities and create community. Kappa Delta Pi exists to support Xavier's future educators and help them become men and women for others in their future careers.
- A Xavier Christmas- Members of this group work together to provide a meaningful Christmas experience for underprivileged elementary children in schools in the areas surrounding campus.
When we seek something more, we become something greater.
Find more information about how you can become a Musketeer.
Request InformationParticipate in Transformative Student Teaching Experiences
As a student in the Middle Childhood Education major, you’ll earn over 200 hours of field experience in urban, suburban and rural schools in the Cincinnati region, starting your first year. Field experiences and internships/student teaching occur in both selected subject areas and at two age levels.
Kickstart Your Teaching Career in Cincinnati, Ohio
Xavier has long-term partnerships with over 50 regional school districts where students in the Middle Childhood Education major are placed for classroom observations and student teaching starting freshman year. These local partnerships provide you with invaluable hands-on teaching experiences and networking opportunities.
99% Teaching Licensure Exam Pass Rate
At Xavier, small class sizes ensure you get the personal attention needed to succeed as an educator. Because of this attention to the individual needs of our students, our Middle Childhood Education major yields favorable outcomes, with 99% of Xavier’s teacher licensure students passing their state exams. Additionally, More than a quarter of Xavier education graduates stay for graduate degrees in education.
Graduate With Honors
Are you looking for an academic challenge? The University Scholars Honors Program offers incoming students a more challenging curriculum and close support from professors while completing their undergraduate degree. Acceptance into the program is highly selective and includes a $2000 travel grant.
Middle Childhood Education (Grades 4-9) Major at Xavier University
The Middle Childhood Education program at Xavier University has a long history of preparing graduates for careers as teachers in public and private schools. Many graduates also work in other educational settings such as hospitals and child care centers, or outdoor education and nature centers. The program’s longstanding relationships with over 50 Cincinnati area schools provide students with multiple options for required student-teaching experiences that often lead to full-time teaching jobs. About a quarter of graduates go on to earn master’s degrees, including at Xavier, leading to more job opportunities.
Xavier University's College of Professional Sciences prepares undergraduate and graduate students intellectually, morally and spiritually for careers and professions of service. CPS challenges students to strive for academic excellence and life-long learning through promoting collaboration and community partnerships, and incorporating research, scholarship and innovation.
Xavier University is a private university located in Cincinnati, Ohio, providing a liberal arts education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition. Founded in 1831, the University is the sixth-oldest Catholic university in the nation. It has been ranked among the top 10 master's-level universities in the Midwest by U.S. News & World Report for the past two decades. The Princeton Review names it one of the "Best 385 Colleges in America."