Curriculum and Instruction Division

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Karen J. Kindle, Chairperson
115 Delzell Education Center
(605) 677-5210
Karen.Kindle@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/education/curriculum-and-instruction/

FACULTY

Professors:

Lisa Hazlett, English, Language Arts Education
Bill Sweeney, Special Education
Garreth Zalud, Reading Education

Associate Professors:

Gary Cheeseman, Indian Education
Cathy Ezrailson, Science, Education
Susan Gapp, Language Arts, Reading Education
Karen Kindle, Language Arts, Reading Education, Chair
Kevin Reins, Mathematics Education

Assistant Professors:

Jing Williams, Social Studies Education
Dan Mourlam, Technology Education, Program Assessment
Dyanis Popova, English Language Learning, Foundations
Gabriela Walker, Special Education, Disabilities Studies

Instructors:

Sherrie Bosse, Early Childhood, Elementary Education
Monica Iverson, Special Education
Amy Pohlson, Residency Instructor
Theresa Skinner, Residency Instructor
Don Versteeg, Technology Education
Andrea Wange, Residency Instructor
Robin Wiebers, Secondary Education, Assistant Dean, Director of the Center for Student and Professional Services, PDC

MAJOR:

Elementary Education, B.S.Ed.

ENDORSEMENTS: 

Early Childhood Education
Kindergarten Education
K-12 English as a New Language

MAJORS:

Elementary Education, B.S.Ed.
Elementary Education/Special Education, B.S.Ed.
Secondary Education/Special Education, B.S.Ed.
Secondary Education, B.S.Ed.

SECONDARY TEACHING MAJORS:

Art Education, B.F.A.
Biology Education
Chemistry Education, B.S.
Earth Sciences Education, B.S.
English Education
History Education
Mathematics Education
Modern Languages Education (French, B.A.; German, B.A.; Spanish, B.A. OR B.S.Ed.)
Music Education (Instrumental or Vocal), B.M.
Physical Education (See KSM Division)
Physics Education, B.S.
Political Science Education B.A./B.S.
Spanish Education
Speech Education
Theatre Education, B.F.A.

COMPOSITE SUBJECT MINOR:

Physical Science

SINGLE SUBJECT MINORS:

Biology
Chemistry
Earth Sciences
Economics
English
History
K-12 English as a New Language
Mass Communication
    Journalism
    Radio/TV
Mathematics
Modern Languages
    French Education
    German Education
    Spanish Education
Music (Instrumental or Vocal)
Physics
Political Science
Psychology
Reading
Sociology
Speech Communication
Theatre

CERTIFICATION ONLY PROGRAM (For students with completed Baccalaureate Degrees)

*To be considered a highly qualified teacher in your major or minor in South Dakota, you must meet the qualifying score on the Praxis Content test. To student teach in an area, you must also meet the qualifying score on the appropriate Praxis Content test. All Praxis scores including subtest scores must be provided to the Center for Student and Professional Services (CSPS) to progress in or complete teacher certification programs. See CSPS advisors for required assessments by field of study.

USD may recommend candidates for certification to the South Dakota Department of Education in all teaching programs as listed in ARSD 24:16:08 Requirements for Basic Teaching Programs.

The Division of Curriculum and Instruction is the unit within the School of Education that is primarily responsible for preparing teachers. The primary purpose of the Division is to prepare educators who inspire and lead using the most current and relevant understandings of theory, research, and practice in education. It is our mission to serve the state of South Dakota and our surrounding region through the excellent preparation of teacher candidates who can effectively teach all children in multiple cultural contexts, improving the lives of all children in schools. Our programming revolves around three foundational core values - cultural responsiveness, differentiated instruction, and instructional technology - and seven core competencies espoused by the teaching profession - planning and preparation, learning environments, instructional support, classroom management, assessment, student engagement, and professionalism.

Program areas within the Division of Curriculum and Instruction include Elementary Education, Secondary Education, and Special Education. Students engaging in study to become teachers participate in coursework and supervised field-based experiences that link theory and practice. In addition to an outstanding teacher preparation program, the Division also offers students centralized advising in order to help ensure program success.

B.S.Ed. (BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATION) DEGREES

The Elementary Education undergraduate program in the Division of Curriculum and Instruction prepares reflective teachers whose instructional decision making is based on current theory, research, knowledge and experience in the field of elementary education to meet the future rural, urban, global, and community needs of society. The focus is on supporting the development of highly qualified elementary teachers who demonstrate leadership skills and have the dispositions and expertise to establish a sound educational foundation and effective instructional programs that are based on best practices for pre-school through eighth grade students.

The undergraduate Special Education Program prepares entry-level special education and general education teachers to meet the demands of students with special needs in the State of South Dakota and the surrounding region. The Special Education program emphasizes reflective decision making, leadership, research and service through the rigor and professionalism that are the hallmark of the educational experience at the University of South Dakota. Students in the Special Education Program are required to demonstrate a solid knowledge base and dispositions via pedagogical and experiential opportunities that promote the development of highly qualified special educators.

The Secondary Education Program in the Division of Curriculum and Instruction prepares highly qualified teachers to work with secondary students in diverse middle and high school settings, and provides opportunities for teacher candidates to develop knowledge in their professional fields, acquire pedagogical skills for improving and assessing student learning, and develop dispositions expected of professional educators. 

SCHOLARSHIPS

Please contact the department for additional information about available scholarships and awards. Also see School of Education  for school level scholarships.

• Ben & Lillie Otto Scholarship
• Constance L. Hoag Scholarship
• E. Louise Coover Memorial Scholarship
• Edward G. Ezrailson Memorial Scholarship
• Hazel Linderman Scholarship
• Jack and Ila Hunt Family Scholarship Fund
• Jane Bartling Christensen Scholarship
• Patricia Tschetter Mendell Memorial Scholarship
• Reading Recovery-School of Education Scholarship
• Robert & Elizabeth Wood Elementary Education and Special Education Scholarship
• Sidney E. Anderson Scholarship

Programs

• American Indian Education Certificate
• Biology (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• Biology (B.S.) with Secondary Education Certification
• Biology Teaching Minor
• Chemistry (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• Chemistry (B.S.) with Secondary Education Certification
• Communication Studies (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• Communication Studies (B.A./B.S.) with Secondary Education Certification
• Earth Sciences (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• Earth Sciences (B.S.) with Secondary Education Certification
• Earth Sciences Teaching Minor
• Economics (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• Economics Teaching Minor
• Elementary & Special Education (B.S.Ed.)
• Elementary Education & Early Childhood (B.S.Ed.)
• Elementary Education & Kindergarten Education (B.S.Ed.)
• Elementary Education (B.S.Ed.)
• English (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• English (B.A./B.S.) with Secondary Education Certification
• English Teaching Minor
• French and Francophone Studies (B.A.) with Secondary Education Certification
• German (B.A.) with Secondary Education Certification
• Health (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• History (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• History (B.A./B.S.) with Secondary Education Certification
• K-12 English as a New Language Minor
• Lakota Language Teaching Minor
• Mass Communication Teaching Minor
• Mathematics (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• Mathematics (B.S.) with Secondary Education Certification
• Mathematics Composite (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• Media & Journalism (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• Modern Foreign Languages (K-12) Teaching Minor
• Physical Sciences Teaching Minor
• Physics (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• Physics (B.S.) with Secondary Education Certification
• Physics Teaching Minor
• Political Science (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• Political Science (B.A./B.S.) with Secondary Education Certification
• Political Science Teaching Minor
• Psychology (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• Reading (K-12) Teaching Minor
• School of Education: Certification
• Secondary Education/Biology Education (B.S.Ed.)
• Secondary Education/English Education (B.S.Ed.)
• Secondary Education/History Education (B.S.Ed.)
• Secondary Education/Mathematics Education (B.S.Ed.)
• Secondary Education/Spanish Education (B.S.Ed.)
• Secondary Education/Special Education (B.S.Ed.)
• Secondary Education/Speech Communication Education (B.S.Ed.)
• Sociology (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• Sociology Teaching Minor
• Spanish (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• Spanish (B.A.) with Secondary Education Certification
• Spanish Teaching Minor
• Speech Communication Teaching Minor
• Theatre (alternative minor for Teacher Education)
• Theatre Teaching Minor

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