Electives and Internships
Course Opportunities
The School of Education offers a variety of learning experiences that are accessible to students of any major. Some of these take the form of traditional or online courses. Others are supervised field-based group learning experiences called modules. We also offer individualized internships. Our diverse offerings provide learning experiences that are unique to our School and that place you in community settings to learn authentically about children, families, and the work of educators of every type.
Explore these options below. We look forward to working with you in the School of Education.
Education Electives
SPRING SEMESTERS
CIEP 315 – Language and Literacy Development in Early Childhood (3 credits)
This course develops students’ understanding of typical and atypical language development and principles that govern the process for children birth through age 8. Students examine how factors such as age, gender, exceptionalities, dual language abilities, and cultural experiences influence oral and written language competence and performance in all its variability at home, in community settings, and in school. Students learn about the roles of play, conversation, literature, and teaching in maximizing language and literacy development. Contact: Dr. Adam Kennedy (akenne5@luc.edu)
SPRING SEMESTERS (ONLINE)
TLSC 253 – Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Assessment and Intervention for Young Children with Special Needs (2 credits – 12 weeks)
This 12-week, online course provides a framework for understanding the role of early childhood educators in assessment and intervention (including the role of understanding development and developmentally appropriate practice) for young children (birth to age 5) with special needs and their families. This role is dependent, in part, upon a solid understanding of early childhood development, so content related to the development of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with special needs is also included. This course includes three synchronous online meetings. Contact: Dr. Adam Kennedy at akenne5@luc.edu
FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS
TLSC 110/120/130 – Sequence 1: The Profession and Our Program/Bringing Language, Learning and Developmental Theory into Practice/Community Immersion (4 credits of Engaged Learning – 12 weeks)
This set of three field-based learning modules (collectively known as Sequence 1, the introductory experiences in our teacher education program), must be taken together in a single semester. TLSC 110 introduces students to the education profession with a focus on collaborative relationships within and among schools, families, and communities. In TLSC 120, students observe and learn key principles and stages developmental and learning theories via a field-based learning experience (usually at a birth-to-grade 12 school or cultural institution, such as a museum), linking theory to adult-child interaction and developmentally appropriate pedagogical practices. TLSC 130 engages students in an authentic exploration of the inherent relationship between schools and the surrounding community. Contact: Dr. Colleen Whittingham at cwhitti@luc.edu
FALL AND SPRING SEMESTERS
TLSC 325 – Teaching Internship in Informal Education Settings (3 credits)
This internship provides an opportunity for students to work with a local museum or cultural institution. Students will complete internship hours on site at an assigned institution, working directly with that institution's Education department. In addition, they will participate in online seminar meetings designed to make sense of the internship experiences, digest the relevant literature and draw research to practice connections. Finally, students will develop and assess personal learning objectives following Loyola Center for Experiential Learning protocols. Contact: Dr. Colleen Whittingham at cwhitti@luc.edu or Dr. Dave Ensminger at densmin@luc.edu
FALL SEMESTERS
CIEP 290 – Fact, fiction, or somewhere in between? Examining common (mis)conceptions from STEM, Humanities, and Schooling (3 credits)
This course investigates misconceptions about science, math, humanities, and social sciences through the lens of learners’ varied social identities, prior knowledge and lived experiences, and research about how people learn. Students identify misconceptions commonly learned in K-12 classes, reflect on how those misconceptions may shape ones’ current understandings, and explore approaches for uncovering and confronting misconceptions and false beliefs in productive ways. Contact: Dr. Lara Smetana at lsmetana@luc.edu
If you have questions about a specific course, email the contact for that course or reach out to the School of Education Academic Advisor, Reid Leber at rleber@luc.edu.
The School of Education offers a variety of learning experiences that are accessible to students of any major. Some of these take the form of traditional or online courses. Others are supervised field-based group learning experiences called modules. We also offer individualized internships. Our diverse offerings provide learning experiences that are unique to our School and that place you in community settings to learn authentically about children, families, and the work of educators of every type.
Explore these options below. We look forward to working with you in the School of Education.
If you have questions about a specific course, email the contact for that course or reach out to the School of Education Academic Advisor, Reid Leber at rleber@luc.edu.