The Middle Level program provides students with the knowledge, skills, experience and disposition to be an effective educator of students in grades 4-8. Middle Level majors can choose to specialize in either one or two concentration areas. Single concentration specialists will have the opportunity to specialize in one of four concentration areas: English/Language Arts, Math, Science, or Social Studies. Double concentration specialists will have the opportunity to specialize in two content areas as allowed by PDE: Math/Science, Math/Social Studies, Math/English, Science/Social Studies, or Science/English. The required professional preparation courses, in conjunction with valuable field experiences, will enable you to meet the many challenges faced by middle level teachers, including the ability to empower students with the requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes to become lifelong learners. As well, the Department seeks to educate future teachers who are committed to their own lifelong learning. The Middle Level Education program prepares students for licensure in grades 4-8, in specified content areas.
Requirements for Graduation:
To be eligible for graduation, students majoring in Middle Level Education must complete a minimum of 120 credits, achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher, satisfy the College’s residency requirements, and complete the General Education Requirements of the College. A minimum grade of 2.0 is required for First Year Seminar and all courses taken as part of Foundations. Courses used to complete the General Education Requirements may not be taken on a pass/fail basis. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 is required to student teach and to obtain Pennsylvania teaching certification.
The General Education Requirements of the college require students to successfully complete First Year Seminar, Foundations, Disciplinary Perspectives, and a Constellation. Students who enter the college with 30 credit hours completed will not take a First Year Seminar course and therefore must take an additional 3 credits for graduation. Transfer students that are awarded 60 or more credits upon acceptance to York College will not be required to complete a Constellation. However, all Education majors are required to take courses found in the Children and Family Constellation as part of their teaching certification requirements. For Middle Level Education majors, these include PSY 221 or PSY 223 , SPE 200 and SPE 270 or SPE 271 and elective course within the Constellation.
In addition, students majoring in Middle Level Education must achieve a grade of 3.0 or higher in MLE201, SE220, FCO105, EDU260, MAT115 or MAT171, and MAT150 and demonstrate satisfactory progress on identified professional and personal dispositions. Students seeking certification in Middle Level Education will be required to have a minimum of 190 hours of Field Experience prior to the Student Teaching Semester and meet specific Certification Requirements listed in the Department of Education.