University of Northern Iowa

Catalog Year: 2021-2022

This tool provides individual preparation programs with a customized analysis of the courses required by the undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program and by the institution’s undergraduate general education courses to determine how well these requirements cover essential content in social studies. This tool also uses information about existing coursework on their campuses to provide guidance on a recommended course sequence.

This is a summary of the coverage of social studies¹ content for undergraduate elementary candidates at your institution.

To determine if an elementary teacher preparation program provides adequate coverage² in the primary subject area of social studies through its own requirements or the institution’s requirements, we ask three sequential questions exploring:

Evidence of any social studies coverage;
Evidence of coverage of the six social studies themes; and
Evidence coursework encompasses the thirteen topics of social studies knowledge required of elementary teachers.

University of Northern Iowa's Coverage

Coverage of Subject

Does the institution or teacher preparation program require elementary candidates complete any courses in social studies?

YES

The institution/program recommends or requires candidates to complete at least one course classified under the broad domain known as social studies.

The institution/program does not require or recommend candidates to complete at least one course classified under the broad domain known as social studies.

Theme Coverage

Within social studies, there are six themes. Does the institution or teacher preparation program require or recommend courses to ensure each of the themes classified under social studies are covered?

YES

The coursework required of elementary candidates at this institution covers all six themes in social studies: 1. Civics, 2. Economics, 3. History, 4. Geography, 5. Culture & Identity, and 6. Pedagogy.

The coursework required of elementary candidates at this institution does not cover all six themes in social studies: 1. Civics, 2. Economics, 3. History, 4. Geography, 5. Culture & Identity, and 6. Pedagogy.

Topic Coverage

Within the six themes of social studies are thirteen topics common to teaching elementary students. Does this institution or preparation program require or recommend courses to ensure each of the thirteen topics classified under social studies are covered?

YES

Elementary education candidates at this institution must complete at least one course covering each of the thirteen topics.

Elementary education candidates at this institution are not required to take courses covering each of the thirteen topics.

What are the thirteen topics of Social Studies content?

References

While higher education institutions do not use the term “social studies,” the terminology is used in this analysis to represent any alignment between content covered in higher education with what is found in elementary content standards and assessments.
For these purposes, credit for “coverage” is awarded to the program whether the course is mandated through general education requirements for the institution at large or the specific requirements of the educator preparation program.

Continue Reading

See a detailed course analysis for your institution.

This tool illuminates:

What course options are available to satisfy general education or teacher preparation Requirement Categories;
What courses are required or recommended, either through general education requirements or the teacher preparation program; and
Whether courses cover the themes and topics of social studies content knowledge.

The aim of this tool is to provide an understanding of which courses are most likely to yield the most coverage possible of the content critical for elementary teachers. Because candidates can often choose from a list of courses to meet a Requirement Category, this table provides insight into which of those courses will be most relevant to elementary teaching.

How are Requirements Categories Determined?

Analysts identify both the general education and program graduation requirements found in public-facing materials.

By reviewing each Requirement Category and available course options, analysts identify courses addressing science and social studies content relevant to elementary teachers. The course analysis table indicates what themes and topics each course covers.

View the Course Catalog

University of Northern Iowa's Content Coverage Analysis

Filter Course Options By Requirement Category

How we define these courses

Themes:	Civics	Economics		History						Geography		Culture & Identity	Pedagogy
Themes:	Civics	Economics		US History				World History		Geography		Culture & Identity	Pedagogy
Topics (hover to see name):	A Political institutions, Participation, Rules, and Laws	B Economic Principles and Exchange	C The Economy	D European Exploration and Colonization (up to 1700)	E The American Revolution and Founding (1700s)	F Growth and Expansion of the American Republic (up to 1900)	G Twentieth Century and Beyond	H Pre-Columbian and/or Ancient Civilizations	I Twentieth Century and Beyond	J Geographic Representations	K Human-Environment Interactions	L Diverse Perspectives	M Cross-cutting Concepts
Extensive List Institution offers ten or more course options to fulfill requirement. Courses shown cover at least one applicable topic.
ANTH 1001 Bones & Stones: The Science of Human Origins
BIOL 1012/1013 Life: The Natural World/Lab
BIOL 1014/1015 Life: Continuity and Change/Lab
SCI ED 1200 (820:032) Inquiry into Life Science
CHEM 1010 Principles of Chemistry
CHEM 1011 Molecules and Life
EARTHSCI 1100/1110 Astronomy/Lab
EARTHSCI 1200/1210 Elements of Weather/Lab
EARTHSCI 1300 Introduction to Geology
GEOG 1210/1211 Planet Earth/Lab
PHYSICS 1000/1010 Physics in Everyday Life
TECH 1015 Introduction to Sustainability
SCI ED 1300 (820:031) Inquiry into Physical Science
SCI ED 1100 (820:033) Inquiry into Earth and Space Science
EARTHSCI 1100 (870:010) Astronomy
EARTHSCI 1200 (870:021) Elements of Weather
EARTHSCI 1300 (870:031) Introduction to Geology
ELEMECML 3161 (210:161) Teaching Elementary School Science
ANTH 1002 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
GEOG 1120 (970:010) Human Geographjy
HIST 1023 History of the United States
SOC 1000 Introduction to Sociology
WGS 1040 Women's and Gender Studies: Introduction
ECON 1031 Introduction to Economics
FAM SERV 1010 Human Identity and Relationships
POL AMER 1014 (942:014) Introduction to American Politics
PSYCH 1001 Introduction to Psychology
GEOG 1110 (970:040) World Geography
POL GEN 1020 Political Problems in the U.S.
POL INTL 1024 (943:024) International Relations
SOC SCI 1020 Women, Men, and Society
EDPSYCH 2030 Dynamics of Human Development
HUM 1021 Humanities I: The Ancient, Classical, and Medieval Worlds
HUM 1022 Humanities II: The Renaissance, Reformation, and Enlightenment
HUM 1023 Humanities III: The Age of Revolution to the Present
HUM 1021 Humanities I: The Ancient, Classical, and Medieval Worlds
HUM 1022 Humanities II: The Renaissance, Reformation, and Enlightenment
HUM 1023 Humanities III: The Age of Revolution to the Present
HUM 3121 Russia/Soviet Union
HUM 3122 Japan
HUM 3123 Latin America
HUM 3124 China
HUM 3125 India
HUM 3127 Middle East
HUM 3128 Africa
HUM/ANTH 3132 Native North America
HUM/ANTH 3137 Native Central and South America
ELEMECML 3164 (210:164) Teaching Elementary School Social Studies

Continue Reading

See the recommended courses for elementary candidates at your institution.

Here NCTQ outlines (1) the set of courses providing candidates with the content most aligned with what elementary teachers need within current institution and program requirements, and (2) suggestions for courses to fill in gaps where candidates still lack coverage.

"Most Aligned" Set of Courses

Social Studies Requirement 01
HIST 1023 - History of the United States
Social Studies Requirement 02
ECON 1031 - Introduction to Economics
Social Studies Requirement 03
GEOG 1110 (970:040) - World Geography
Social Studies Requirement 04
HUM 1021 - Humanities I: The Ancient, Classical, and Medieval Worlds
Social Studies Requirement 05
HUM 1023 - Humanities III: The Age of Revolution to the Present
Social Studies Requirement 06
HUM 3124 - China
Social Studies Requirement 07
ELEMECML 3164 (210:164) - Teaching Elementary School Social Studies

How to Improve Content Coverage

Using the “Most Aligned” Set of Courses, current course requirements can address up to 92.31% coverage of social studies topics.

The topics still lacking coverage include:

Political institutions, Participation, Rules and Laws

To improve content coverage, the institution or teacher preparation program may need to require additional courses for their candidates to achieve coverage across all topics. Our analysts identified the following courses to cover these topics:

Political institutions, Participation, Rules and Laws: POL AMER 1014 (942:014)
Political institutions, Participation, Rules and Laws: POL GEN 1020
Political institutions, Participation, Rules and Laws: POL INTL 1024 (943:024)

Analysis of Content Covered with "Most Aligned" Set of Courses

= Course is Currently Recommended or Required by Program

Download Recommendations

Themes:	Civics	Economics		History						Geography		Culture & Identity	Pedagogy
Themes:	Civics	Economics		US History				World History		Geography		Culture & Identity	Pedagogy
Topics (hover to see name):	A Political institutions, Participation, Rules, and Laws	B Economic Principles and Exchange	C The Economy	D European Exploration and Colonization (up to 1700)	E The American Revolution and Founding (1700s)	F Growth and Expansion of the American Republic (up to 1900)	G Twentieth Century and Beyond	H Pre-Columbian and/or Ancient Civilizations	I Twentieth Century and Beyond	J Geographic Representations	K Human-Environment Interactions	L Diverse Perspectives	M Cross-cutting Concepts
HIST 1023 History of the United States
ECON 1031 Introduction to Economics
GEOG 1110 (970:040) World Geography
HUM 1021 Humanities I: The Ancient, Classical, and Medieval Worlds
HUM 1023 Humanities III: The Age of Revolution to the Present
HUM 3124 China
ELEMECML 3164 (210:164) Teaching Elementary School Social Studies
Total Content Covered: 92.31%
If a candidate takes the above courses, this is the topic coverage they would experience overall:

Download Recommendations

Continue Reading

Catalog Year: 2021-2022

University of Northern Iowa

This tool provides individual preparation programs with a customized analysis of the courses required by the undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program and by the institution’s undergraduate general education courses to determine how well these requirements cover essential content in science. This tool also uses information about existing coursework on their campuses to provide guidance on a recommended course sequence.

This is a summary of the coverage of science content for undergraduate elementary candidates at your institution.

To determine if an elementary teacher preparation program provides adequate coverage¹ in the primary subject area of science through its own requirements or the institution’s requirements, we ask three sequential questions exploring:

Evidence of any science coverage;
Evidence of coverage of the three science themes; and
Evidence coursework encompasses the nine topics of science knowledge required of elementary teachers.