Since the Fall of 1978, Volunteer State Community College and Tennessee State University have offered a program leading to a baccalaureate degree and certification in Elementary Education. The curriculum is basically a blend of the VSCC Associate of Science degree program following the Elementary Education curriculum guide and the last two years of the TSU program in Elementary Education.
With the adoption of new programs for teacher reform by state institutions in the Fall of 1990, this degree is a Bachelor of Science in Arts and Sciences with Elementary Education endorsement grades K-6. The major concentration is Child Development and Learning with an emphasis on teaching grades K-4.
Priority admission to the TSU program at VSCC for Fall 2011 will be given to students following the Associate of Science Teaching (A.S.T.) Program of Studies (see below). Exceptions will be made for students following the TSU 2+2- Associate of Elementary Education who began pursuing this degree during or prior to Fall 2009.
Beginning Fall 2012, TSU will only accept students into the K-6 Teacher Education Program with an A.S.T.
Students must attain and maintain a 2.75 cumulative GPA, successfully complete Praxis I exams, and receive satisfactory ratings on an index of suitability for the Teaching profession and disposition assessments, and have a “clean” background check.
All courses are offered on the Vol Sate campus. Persons interested in the TSU Elementary Education program should contact the TSU office at Vol State.