About the Program
Pursue your passion for teaching and shaping young minds with an interdisciplinary liberal arts education. Help children develop foundational skills and a love of learning that will support them for the rest of their lives. Build the skills, knowledge and disposition to work with children from kindergarten to grade 8 and graduate ready to take on a credential program.
The Polytechnic Approach
Study theories and practices of pedagogy. Understand the sociocultural factors impacting students and their families. And receive a broad base of knowledge in multiple disciplines. Through extensive fieldwork and classroom experience with a mentor teacher, you will be well prepared for a credential program and your dream career in elementary education.
Career Outcomes
Program Emphasis
Courses
The Elementary Education Pre-credential pathway offers an interdisciplinary education tailored to your goal of becoming an elementary education teacher. The Pre-credential pathway is a degree to gain subject matter knowledge for an elementary classroom. California requires elementary teachers to know specific theories and concepts across the arts and sciences to teach and apply in their future classrooms. Pre-credential students take ten core Liberal Studies courses with LS students in all options. You will earn 45 hours of K-8 experience and meet other requirements to apply to a credential program after graduation to receive your preliminary teacher credential in elementary education from the state of California.
Featured Faculty
"My college path was unconventional for what used to be considered the typical college student but conventional for many working-class and first-generation college students. Now, I am very honored to be a professor and to work with students at Cal Poly...Estela Godinez Ballón Co-Department Chair & Professor, Liberal Studies
Explore For Yourself
Interdisciplinary General Education
All incoming students have the opportunity to experience Liberal Studies for themselves through IGE! Study multiple disciplines through seminar-style, active-learning classes.
