Principles of Teaching in Education

A basic study of how different age groups learn, using lesson objectives and teaching methods appropriate for a variety of age groups, with attention to early childhood education and developmentally appropriate practices.

You'll learn how learners of different ages actually take in new material, and how to shape a lesson plan around it, the foundational teaching skill everything else in an education career builds on.

Introduction to Education, Ethics, and Professional Responsibilities

Explores the fundamentals of elementary and secondary teaching, covering educational theory, special education legal aspects, instructional models, curriculum, and assessment, alongside ethical principles and professional responsibilities.

You'll get a grounded, practical view of what a teaching career actually involves before you commit further: classroom realities, the legal landscape around special education, and the ethical responsibilities of the job.

Fine Arts in the Classroom

Learn to use arts and crafts, drama, dance, music, and songwriting in the elementary school classroom, alongside developing students' own gifts and talents.

You'll pick up creative, low-cost ways to bring art, music, and movement into any elementary lesson, the kind of engagement tools that keep young learners interested.

The Science of Reading

Methods for teaching decoding, language comprehension, and reading comprehension, with a focus on phonological awareness and phonics.

You'll walk away able to actually teach a child to read: phonics, phonological awareness, and comprehension strategies grounded in current reading research, not guesswork.

K-5th Literacy Reading Assessment, Instruction and Intervention

Formal and informal reading instruction and intervention for struggling K-5th grade readers, including students with characteristics of dyslexia.

You'll learn to spot a struggling reader early and know exactly what to do about it, including support strategies for students showing characteristics of dyslexia.

Structured English Immersion

Addresses instructional methods for English Language Learners, SEI strategies, and assessment of ELL academic progress.

If you plan to teach in Arizona, this course alone satisfies the state's SEI Endorsement requirement, a real credential, not just background knowledge.

Teaching All Children

Equips teachers to bridge the gap between instructional delivery and diverse learning styles, covering special needs, English language learners, and diverse cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

You'll build a toolkit for reaching every kind of learner in one classroom, covering different abilities, language backgrounds, and cultures, instead of teaching to just the “average” student.

Transformational Methods of Elementary Education 1

Planning that leads to student transformation, from setting up the classroom to curriculum, for students from varied cultures and with different learning styles.

You'll practice actually building a classroom and curriculum from scratch, with strategies suited to students from different cultural and learning backgrounds.

Transformational Elementary and Secondary Curriculum

Develop skills in researching, deciding on, and teaching according to school and district curriculum frameworks, including instructional design and lesson planning.

You'll learn to read and build a real curriculum against school and district standards, including how to design lessons that meet every student's needs.

Introduction to Special Education I

Legal requirements for providing a free and appropriate public education to students with moderate and severe disabilities, person-centered planning, and transition programming.

You'll understand the real legal obligations schools have toward students with disabilities, and gain practical, person-centered planning skills you'll use immediately in any classroom.

Introduction to Special Education II

Continues the study of person-centered planning for students with moderate and severe disabilities, with emphasis on assessment, eligibility, and collaboration practices.

Building on Special Education I, you'll learn how eligibility and assessment actually work in practice, so you can advocate effectively for students who need extra support.

Transformational Classroom Assessment

Theoretical frameworks behind classroom-based and school-wide assessments, and strategies to develop transformational assessment tools that guide instruction.

You'll learn to build assessments that actually tell you what students learned, not just tests for the sake of a grade, and use that data to shape your teaching.

Composition I

Instruction and practice in critical thinking, reading, and writing, with an emphasis on argumentative and analytical essays.

You'll strengthen the reading, writing, and critical-thinking skills that every other college-level course depends on.

Composition II

Continued instruction in composition, with an emphasis on research-based, source-driven writing.

You'll build on Composition I with real research and persuasive writing skills, useful well beyond the classroom whenever you need to make a case in writing.

American Literature I

A reading- and writing-intensive introduction to a variety of literature, covering literary forms, terms, and techniques.

You'll read and respond to a range of American literature, sharpening your ability to analyze texts closely and write clearly about them.

Christian Literature I

A reading- and writing-intensive introduction to a variety of Christian literature, covering literary forms, terms, and techniques.

You'll explore literature written from a Christian worldview, developing the same close-reading and writing skills as any literature course.

English Language Arts & Reading

A balanced, comprehensive, and integrated course developing skills and strategies in vocabulary instruction and reading comprehension for literary and non-literary texts.

You'll build a well-rounded toolkit for teaching vocabulary and reading comprehension across literary and non-literary texts, directly useful if you're headed toward a classroom.

Earth Science for Non-Science Majors

A broad survey of earth science: geology, meteorology, oceanography, and astronomy, for students outside the sciences.

You'll get a broad, accessible introduction to how the planet works: geology, weather, oceans, and space. No science background required.

Biology for Non-Science Majors

A general survey of biological principles for students outside the sciences, covering cell biology through ecology.

You'll cover the basics of life science from cells to ecosystems, built for students who want the credit without a heavy science prerequisite chain.

Introductory Chemistry

An introduction to chemistry concepts including states of matter, the periodic table, chemical calculations, molecular shape, gas laws, and acids, bases, and pH.

You'll learn the fundamentals of chemistry, including matter, the periodic table, and reactions, explained for students outside the sciences, not assuming prior chemistry coursework.

Introduction to Physics

An overview of key physics concepts including forces and motion, energy, gravity, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, and optics.

You'll get a working understanding of the physical forces that shape everyday life: motion, energy, electricity, and more, without needing a math-heavy physics background.

Elementary Statistical Methods

An intuitive approach to basic statistics: numerical measures, frequency distributions, probability, correlation and regression, estimation, and hypothesis testing.

You'll learn practical statistics, the kind used to read a study, interpret data, or run a hypothesis test, taught intuitively rather than through heavy formal proofs.

Fundamentals of Mathematics I

Foundational math concepts for future educators: sets, numeration systems, and operations with whole numbers, integers, and rational numbers.

You'll rebuild your foundation in core math operations, designed specifically for future educators who need to teach this material clearly to others.

Fundamentals of Mathematics II

Explores mathematical operations, algebraic reasoning, proportionality, geometry, statistics, functions, trigonometry, and measurement.

You'll extend your math foundation into algebraic reasoning, geometry, and functions, continuing to build toward teaching math confidently yourself.

Contemporary Mathematics

Explores quadratic, polynomial, rational, exponential, and logarithmic functions and expressions, with an emphasis on graphing and applications.

You'll work with a range of real mathematical functions and their graphs, building the reasoning skills that carry into algebra and beyond.

College Algebra

A working knowledge of college-level algebra, emphasizing linear and quadratic equations, word problems, polynomial functions, roots and radicals.

You'll master the algebra skills that unlock every higher math course after this one: equations, functions, and problem-solving fundamentals.

Precalculus

Builds on College Algebra to address functions, graphs, polynomials, rational functions, trigonometry, conic sections, and an introduction to Calculus.

You'll bridge the gap between algebra and calculus, building the skills you'll need if a calculus course is somewhere down your path.

New Testament Discovery

A historical survey of the New Testament, examining key concepts and events that helped birth Christianity.

You'll get a clear historical grounding in the New Testament and the events that shaped early Christianity, useful whether this is new territory for you or a refresher.

Following Jesus and Spiritual Formation

An introduction to the major components that influence spiritual growth, giving students the tools, resources, and strategies to become effective followers of Jesus.

You'll come away with practical tools and a framework for your own spiritual growth, not just academic knowledge about faith.

Gospel Movements of Jesus

Explores the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, with a primary focus on the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

You'll dig into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus across all four Gospels, building a fuller picture than any one account alone gives you.

Biblical Wisdom for Teachers

A biblical survey of wisdom for life as a teacher, drawing on the Old and New Testaments for issues relevant to flourishing as a teacher, including collaboration and resolving conflict.

You'll connect biblical wisdom directly to real classroom challenges, including collaboration, compassion, and resolving conflict, if teaching is where you're headed.

Federal Government

An introduction to the structure and functions of the United States government, including the Constitution, federalism, political institutions, and civil rights.

You'll understand how the U.S. government actually works: the Constitution, federalism, and the institutions that shape policy. Genuinely useful civic knowledge.

Texas Government

The organization and operation of Texas state and local government, and its relationship to the federal system.

You'll get a working understanding of Texas government specifically, useful if you live, work, or vote in the state.

US History I

Surveys political, social, religious, intellectual, and economic developments in the United States from the colonial period through Reconstruction.

You'll trace the major events and forces that shaped early America, from the colonial period through Reconstruction.

US History II

Surveys political, social, religious, intellectual, and economic developments in the United States from the late 19th century through the 21st century.

You'll pick up the story from the late 1800s through today, understanding how the modern United States came to be.

Caring for Mind, Body and Spirit

Applies a variety of activities related to biblical concepts of wholeness, addressing the integration of mind, body, and spirit healing from personal and professional perspectives.

You'll explore practical, whole-person wellness, mind, body, and spirit together, from both a personal and professional angle.

General Psychology

Introduces core principles, theories, and practices of psychology, including biological bases of behavior, cognition, human development, personality, and mental health.

You'll get a broad, practical introduction to how people think, develop, and behave, useful in nearly any career that involves working with people.

Lifespan Growth & Development

An introductory course in developmental psychology. Major developmental theories are studied, as well as characteristics and developmental tasks of each age group.

You'll learn what to expect at each stage of human development, from childhood through adulthood, valuable if you'll ever work with kids, families, or any age group.

Principles of Microeconomics

Examines consumer and producer behavior, supply and demand, the different kinds of markets, and how economic principles apply to real-world issues.

You'll understand how individual choices, as a consumer, a business, or a worker, drive markets, with real-world relevance to everyday decisions.

Principles of Macroeconomics

Explores the functioning of the economy at a national scale: national income, inflation, unemployment, fiscal and monetary policy, and global trade.

You'll learn how the larger economy works, including inflation, unemployment, and trade, so news about the economy actually makes sense.

Human Geography

A survey of the major systems of man-land relations of the world and their dissimilar developments, and the processes of innovation, diffusion, and adaptation.

You'll examine how people and places shape each other around the world, a useful lens for understanding global news and culture.

Introduction to World Religions

A comprehensive exploration of major world religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, examining key texts, practices, and cultural impact.

You'll get a respectful, comparative look at the world's major religions, building cultural literacy that's valuable in almost any field.

Interpersonal Communication

Examines principles and processes of communicating from one culture to another, and increases awareness of different ways of thinking and expression.

You'll build practical skills for communicating across cultures and differing viewpoints, useful in any job that involves working with other people.