Teacher Education and Kinesiology

Offered: On campus

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Learn with Minot State
As an early childhood education major at Minot State University, you’ll benefit from small class sizes that allow you to form quality learning relationships with your professors and classmates while applying your newly acquired skills and knowledge to your work with children in area programs and schools. At Minot State, studying early childhood education give you the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to impact young lives and shape the next generation.

Is early childhood education right for you?
Early childhood educators typically work with children from birth through grade three and must possess the skills necessary to explain reading, writing, science, and other subjects in ways young children can understand. This degree readies you for the Birth to Grade 3 North Dakota teaching license. You may work in public and private schools.

Minot State’s early childhood education major blends theory with practical application. You learn a holistic approach to child development — birth to age eight — through the following coursework:

• General education requirements: Prepares you to apply to the Teacher Education Program and take Praxis tests
• Core classes (selected): Infant/toddler development, early childhood education, language and literacy, arts integration, observation and assessment, leadership and supervision, pre-K methods, and kindergarten methods
• Professional education sequence: Early elementary education teaching methods and activities, technology in teaching, managing the learning environment, teaching diverse learners

Offered: Online

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Is a degree in early childhood right for you?
Early childhood educators typically work with children from birth to age 8 and must possess the skills necessary in using developmentally appropriate practices, emergent curriculum, and assessment. This degree readies you for work with children in preschools, Head Start classrooms, daycare centers, hospitals, and other early learning programs. The degree also prepares you for leadership positions, including early childhood administrators, supervisors, curriculum specialists, and education coordinators in ECE programs.

Learn with Minot State
Studying early childhood at Minot State gives you the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to impact young lives and shape the next generation. As an early childhood education major, you'll benefit from small class sizes that allow you to form quality learning relationships with your professors and classmates. 

Our early childhood education major blends theory with practical application. You learn a holistic approach to child development - birth to age 8 - through the following coursework:

• General education requirements: Prepares you for a four year degree.
• Core classes (selected): Infant/toddler development, early childhood education, language and literacy, arts integration, observation and assessment, leadership and supervision, pre-K methods, and children's literature.
• Professional education sequence: Early learning teaching methods and activities, technology in teaching, managing the learning environment, and teaching diverse learners.

Offered: On campus

CATALOG LINK

Learn with Minot State
Our elementary education program is particularly strong. Starting with your first semester, you will enroll in education classes that provide the chance to visit classrooms. Throughout your time at Minot State, you will work with elementary-age students every year so you are prepared for student teaching. Elementary education faculty encourage active participation in discussions, hands-on learning, and simulations. We do more than lecture. 

What you should know:

• Minot State offers small class sizes.
• Elementary teachers are in high demand.
• Faculty are mentors and teachers and are readily available.
• You will earn your degree at an affordable price.
• We help with advising and field placement.
• Starting annual salary for teachers in the region is $30,000-$45,000.
• Nearly every semester you will be in schools working with children.

Offered: On campus

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Four Year Plan

Learn with Minot State
At Minot State, our new exercise science and rehabilitation major includes an element unique to similar programs: rehabilitation and health throughout the lifespan. Developed to promote thoughtful graduates who engage in the science, theory, and practice of enhancing the quality of life for individuals, you can choose from seven different tracks, ensuring a route best tailored to your desired career path.

Focusing on rehabilitation for all ages, the curriculum has a strong focus on hands-on experiences both in and out of the classroom. Valuable research collaboration with other departments on campus and institutions in the community ensure you will put learning into action, starting day one.

Seven major option tracks
Your career goals will determine the best track for you to pursue:

• Option A: Professional Certification Route: Designed for the student who wishes to enter the workforce immediately following their degree, Option A will prepare you for National Strength and Conditioning Association exams, opening up opportunities to become a certified strength and conditioning specialist, certified personal trainer, and pave the way for other opportunities in cardiac rehab and exercise physiology.
• Option B: Professional Route Pre-Athletic Training: Athletic trainers practice in the field of sports medicine. With national changes in requirements for athletic trainers, individuals interested in this career field who begin their studies in Fall 2022 or later will be required to hold a master’s degree. This option will prepare students for a master’s degree in athletic training with a background in rehabilitation.
• Option C: Professional Route Pre-Physical Therapy: Physical therapists are movement experts, helping injured or ill clients improve movement and manage pain while focusing on achieving long-term health benefits. With physical therapists expected to have a 28% growth in employment, the need for PTs is continuing to rise. Meet your prerequisites for pursuing a doctorate in physical therapy, moving you toward your next step in becoming a physical therapist.
• Option D: Pre-Occupational Therapy: Occupational therapists focus on improving their clients’ abilities to perform activities of daily living, called ADL, by taking a holistic approach to healing. Occupational therapists work with all age groups, making our rehabilitation focus on the entire lifespan an important piece in your future career success.
• Option E: Pre-Physician Assistant: Physician assistants can be found working in all areas of medicine alongside physicians, surgeons, and other healthcare workers. As demand for healthcare services grows, employment of physician assistants is expected to grow 31% by 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations.
• Option F: Pre-Chiropractic: Receive your undergraduate degree in exercise science and rehabilitation with our pre-chiropractic option before moving on to chiropractic school. Find yourself at an advantage to most of your fellow chiropractic classmates with your strong background in rehabilitation and exercise focus.
• Option G: Pre-Med: The best prescription for prevention and treatment of almost all diseases is exercise. Build a solid foundation for a future career in medicine by mastering the most powerful medication — exercise.

Offered: On campus

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Four Year Plan

Is physical education right for you?
Teaching is both rewarding and challenging. Physical education teachers need to be physically fit and active, have good communication skills, and be able to effectively manage a learning environment. These skills allow students to have fun while learning fitness and health concepts, lifetime fitness activities, and movement and sports skills. PE teachers who coach school sports often earn additional money for their responsibilities.

Learn with Minot State
General education requirements prepare students to apply to the teacher education program and take Praxis tests. Selected core classes prepare you with teaching methods for lifetime fitness, leisure and recreation, fitness and weight training, sport activity, and adapted physical education. You will also be trained in curriculum planning and assessment, nutrition, kinesiology, physiology of exercise, educational psychology, organization and administration of P.E. and athletics, and assessment of health and skill related components of physical fitness. The professional education sequence prepares you for elementary and secondary methods and activities, technology in teaching, managing the learning environment, and teaching diverse learners.

Offered: On campus

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Four Year Plan 

Learn with Minot State
Minot State corporate fitness & wellness management graduates and former students have or are currently employed as:

• President and co-founder of Anytime Fitness, LLC –  over 1,400 fitness center locations located in 10 different countries worldwide
• Exercise physiologists in hospital cardiac rehab programs
• University educators
• Exercise physiologists working with individuals with physical and mental disabilities
• Hospital wellness/fitness program directors and personal trainers
• Sports performance enhancement program owner and directors
• Strength and conditioning coaches
• College graduate assistants in exercise science, strength and conditioning, and nutrition research programs
• Graduate program in physical therapy
• Private business corporation fitness/wellness program directors
• Professional sports team marketing and promotions directors

Is corporate fitness & wellness management right for you?
Successful fitness/wellness professionals practice good listening skills, understand strategies for behavior change, are physically fit, have excellent speaking skills, work well with people of all ages and stages of life, and apply knowledge of exercise science and biomechanics to design programs for clients with a variety of needs and abilities.