Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies in Education
The Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies in Education provides an ideal foundational degree to launch your journey as an educator — whether you’re transferring from a community college or just beginning your bachelor studies. Coursework and instruction will help develop your skills as a leader, communicator, and practitioner in diverse educational environments while also demonstrating ways to harness the latest technology tools in the classroom.
As a future teacher, you’ll immerse yourself in educational theory, research, and instructional practices as you learn to integrate societal, ethical, and diverse perspectives into your teaching and learning strategies. The program offers two areas of specialization with 17 upper-division courses to be completed during a 17-month degree pathway.
Prerequisites for Program
ENG 102 Effective College English – 4.50
An introductory course on the written academic discourse patterns required for college-level writing. Emphasizing essay-length compositions, the course covers critical reading, thesis formation, essay organization, and basic revision techniques.
SOC 350 Cultural Diversity – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Examines race, gender, ethnicity and class in 20th century American society. Introduces students to methods for studying the changing nature of our society and explores ways in which our increasingly urbanized and technological culture affects all aspects of professional and unskilled work. May involve work in oral history.
Requirements for the Program
PSYC 301 Child Development – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Familiarizes students with the foundational theories of human development, current research directions in developmental psychology, major developmental perspectives and research approaches in developmental psychology and issues surrounding diversity, emphasizing an ecosystemic model of thinking about and understanding children and their development. In addition to the previous topics, the following areas will be discussed: the history of childhood; developmental theories and appropriate practices in education; play as a medium for learning and development; and the field of discipline particularly as it relates to development, behaviors and considering temperament in children.
ISE 443 The Special Needs of Children 4.50
Prerequisite: ISE 440 with a minimum grade of B. It is important for students to digest the content of the Psychology of Diverse Populations successfully prior to studying the special needs of children, in order to have a sufficient foundation of how the diversity of the environment and culture impact how students learn.
ISE 445 Cognition and Learning – 4.50
Prerequisite: ISE 443 with a minimum grade of B. A “B” grade, indicating the student has satisfactorily absorbed the content of the special needs of children, is essential in successfully understanding how cognition and learning support the teaching and learning accommodations/ techniques needed to help students whose ability to learn requires special attention, thus serving as a foundation for teaching and learning techniques in general.
ISE 447 The Next Generation Classroom – 4.50
Prerequisite: ISE 445 with a minimum grade of B. In order to comprehend how the complexity of the “next generation classroom” will impact teaching and learning, students must satisfactorily pass the “Cognition and Learning” class with at least a “B” grade to ensure they can integrate the new approaches articial intelligence (AI) and similar advances in learning potential provide with current theories and techniques.
ITL 512 Language/Literacy: Strategies – 4.50
Prerequisite: ITL 510
Complex strategies for teaching reading, writing, listening, speaking, and language development. Research-based practices aligned to CA’s Common Core Standards and ELA/ELD frameworks. Language and literacy strategies for all learners, including English speakers, English learners, Standard English learners, students with exceptionalities, and students with other learning needs) in the K-8 classroom.
ISE 452 Partnering with Families – 4.50
Prerequisite: ISE 447 with a minimum grade of B. Partnering with families successfully is a major challenge for teachers and coaches and therefore, an especially broad spectrum of knowledge, as contained in previous courses, to include particularly the ability to explain how the next generation classroom is essential to the future of education, is a must thus requiring a satisfactory grade of at least a “B”.
Concentration in Coaching and Physical Education
ACEX 2101X Philosophy of Coaching – 4.50
This program is designed for students who have completed the general education requirements at a community college, and are interested in completing the work toward the Bachelor of Arts degree. Students will complete their upper division requirements, and specialization requirements in a 17 course/17 month undergraduate degree completion pathway.
BIO 386 Exercise Physiology – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
Provides a theoretical basis for understanding the body’s acute and chronic adaptations to the stresses of exercise. Emphasis is given to systems physiology, the neuromuscular and cardiovascular bases of training responses, vascular physiology, energy production, cardiopulmonary function, and the significance of these effects for health and performance. Emphasis will be placed upon the practical application of exercise physiology principles to coaching, teaching, and other physical training practices.
ISE 472 Ethics in Coaching and Sport – 4.50
In this course, students will explore ethics and morality in the context of sports and coaching. Students will consider the moral and ethical challenges across the field of sport and coaching and the value of professional codes of conduct in promoting ethical and moral practice. Students will also be prepared to respond to ethical and moral issues in recent and future events.
BIO 385 Biomechanics of Sport – 4.50
Prerequisite: ENG 102
This course looks at the role of external and biomechanical factors in athletic performance. Course content includes the biomechanics of athletic performance, linear and angular kinetics, the role of torque and force in athletic performance, and the risks associated with biomechanical stress in athletics.
ISE 471 Performance Eval in Sport – 4.50
In this course, students will be introduced to exercise programming strategies. Students will be shown how a systematic approach to exercise program design uniquely blends the science of acute variables with the concepts of flexibility, cardiorespiratory, core, balance, reactive, speed, agility and quickness, and resistance training to develop safe and effective exercise programs for athletes in various sports.
ISE 470 Coaching Psychology – 4.50
In this course, students will explore the principles, responsibilities, and issues of coaching and motivating the student-athlete. Students will gain knowledge of the fields of Positive Psychology and Sport Psychology. Students will develop their knowledge on strengthening a student athlete’s daily performance and team achievement in athletics.
Concentration in Elementary Education
ITL 400 Becoming a Teacher – 4.50
BA credential program requirements; K-12 school and classroom experiences; and observational skills in K-12 classrooms. Principles sustaining an inspired teacher mindset. Electronic showcase reflecting professional growth throughout the program. Grading is S, U or In Progress (IP).
ITL 402 Context: Education in the U.S. – 4.50
Prerequisite: ITL 400 and Students must complete the credential packet.
Examines historical, socio-political, cultural, and economic influences, as well as technological and other innovations on the evolution of education in the U.S. and globally. Considers the impact of legal mandates and other influential factors on the profession; identifies necessary knowledge, skills, and dispositions of an inspired professional educator.
ITL 404 Learners and Learning I – 4.50
Prerequisite: ITL 402
Examines psychological, socio-cultural, linguistic, and other factors influencing development, learning, and the full range of learners, including English Learners, standard-English learners, students with exceptionalities, and students with other needs. Considers a variety of data to identify appropriate strategies and community-based resources to support all learners and their families.
ITL 406 Learners and Learning II – 4.50
Prerequisite: ITL 404
Examines theories and research regarding typical and atypical child and adolescent development and learning. Considers various data collection and assessment techniques which guide the selection of effective instructional strategies, practices, resources, and technologies to create environments that support the full range of learners and provide equitable access to the curriculum.
ITL 408 Design and Process of Teaching – 4.50
Prerequisite: ITL 406
Candidates integrate principles of learning theories and factors influencing human development when designing instruction and evaluating instructional effectiveness. Candidates will utilize a four-stage cyclical model of planning, teaching, analyzing and reflecting in the process of learning-and-teaching to ensure all students equitable access to the curriculum.
ITL 530 Optimized Learning Community – 4.50
Research-based strategies and models managing an equitable and inclusive K-12 learning environments. Social-emotional growth, development, and individual responsibility. Positive interventions and supports, restorative justice, and conflict resolution practices. Prevention of common classroom problems. Effectively work with challenging students. Establishment of safe classroom and school environments to prevent bullying.
Degree and Course Requirements
To receive a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies in Education, students must complete at least 180 quarter units, 45 of which must be completed in residence at Berkshire University, 76.5 of which must be completed at the upper-division level, and a minimum of 70.5 units of the general education requirements. In the absence of transfer credit, additional general electives may be necessary to satisfy the total units for the degree. The following courses are specific degree requirements. Refer to the section on undergraduate admission procedures for specific information regarding admission and evaluation. Students receiving an undergraduate degree in Nevada are required by state law to complete a course in the Nevada constitution.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:
Identify essential concepts, strategies, and processes utilized in the educational environment to include those for children with special needs
Apply evidence-based solutions for supporting and improving instructional practices across multiple disciplines to include those children with special needs
Explain how cross-disciplinary concepts are integrated into the overall teaching and learning strategies
Analyze how technology and social media impact how students learn and process educational content and knowledge
Describe how the various educational learning and teaching theories can be applied to support ethical and professional practices in the classroom
Demonstrate the proven leadership and management techniques teachers may use effectively in the classroom to provide the best learning environment for students
Admissions
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