Specialty Studies

Students who plan to receive a baccalaureate degree from Rhode Island College in teacher preparation programs must complete the requirements for a major or teaching concentration if applicable. The major or teaching concentration is the specialty studies component of the teacher education curricula. These are subject matter areas in which students have particular interest or expertise.

• The elementary education curriculum at Rhode Island College is not a major. It is a curriculum within which there are various options. Students interested in elementary education are required to complete an academic or content major or a special education teaching concentration in addition to the professional studies curriculum requirements. The list of majors and appropriate concentrations available for students in elementary education curricula is in the College catalog.
• Students in a K-12 curriculum (art education, health education, physical education, music education, and technology education) are required to complete a major as part of the program.
• Applicants to secondary education curriculum must select a secondary education major in a discipline which is among those that lead to eligibility for certification in that discipline. Only selected majors are available to persons in secondary education curricula. The list of available majors is in the College catalog.
• The special education programs at Rhode Island College are teaching concentrations which may be completed by students in elementary education curricula in lieu of an academic or content major, or in addition to all requirements, including a secondary education major, for students in the secondary education curricula.