What is a coordinate major?

The coordinate major is an additional major designed to complement the primary one. To earn a coordinate major in education, students must also complete a major in another discipline. Upon successful completion of the coordinate major, the student’s transcript will reflect the fact that the student has completed the coordinate major in Elementary Education (grades 1-5) or Secondary Education (grades 6-12) with a focus on the area of application. Tulane SoPA does not currently offer a standalone Bachelor of Arts in Education.

To earn a coordinate major in education, students must be enrolled in a B.A., B.S., or B.F.A. degree at Tulane University.  Students should align the field of their primary major with a complementary area of study for the coordinate major. Depending on the area of concentration, students are required to complete 33 hours for Elementary Education or 30 hours for Secondary Education. All education coursework, including the final residency or applied research project, is completed concurrently with students' undergraduate studies.

Applied learning is an integral part of the coordinate major. Students engage in several clinical experiences in diverse public and private school classrooms. Additionally, the coordinate major program requires students to engage in a year-long applied learning component, whether through a residency or a research project, as their culminating experience of the program. For those seeking certification approved by the Louisiana Department of Education, the final, year-long residency in a school is required.

Elementary Education Coordinate Major

The Elementary Education (grades 1-5) Coordinate Major is a 33-credit major that offers students coursework and a path to become an elementary (grades 1-5) teacher in the State of Louisiana. Successful completion of all coursework and a two-semester residency is a requirement of any individual seeking teaching certification in the State of Louisiana. Students who choose not to pursue teacher certification may complete an applied research project in lieu of the residency.

Secondary Education Coordinate Major

The Secondary Education Coordinate Major can be completed concurrent with an undergraduate degree major at Tulane. Successful completion of all coursework and a two-semester residency is a requirement of any individual seeking teaching certification in the State of Louisiana. Students who choose not to pursue teacher certification may complete an applied research project in lieu of the residency. Students must meet the requirements for the primary major while completing the required Secondary Education requirements, including a subject concentration:

• English
• Mathematics
• Social Studies
• Science (Physics, Chemistry, or Biology)
• Foreign Language (Spanish, French, German, Italian, or Latin)