The Elementary Holmes Program is in the process of shifting the program structure to be more responsive to candidate needs, increase the rigor of the program, and extend the opportunity for candidates to qualify for additional certifications.
| The Elementary Holmes Program is a one year master’s program that compliments candidates who have completed an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Louisiana State University. In the second semester of one’s senior year a series of Holmes pre-requisite courses are taken once admitted into the Holmes Program. The graduate year is designed to give candidates thoughtful experiences with practice and theory with a focus on preparing candidates to be 21st century educators. Once candidates have successfully completed the graduate portion program they are awarded a Master’s of Arts in Teaching (MAT) and teacher certification in grades 1-5. In addition, the coursework completed for the Holmes Program may lead toward additional certifications. |  |
What is the difference between the four year and the Elementary Holmes Program?
Once accepted into the program Elementary Holmes candidates complete a pedagogical and content concentration as undergraduates in lieu of student teaching. The undergraduate Holmes concentration is designed to enhance the pedagogical resources and content knowledge of prospective teachers prior to the graduate year of the program. The concentration is intended to assure that each Elementary Holmes candidate has the subject matter expertise and pedagogical approaches that will aid in the crafting of curriculum.
Upon successful completion of the undergraduate degree, candidates enter the Elementary Holmes Program for a graduate year of study (summer, fall, and spring). During the graduate year, candidates complete extensive master’s-level coursework, an intense year-long candidate teaching internship, and a teacher action research project, which is presented at the Holmes conference in the spring of the graduate year and submitted for possible publishing to appropriate peer reviewed journals. Candidates, upon successful completion of the program, will leave Louisiana State University with a bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and teacher certification in grades 1-5. In addition, the coursework completed for the Holmes Program may lead toward additional certifications.
During the Holmes Program, students will take graduate level courses with a reading focus which may assist them in adding on additional reading certifications after the completion of three years of teaching experience (add on certification requirements are set by the Louisiana State Department of Education and are subject to change at any time).
The intensive program is designed to help future teachers become reflexive 21st century practitioners capable of assuming leadership positions in diverse elementary level schools. Elementary Holmes graduates are often viewed as more experienced beginning teachers due to their extensive content and pedagogical knowledge and field experiences during the graduate year.
What are the undergraduate course requirements for the Elementary Holmes concentration and when are they taken?
The undergraduate Holmes concentration is designed to enhance the pedagogical resources and content knowledge of prospective teachers prior to the graduate year for those accepted into the graduate program. The concentration is intended to assure that each Elementary Holmes candidate has the subject matter expertise and pedagogical approaches that will aid in the crafting of authentic curriculum.
Candidates will begin to apply for admission into the Elementary Holmes Program during the spring of the junior year and admission decisions will be finalized in the fall of the senior year. Once admitted into the Holmes Program candidates will register for the required Holmes concentration courses which are taken in the spring of the senior year.
The undergraduate concentration will consist of the following courses:
Credit Hours | Course | Comments |
3 | EDCI 2271: Art Education for Elementary Schools | |
3 | Math/Natural Science Course | Candidates will select a course from a pre-approved set of course offerings |
3 | Social Science Course | Candidates will select a course from a pre-approved set of course offerings |
3 | EDCI 4710: Consultation, Collaboration, and Co-teaching | |
3 | EDCI 7131: Developing Learning Skills Through Content Reading | Taken for graduate credit; applies toward MAT |
When do I apply for the Elementary Holmes Program?
The new program approach is designed to allow candidates to complete the traditional sequence of coursework required for the four year bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education until the spring of the senior year. Candidates wishing to enter the Elementary Holmes Program will now begin to apply during the spring of the junior year and admission decisions will be finalized during the fall of the senior year.
Candidates applying for admission into the Elementary Holmes Program should follow the timeline below in regards to the application process. Please contact Bridget Robicheaux, brobic@lsu.edu, with any questions regarding the application process and timeline.
Freshman Year |
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Sophomore Year |
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Junior Year |
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Senior Year |
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*Dates are subject to change
What are the admission requirements for the Elementary Holmes Program?
Candidates applying for the Elementary Holmes Program should meet the following requirements:
- 3.00 undergraduate gpa
- “C” or better in all required courses for the degree in Elementary Education
- Passing PRAXIS I (Reading, Writing, and Mathematics) scores or ACT/SAT score of 22/1030 or higher on file with LSU
- Passing PRAXIS II scores
- Elementary Education Content Knowledge (#0014/5014)
- Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K-6 (#0622/5622)
- Acceptable GRE scores
- Candidates should have at least a 153 on the verbal portion of the GRE and at least a 144 on the quantitative portion of the GRE.
- It is further recommended by the Holmes faculty, that candidates have a 3.5 or higher on the analytical writing portion of the GRE.
- Admission to the LSU Graduate School
*Meeting minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the Elementary Holmes Program
* Admission into the LSU Graduate School does not guarantee acceptance into the Elementary Holmes Program.
What will the Elementary Holmes application process require?
Candidates planning to apply to the Holmes Program must attend an Elementary Holmes Application meeting in the spring of their junior year to learn the specifics of the application process. During the application process candidates will have to present passing scores on all required tests (PRAXIS I or meet PRAXIS I Waiver, PRAXIS II, and GRE), complete the online LSU Graduate School application, an on-site writing prompt, and attend an interview with the Holmes admission committee.
What can I expect during the graduate year of the Elementary Holmes Program?
The Elementary Holmes Program is three semesters long (summer, fall, and spring) and consists of the completion of graduate level coursework, a school year long student teaching internship, and a teacher action research project that is presented at the Holmes conference in the spring of the graduate year and submitted to peer reviewed journals for possible publication.
In addition to the graduate course taken in the spring of the senior year, candidates will take the following courses during the graduate year of the Elementary Holmes Program:
Summer Semester 9 hours |
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Fall Semester 12 hours |
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Spring Semester 12 hours |
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Who can I contact for more information on the Holmes Program?
Candidates interested in the Elementary Holmes Program can contact Bridget Robicheaux, Office of Student Services counselor regarding the program.
Bridget Robicheaux, Counselor
College of Human Sciences & Education
Office of Student Services
236 Peabody Hall
225/578-2331
To schedule an advising appointment, please visit the Office of Student Services website at http://chse.lsu.edu/student_services/index.shtml.