Elementary Education

Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education

Elementary Education: Excellent Teachers with a Heart for Service

As a Christian elementary school teacher, you’ll have a rare, precious opportunity: influencing young lives for the Lord while providing an exceptional education.

Earn your degree in elementary education at Pensacola Christian College. You’ll master traditional teaching methods, using tried-and-true techniques that genuinely work. Starting with the foundation of biblical philosophy, you’ll learn to skillfully evaluate educational trends and learning theories in light of God’s Word.

You’ll fine-tune your skills and practice teaching in five education labs with the latest classroom technology—including interactive boards and document cameras. You’ll also observe and work in Pensacola Christian Academy (PCA) classes. There, you’ll teach elementary students and discover how a well-run school operates. Your training will culminate by solidifying your classroom management and teaching skills in a semester-long internship at PCA.

PCC’s reputation for producing excellent teachers dedicated to the ministry of traditional Christian education places graduates in high demand at Christian schools. The knowledgeable and caring faculty, thorough training, and extensive teaching experiences make PCC’s education graduates well-prepared, effective teachers for their first year and beyond.


Faith-Based Elementary Education

The elementary education major at PCC will prepare you to reach students’ hearts and minds for Christ. As you teach every subject area from a biblical perspective—and as you present stories and truths from God’s Word—you’ll be in a unique position to demonstrate God’s love and encourage a biblical worldview.

Someday, your elementary students will be all grown up . . . and you’ll have played a key role in empowering them to become well-educated adults who can make a difference for the Lord in their own generation.

Elementary Education Learning Outcomes

As an elementary education graduate, you will be able to

  • apply a Christian-traditional philosophy of education to content and methods of teaching in elementary classes.
  • demonstrate competency in elementary-level subject content.
  • demonstrate proficiency in the use of methods and materials appropriate for the Christian-traditional elementary classroom.
  • organize, establish, and manage an effective learning environment.
  • demonstrate knowledge of the learner with ability to teach him.
  • teach effectively in a Christian elementary program.
  • integrate biblical Christian values in teaching.
  • exhibit the professional qualities required of successful teachers.

Program Highlight

Elementary Teaching Internship

Your undergraduate courses are loaded with opportunities to observe master teachers, practice teaching your peers, and teach lessons at Pensacola Christian Academy. They’ll do a phenomenal job preparing you for a successful teaching career. However, your senior Elementary Teaching Internship (EE 420) will give you the ultimate real-world experience: leading your very own elementary school class.

You’ll spend a complete semester in a PCA classroom. There, a knowledgeable teacher will mentor you, help you refine your skills, answer your questions, give you ideas, and work with you as a genuine teammate. You’ll participate in orientation day, parent-teacher meetings, school events, classroom management, and all aspects of teaching. One subject at a time, you’ll take over teaching responsibilities—eventually taking full responsibility of the entire class.

After you finish your internship, you’ll never have to fear the “first day on the job” feeling. You’ll start your career as an experienced teacher: confident, highly skilled, and ready for whatever comes your way.

Your Elementary Education Future

What can you do with an elementary education degree?

With a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from PCC, you’ll be fully equipped to teach in a Christian elementary program. You can also pursue graduate studies. Although the education degree programs do not lead to state licensure, graduates are qualified to receive teacher certification through the American Association of Christian Schools (AACS) and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).

Here are a few of the countless career opportunities available to you.

  • Christian School Teacher
  • Church Ministry
  • Homeschool Teacher
  • Missions
  • Online Tutor
  • Public Speaker
  • School Administrator

Here are a few of the grad schools our elementary education alumni have attended.

  • Pensacola Christian College
  • Emporia State University
  • Grand Canyon University
  • Liberty University
  • Minnesota State University
  • New York University

Here are a few of the many places that our elementary education alumni have worked.

  • Pensacola Christian Academy
  • Berean Baptist Academy
  • Calvary Christian Academy
  • Camp Assurance
  • Rockwell Christian School
  • Land O' Lakes Christian School
  • Wilmington Christian School

Faculty Highlight

Mrs. Beth Reese

Mrs. Beth Reese

B.S., M.S., Pensacola Christian College


“After teaching second grade at PCA, we converted a bedroom into a classroom complete with bulletin boards and little desks, and I began homeschooling my three sons. Eighteen years later, I returned to teach at PCA and was later honored and humbled to be asked to videotape K5 for Abeka.

Now at PCC, my goal is to instill a spirit of excellence in my students. There are plenty of mediocre teachers; I want to equip them to have good success as teachers. Teaching children to read is more than simple phonics lessons: it is giving them the tools that will open up a life full of learning. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

PCC has an incredible education program. Schools far and wide tell us that they love our graduates because they are prepared and ready to teach. Seeing my students develop into effective teachers makes all the time and effort worth it.”

Meet more faculty

Alumni Spotlight

Ellen Olson
Ellen Olson ’18

Accreditation Director, Friendship Christian School in Raleigh, NC


“PCC fostered my love for education and my confidence in instructing elementary students. The foundation of biblical philosophy is a perspective that secular colleges do not offer.

The most enjoyable part of the elementary education program was the internship. When I entered my own classroom after graduation, I knew how to confidently manage the aspects of instruction, curriculum, and discipline. Because of the instruction and application opportunities that I received at PCC, I was well-equipped to operate my own classroom even as a first-year teacher.”

Meet more alumni

Elementary Education
Student Perspective

Whitney Rasmussen

Listen as Whitney Rasmussen, an Elementary Education student, shares her perspective on Pensacola Christian College and the Education Department.

About the Elementary Education Program

The purpose of the elementary education major is to prepare students to teach in a Christian elementary program by equipping them with a Christian-traditional philosophy of subject content and teaching methods, practical teaching skills, and a servant’s heart.

Elementary education students can apply for scholarships to receive financial aid.

Teacher Education Scholarship (up to $12,000)

  • Available to a qualified applicant who has declared an education major.
  • Applicants must have a cumulative high school GPA of 2.00 or higher.
  • Recipients must maintain a 2.00 GPA each year (not cumulative) at Pensacola Christian College in order to receive the benefit of the scholarship. Students who forfeit the scholarship because of grade point average will forfeit the benefit for future years.
  • Recipients receive a tuition benefit up to $12,000 (approximately $3,000 annually; 20% of total tuition) over the first eight consecutive semesters of attendance as a full-time student after approval. If the student is enrolled in the Fourth Year Tuition-Free program, scholarship payments will not be applied during semesters the student is receiving the Fourth Year Tuition-Free benefit.

Kathleen Irwin Scholarship
$1,000 scholarships awarded to students with secondary, elementary, and music education majors, to be applied over one semester.

Lucile T. Magaha Memorial Scholarship
$1,000 scholarship awarded to a continuing freshman, sophomore, or junior with an elementary education major, who exemplifies a desire to serve the Lord and to show love and compassion to their future students, to be applied over one semester.

Melvin and Mabel Teuscher Memorial Scholarship
$1,000 scholarships each awarded to continuing sophomores, juniors, or seniors who have a financial need, to be applied over one semester. Priority will be given to education majors.

See More Scholarships

Student at Educator Recruitment

Education Career Support

With Career Services and Career Link, students can start making connections with employers while on campus during Career Fair events. These services provide tools and resources designed to empower you for your elementary education calling.

Every year, an average of 96 schools attend Educator Recruitment, seeking to hire PCC graduates.

Need help? Career Services staff are ready to assist you in researching employment opportunities, exploring job qualifications, and providing mock interviews and résumé support.