Bachelor in Elementary Education and Teaching (Bachelor's)

For nearly 50 years, Cornell College has organized its campus around One Course At A Time. Students take one class for 18 days before beginning the next, creating extended periods for engagement with a subject, hands-on learning, and relationships with professors and classmates. The approach is designed to support deeper study and the confidence that comes from concentrating fully on one course.

Cornell offers students room to shape an individual academic path. Students may pursue majors such as Biochemistry and Molecular Biology or Spanish, and many double major. Academic and professional interests extend into areas including engineering, art, and infectious disease research, with students gaining experience through internships and other practical opportunities. The block plan can also make it easier to connect intensive coursework with projects, classes, and campus activities.

The college occupies a hilltop campus in Mount Vernon, Iowa, known within Cornell as the Hilltop. Campus visits can include student-guided tours, class attendance, meetings with professors or coaches, and time at the Hilltop Café. International students are welcomed each year and can receive help through the application process. They should also consider how the 18-day course format fits their preferred pace of study and plan for Iowa's changing weather, which moves through all four seasons.

Students complete one course at a time over 18-day blocks, allowing deep focus and frequent interaction with professors and peers. They engage in practicums and classroom experiences starting in their sophomore year, building teaching skills progressively. The programme prepares students for certification through structured coursework and field placements. International and domestic students collaborate in small, intensive classes.

The programme requires completion of coursework across multiple education courses, including practicums and student teaching. Total credits are not specified on the page.

Graduates enter elementary school teaching roles in public and private institutions.

Students must complete EDU 215 Educational Psychology and two 200-level education courses before applying to the Teacher Education Program. Admission to the TEP is required prior to senior-year student teaching.

On-campus, full-time, with a block plan structure of 18-day course terms. For international students, tuition is well above the median for US programmes. The institution admits about 81% of applicants.