Fresno Pacific University

What you'll study

The major requires 34 units to be completed at FPU and a set of lower-division prerequisites. Required major courses include:

• ART 301 — Art Fundamentals (3 credits)
• HIST 421 — American Ethnicity and Pluralism (3 credits)
• HIST 441 — California History and Politics (3 credits)
• KIN 321 — Theory of Elementary Physical Education (3 credits)
• LA 381 — Introduction to Teaching (3 credits)
• LA 415 — Senior Research Seminar (4 credits)
• LANG 311 — Principles of Language Acquisition (3 credits)
• LANG 331 — Linguistics and Modern Grammar (3 credits)
• LIT 467 — Literature for Children and Young Adults (3 credits)
• PSY 352 — Advanced Child Growth and Development (3 credits)
• THTR 357 — Creative Drama (3 credits)

Lower-division major prerequisites include HIST 122 (Western Civilization I) and MATH 136/137 (Mathematics Concepts I & II). Co-requisite courses required for graduation (recommended before beginning the cohort) include PHYS 106, PHYS 151, BIOL 125 and CHEM 100. Students must also complete general education requirements and elective units as needed to meet the BA minimum.

Students select one concentration: Education, Science, or Special Education. The program includes courses that allow students to waive the CSET multiple-subject exam. FPU also offers an Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP) pathway for qualified transfer students to complete a BA and multiple-subject credential in two years (1 year BA + 1 year credential) if they hold an Associate Degree for Transfer or required prerequisites.

Entry requirements

Admission steps for the Degree Completion program are: submit the online application (no fee required), request official transcripts from prior colleges/universities/high schools to trans.evaluator@fresno.edu, provide GED transcripts or an AA/AS/ADT as proof of high school graduation, and submit any military transcripts plus DD214 if applicable. Applicants are encouraged to complete the FAFSA starting October 1 (FPU FAFSA code 001253). Re-admission within five years requires a Degree Completion Re-admission Form; re-entry after five years follows first-time admission steps.

Career prospects

The curriculum is recommended for those pursuing elementary multiple-subject teaching and, with the science concentration, expands opportunities into middle and high school STEM teaching. Graduates also take roles in education-adjacent fields such as government, non-profits, and health care service, leveraging the program’s broad humanities and pedagogical content.

Scholarships & funding angle

Students should complete the FAFSA (FPU code 001253) as early as October 1 and enroll in the minimum units per semester to qualify for federal loans. The Office of Student Financial Services can advise on eligibility and aid; contact information is provided by the program (phone and email listed on the degree completion admissions page).