Archives: Major/Minors

Through this program, you will receive the Secondary Education (9-12) teaching license in the state of Illinois in one of the following major areas:

• Biology education
• Chemistry education
• English education
• History education

The middle grades education major leads to the Professional Educator License with middle grades endorsement (grades 5-8). The content areas available for middle grades are:

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Social Science

And/or other minors:

• Diverse Learners
• English as a Second Language/ Bilingual Education
• Educational Technology

• Physician assistant
• Occupational therapist
• Anesthesiologist assistant
• Respiratory therapist
• Cardiovascular technologist
• Clinical lab scientist
• Radiation therapist
• Dental hygienist
• Perfusionist

At Trinity, you can gain pre-professional training in the context of a Christian community as you prepare for entrance into one of these programs at a professional school in the Chicago area or elsewhere.

Students should work closely with their advisers to ensure that they include all necessary courses required by the schools to which they will apply.

The strong academic quality of Trinity Christian College’s biology, chemistry, and exercise science departments, combined with the faculty’s commitment to post-graduate placements prepare students for a career in physical therapy. A Human Performance Lab provides hands-on exercise testing helpful in preparation for physical therapy school. Trinity has measurable results in placing students in graduate schools.

A Christian frame of reference is the key ingredient in Trinity’s pre-physical therapy program. Professionals in health care deal daily with decisions having religious, moral, and ethical dimensions, including patient concerns with pain and emotional, physical, and spiritual struggles. The connections between these concerns and physical healing are well established. At Trinity, small classes often serve as simulation laboratories where students practice Christian decision-making.

The pre-physical therapy curriculum at Trinity prepares students for entry into master’s and doctoral degree programs following graduation. The course of study involves biology, chemistry, math, and psychology courses, which are prerequisites for most graduate programs. The Allied Health track of the biology major is designed to meet these prerequisites. Students choosing the exercise science major will need additional course work.

Students complete a counseling practicum of 100 hours and a counseling internship of 600 hours.

Sites where our students have completed their internships include:
Olive Branch Counseling Associates, Inc., South Suburban Family Shelter, Community Counseling Services of Illinois, Genesis Therapy Center, Orland Township Youth and Family Services, along with Trinity’s own Counseling Center.

For admissions to this program, please visit the Graduate Admissions pages.

Admissions requirements: a degree from a regionally accredited college or university, a 2.75 GPA, a major in psychology or a related field (for example: social work, healthcare communications, biology, nursing, or education). If one’s degree is in an unrelated field then the following prerequisites: Abnormal Psychology and two other psychology courses.

Applicants who do not meet these requirements can be admitted conditionally if they show the traits and skills necessary for professional counselors.

As a licensed teacher, you may have seen firsthand the growing need for teachers who can advocate and meet the needs of students whose first language is not English. With significant population changes in our community, teachers need to consider how to design classroom communities that support English language learners. Be successful and prepared to help those students flourish by adding an English as a Second Language or Bilingual Education (ESL/BE) endorsement to your teaching license. In 2017, the Illinois State Board of Education extended the ESL/BE endorsement to apply to teaching in Pre-K to Grade 12.

Our ESL/BE endorsement adult undergraduate program at Trinity focuses on advocacy as well as strategies, methods and appropriate assessments for teaching ESL/BE students. You will learn from experienced professors who have taught ESL/BE students and are familiar with the research-based methods and legislative developments.

Our Bachelor of Science degree in psychology will help you develop the skills you need for careers;, counselor, psychologist, sports psychologist, school counselor, school psychologist, human resources professional, evaluation consultant, genetics counselor, psychiatric technician, physician assistant, case manager, child life specialist, behavior analyst, and market research analyst.

You will learn from clinical, biological, cognitive, and developmental subfields and take courses that build analytical and interpersonal helping skills.  You will also complete an internship where you will put into practice what you have learned in the classroom and gain important professional experience.

OPPORTUNITIES

Once you are in the program and you meet particular GPA and course grade requirements, you can take courses from our graduate program that will count toward your BS and toward a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. This will help you complete your Masters degree in less time and for less cost if you choose to continue your education.

You can also gain professional experience by becoming a member of Psi Chi, the Psychology Club, or the Psyc Lab on campus and take part in psychology department events like the Psychology Renewed conference.

The special education major leads to the Professional Educator License with special education endorsement (Pre-K to Age 21). Students who choose to major in special education may also complete another major leading to a second endorsement (elementary, middle grades, a secondary program, or a K-12 specialist program).

The elementary education major leads to the Professional Educator License with elementary endorsement (grades 1-6). You choose from the following minors:

• Diverse Learners
• Educational Technology
• English as a Second Language/Bilingual Education
• Mathematics Education
• Science
• Special Education
• Spanish
• Urban Studies

Classes meet at night from 6 pm-10 pm. Classes begin every fall and spring on our main campus in Palos Heights.

Tuition is $613 per credit hour. Learn about financial aid and scholarship opportunities HERE.

Learn about the Admissions process HERE.