The English Major
– Secondary Education –

Students who plan to teach English in high school or middle school, can be certified through the Education department and get their major in English. The English education program is designed to give students a broad background in literature to prepare them for the praxis exam and the subjects they are likely to teach. Therefore, the secondary education program has more requirements than the regular English major. In addition to the regular requirements, students are required to take African-American literature and Methods and Materials in Secondary English. Students must take History of the English Language and their elective and survey hours must include six hour each of American, English, and World literatures. Students must also complete the required courses for Secondary Education Certification: Education as a Profession, Art and Science of Teaching, Classroom Management, Secondary Education, Educational Measurement, Educational Psychology, and one course in computers. See the Education department’s website for more information on this aspect of the program.

Advising

Because the secondary education program has additional requirements, the number of free electives in a student’s curriulum is limited. Therefore, students interested in secondary education certification should declare their major early in order to get proper advising and preogress through their curriculum in a timely fashion. Your advisor will know when required courses are usually offered and can help you decide which electives will allow you to fulfill the required distribution in American, English, and World literature. Without proper advising, you may spend more time earning your degree.

Students should complete most of their education and major requirements prior to their senior year. In the fall semester of their senior year, students must complete any remaining requirements and take EN 410 Methods and Materials of Secondary Education and EN 499 English Capstone. Then in the Spring semester students complete their degree with the Student Teaching Semester (Classroom Management and Secondary Education).