Secondary Education (Second Major Only)

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Offered by the School of Education , College of Arts and Sciences .

Admission to Candidacy in Teacher Education

The undergraduate program in Secondary Education is designed for students who wish to obtain teaching credentials in secondary education while completing their majors in the humanities, arts, natural and social sciences. To do so, students complete a second major in Secondary Education designed to meet certification requirements in the District of Columbia and make them eligible for certification in over 40 states. Students should consult with the director of Teacher Education to coordinate their general and subject-area certification requirements with other university and major requirements.

Undergraduates seeking teacher certification in secondary education should contact an advisor in the School of Education as early as possible. Admission to the university and declaration of a major does not constitute admission to candidacy in teacher education, which is based on academic and related performance criteria. To be admitted to candidacy, students must earn a passing score (as set by the District of Columbia teacher licensing agency) on the Praxis CORE; earn an average grade of 2.70 or higher in EDU-205 Schools and Society FA4 and EDU-420 Psychology of Education , pass EDU-321 Field Experience: Observation and Analysis , receive satisfactory recommendations from faculty, and have an overall cumulative grade point average of 2.70 or higher. Secondary Education majors must also have a 3.00 grade point average in their primary major. The Teacher Education Committee reviews student applications and makes decisions regarding admission to candidacy.

Liberal Arts and Science Requirements for Teacher Certification: Secondary

To qualify for teacher certification, students must complete subject-area certification standards. These requirements may overlap with General Education requirements.

Major Requirements

37 credit hours with grades of C or better
Completion of the major requirements with a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 in one of the following: American Studies; Anthropology; Biology; CLEG (Communication, Legal Institutions, Economics and Government); Chemistry; Economics; Environmental Studies; Justice; Health Promotion; History; International Studies; Law and Society; Literature; Mathematics; Multimedia; Statistics; Physics; Political Science; Sociology; or an equivalent minor with approval from the Director of the Office of Teacher Education.
An overall grade point average of 2.70 with 3.00 or higher in their primary major.
All students must complete the Praxis II Exam prior to graduation.

Course Requirements

Note: EDU-205 , EDU-321 , and EDU-420 must be taken prior to application for admission to the Teacher Education Program.

EDU-205 Schools and Society FA4 (3)
EDU-321 Field Experience: Observation and Analysis (1)
EDU-417 Reading, Writing, and Literature across the Curriculum (3)
EDU-420 Psychology of Education (3)
EDU-443 Foundations of Special Education for Exceptional Children (3)
or
EDU-465 Overview of All Exceptionalities: The Arts in Special Education (3)
EDU-463 Principles of Effective Methods and Instruction (3)
EDU-488 Methods, Materials, and Management in Secondary Education I (3)
or
Other methods courses offered by arts and sciences departments and approved by the School of Education advisor
EDU-489 Methods, Materials, and Management in Secondary Education II (3)
or
Other methods courses offered by arts and sciences departments and approved by School of Education advisor
EDU-492 Service Learning in Teacher Education (1)
EDU-499 Student Teaching Seminar in Professional Practice (12)
EDU-xxx elective (2-3 credit hours) as approved by School of Education advisor