Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification in Secondary English
Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification in Secondary English
Students already possessing a bachelor’s degree who wish to pursue teacher certification will want to review the following information:
Can I get a teaching certificate at Penn State?
Students with a bachelor’s degree who wish to pursue secondary English teacher certification may do so as non‐degree “certification‐only” students. To apply, prospective students should follow the post-baccalaureate instructions for certification.
How many/which courses will I need?
How long does the program take?
This depends on what you took as an undergraduate. If admitted, students are assigned to a faculty adviser. The adviser will evaluate prior coursework and help determine what coursework will be needed to complete certification. A checklist used for this evaluation (effective for students admitted May 2009 and later) is attached. On average, the program takes about two years of full‐time study. However, this varies greatly according to your individual preparation, and only an academic adviser can
formally make this determination.
If I begin my course of study as a certification-only student, can I later matriculate into a master’s program?
Once you are here as a certification‐only student and your program is underway, you may wish to apply for admission to the Master’s in Education program in Curriculum and Instruction (M.Ed. in C&I) with an emphasis in Language, Culture, and Society. Admission to the M.Ed. program is NOT automatic. The admissions process is competitive.
To apply to the M.Ed. program, students must begin with a new application. Information on how to apply is available on the program's admission page. Masters applications are reviewed in confidential, competitive review by a committee of program faculty.
If admitted, your faculty adviser will work with you to plan additional, graduate‐level coursework and discuss your master’s paper or project. More information on the master’s requirements and paper is available at: http://www.ed.psu.edu/educ/c‐and‐i/graduateprograms/degrees/masters‐in‐education‐m‐ed.
Do I need a laptop computer?
Yes. The English/Communications certification program is part of the “EDUCATE at Penn State” initiative, in which each student purchases and uses a MacBook® computer across courses and field experiences in the major. Complete information about EDUCATE can be found at: http://www.ed.psu.edu/educ/educate.
What if my bachelor’s degree is in a field other than English?
If you have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than English, you can pursue certification, but you will need to make up deficits in your content area background by taking additional coursework. This can add significant time and expense to your program. The checksheet attached can help you estimate, but specific determinations can be made only by an academic adviser.
Can I complete any of the program online, such as via PSU’s World campus?
Can I complete any of the program at another Penn State campus or at another college near my home?
Some courses can be taken online, such as some of the courses in special education, educational theory and policy, and some of the English courses you might need. However, online offerings are inconsistent, and you should plan to be at University Park for coursework. Some English courses, if you need them, may be available at other campuses or institutions, but these are rare. You should plan to be at University Park for coursework.
Is financial aid available?
Can I get a graduate teaching assistantship?
Financial aid is available through Penn State’s Office of Student Aid. There are also a number of College of Education scholarships, for which you can apply at: http://www.ed.psu.edu/educ/currentstudents/financial‐aid. Graduate assistantships are not normally available to master’s students in our program.
Can I keep my job while pursuing certification?
In the early stages of the certification program, it is very possible to work, taking courses part‐time or even just one course at a time. However, working gets more difficult as you near the end of the program: the third‐to‐last semester includes a block of three courses (nine credits total) which must be taken as a block, the second‐to‐last semester includes a block of courses along with a half‐day school placement daily, and the final semester is spent in full‐time student teaching during which it is not possible to work.
What is the PDS and is it for me?
We have two program tracks from which you can choose: the Professional Development School (PDS) and the regular campus program. The PDS program involves a one‐year, fulltime internship in the State College schools in which much of your LLED coursework and field experiences are fully integrated. The regular campus program is a more traditional program of courses on campus and field experiences in a range of schools. Admission to the PDS is selective; you can apply by visiting: http://www.ed.psu.edu/englishpds/. Applications are due October 1 each year, with a second round due February 1.
Students like the PDS for (among other reasons) its focus on independent inquiry, the experience of working directly in a school from the first day, and the opportunity to remain in State College. Students like the campus program for (among other reasons) the chance to remain in a more traditional “student mode” while completing coursework as well as the opportunity to have field experiences in a wider range of schools such as very rural ones or more diverse areas than State College.
If I do not choose the PDS, where will I student teach?
Most undergraduate placements are in greater Pittsburgh. Thus for the term of final student teaching, students relocate to the Pittsburgh area. Graduate level candidates can request central Pennsylvania (an area covering Centre and surrounding counties; usually not in State College). Priority for Central placements is given to students with hardships such as children to take care of; you can indicate such circumstances on your application.
Are there opportunities to student teach in locations outside Pennsylvania?
Yes. There are also student teaching placements available in Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and at a Native American boarding school in South Dakota. Short‐term student teaching abroad is also possible; the program combines a typical U.S. placement with a shorter international experience afterward. More information on all of those options is available at http://www.ed.psu.edu/educ/cife/copy_of_student-teaching/secondary-education/sec-ed
For further inquiries, contact:
Dr. Anne Whitney
Assistant Professor of Education
awhitney@psu.edu
166 Chambers Building
(814) 865‐0528
