Secondary Education (7-12)
The SECED major is designed to engage prospective teachers in learning to teach in specific domains of grades 7-12. Students focus on building deep understandings in their content area, about how students learn content, and effective, equity-based and asset-based teaching practices that take into consideration the developmental needs of students in grades 7-12 students. Coursework includes multiple domain specific teaching methods courses as well as integrated field experiences where students focus on how theoretical knowledge can inform and enrich their teaching practice. This program is designed to help students to learn to design and enact rigorous curricula that are responsive and create opportunities for youth to become passionate about subject-area learning.
This program undergoes accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) with a Specialized Professional Association (SPA) review conducted by individual discipline-focused accrediting groups.
Prospective teachers in SECED choose from one of four certification options:
Program
Teacher-candidates in the SECED major engage in course work and student teaching that are designed to enhance their understanding of teaching and learning, focusing on adolescents and teenagers.
The program provides teacher candidates with a strong foundation of research-based teaching methods in subject and discipline areas.
The program features approved literature courses that will help meet all requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
SECED students participate in three student teaching experiences:
- an introductory field experience (C I 295B) as early as the student's third semester;
- a mid-level field experience (C I 495C); and
- a culminating final student teaching experience.
Student-teaching opportunities are provided at a variety of locations depending on the specific certification program. They are available across town and across the globe.
More information about field experiences and student teaching is available on a separate page.
Students can increase the number of subjects that they are certified to teach. To add endorsements to an issued certificate, students must earn a passing score on the state-mandated content knowledge test in that particular subject. Individuals interested in multiple subject endorsements (for example, Social Studies and English, or Biology and Chemistry) must enter the Secondary Education major in their primary content field, take any extra content course work needed to support the teacher-candidate’s knowledge in the other desired subjects and then take the other subjects' tests.
Upon successful completion of all requirements for graduation, students receive a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Secondary Education. To be certified to teach, students must also meet all clearance and testing requirements specified by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Initial certification is only in the content field selected at entrance to the major, for grades 7-12. Those students who plan to teach outside of Pennsylvania can have their credentials transferred to other states through a process call reciprocity.