The secondary education program prepares candidates to teach students in grades 9-12 or K-12, and in grades 6-12 for those who complete the optional middle grade endorsement coursework. Candidates major in one of the following academic areas in the College of Arts and Sciences (art, biology, English, history, mathematics, music, or Spanish) and complete the secondary education professional requirements. Completion of the program leads to a bachelor of science or bachelor of arts degree and prepares candidates to earn an Illinois Type 09 (6-12) certificate in visual arts, science: biology, English language arts, social science: history, mathematics, or a Type 10 (K-12) certificate in music or foreign language: Spanish. The program consists of: general education courses, major program requirements, and professional education courses that address requirements for graduation and the State of Illinois requirements for certification.
General Education Courses
- Two (6) writing/communication skills courses, to include one (3) in written communication and one (3) in oral communication.
- One (3) mathematics course.
- Two (6) natural sciences courses, to include one life/biological science course, one physical sciences course, and one course must include a laboratory component.
- Four (12) history/social science courses, to include one (3) in U.S. history, one (3) in U.S. government, one (3) history elective, and one (3) in general psychology.
- Two (6) literature/fine arts/humanities courses.
- One (2) health and physical development course.
- University General Education requirements in Diversity Studies, Global Studies, and Interdisciplinary Studies may be satisfied by other courses in general education, the area of concentration, and professional education.
- A bachelor of science degree requires two (6) additional mathematics-science courses.
- A bachelor of arts degree requires two (6) additional foreign language/foreign culture courses.
- Candidates in a secondary education program must have completed a major in an appropriate subject area. All majors consist of a minimum of 32 credit hours in that subject area, and requirements are determined by the departments in the College of Arts and Sciences. Appropriate majors include the following: art, biology, English, history and mathematics. Spanish and music education programs lead to a K-12 certification (Type 10 certificate) and have specific requirements in the major for program completion.
Required Professional Education Courses
|
EDU 202 |
Educational Psychology |
(3) |
|
EDU 200 |
The Profession of Teaching |
(3) |
|
EDUL 200 |
Orientation to the Profession of Teaching |
(0) |
|
EDU 323 |
Survey of Students with Exceptionalities for the Regular Classroom Teacher |
(3) |
|
EDU 370* |
Principles and Practices of the Middle and Secondary School |
(3) |
|
EDU 371-378* |
Methods of Teaching (major) in the Middle and Secondary School |
(3) |
|
EDU 377 |
Historical and Social Trends in American Education |
(3) |
|
EDU 345* |
Seminar in Teaching and Learning |
(2) |
|
EDU 349* or EDU 352* |
Directed Teaching-Secondary/K-12 |
(6) |
|
EDU 397* |
Literacy Instruction for Secondary Teachers (not required for Secondary English majors) |
(3) |
|
PSYCH 201 |
Adolescence and the Transition to Adulthood |
(3) |
*Enrollment requires admission to the School of Education
Recommended Course
EDU 359: Methods, Curriculum and Philosophy of Teaching in the Middle School. This course is an optional course, required for the middle grade endorsement for teaching grades 6-8 on Type 09 secondary or Type 10 (K-12) certificate. (See requirements for Middle School Endorsements).
Secondary Level Endorsements
Additional secondary level endorsements for teaching other subjects in Grades 9 through 12 awarded by SXU at the time of certification require:
- Minimum 24 hours of college level coursework in the endorsed area (see ISBE exceptions below:)
- earned at any accredited 2 year or 4 year college or university
- minimum 12 credit hours at the 200-level or above from a 4-year institution, including subject area methods if offered at SXU (as indicated in bold below)
- earned with a minimum grade of C
- documented on official transcripts submitted to the Office of Teacher Education for verification and submission to ISBE
- Passing score on the appropriate subject-area ICTS Content-Area Certification Test.
- Exceptions*:
- Bilingual Education: 18 hours in five designated areas; passing score on appropriate ICTS language proficiency test.
- English as a Second Language: 18 hours in five designated areas.
- Health Careers: 24 hours; passing score on the appropriate subject-area ICTS content-area certification test; licensure in specific health field.
- Reading Teacher: 24 hours covering six designated topics; passing score on reading teacher or reading specialist certification test.
- Social Science and Science Designations:
- Social Science Designations: history, geography, economics, political science, psychology, sociology and anthropology
- Science Designations: biology, chemistry, earth and space science, environmental science, physics
- First Designation
- minimum 32 hours in social science or science courses, including 12 hours in designation and coursework covering two other designations
- passing score on appropriate ICTS content area certification test for the designation
- Additional Designation: passing score on appropriate ICTS content area certification test for the designation
Requirements for Degree
Candidates in a secondary or K-12 education program should major in an appropriate subject area. All majors consist of a minimum of 32 credit hours, and major requirements are determined by the departments in the College of Arts and Sciences. Candidates complete at least 30 credit hours of required education courses, plus the University core and certification requirements.
( ) = credit hours / / = classroom hours
