Bachelor of Arts degree

Secondary Education

Students preparing to teach in secondary schools may complete the requirements for a teaching certificate in connection with their degree programs in the College of Liberal Arts & ducation or the College of Engineering & Science.

The requirements for a secondary school teaching certificate include completion of a teaching major and teaching minor in an academic subject area appropriate to the secondary school and the professional education sequence. In most instances, the degree major constitutes the teaching major.

Students in the secondary teacher education program are assigned an Education advisor in the Education Department upon admission to the teacher certification program to plan the completion of the teaching major, the teaching minor and the education sequence of courses.

Teaching Majors and Minors

A teaching major consists of not less than 30 semester hours in a single discipline or 36 semester hours in a group of disciplines. A teaching minor consists of not less than 20 semester hours in a single discipline or not less than 24 semester hours in a group of disciplines. The department reserves the right to require specific courses in the major and minor.

The following teaching majors and minors are approved by the State Board of Education for Secondary Certification:

Majors:

Minors:

Teacher Certification Required Courses-Secondary

Note: Teacher education students are expected to have passed all of the Michigan Basic Skills tests (reading, mathematics and writing) within the first two semesters of enrollment in teacher education.

Students planning to become certified to teach in secondary schools must complete 35 semester credit hours in the following sequence of Education courses.

  • EDU 400 Introduction to Education (Must be completed within the first two semesters of enrollment in a Teacher Education Program) 3 cr.
  • EDU 432 Psychology of Education (with Lab) (Pre or co-requisite: EDU 402. Prerequisite for all methods courses: 478, 469, 471, 473, 474) 3 cr.
  • EDU 420 Psychology of Education 3 cr.
  • EDU 440 School and Society 3 cr.
  • SED 460 Mainstreaming and Education of Exceptional Persons 3 cr.
  • EDU 459 Instructional Technology 3 cr.
  • EDU 478 Teaching Reading in the Content Areas (Prerequisite: EDU 432. Must be admitted into Teacher Certification Program*) 3 cr.
  • EDU 469 Curriculum and Methods of Teaching in Secondary Schools I
    (Prerequisite: EDU 432. This course is a prerequisite for EDU 471, 473, 474, 475. Must be admitted into Teacher Certification Program*) 3 cr.
    One of the following:
  • EDU 471 Curriculum and Methods of Teaching in Secondary Schools II: Mathematics
    (Prerequisite: EDU 432, EDU 469. Must be admitted into Teacher Certification Program*) 3 cr.
  • EDU 473 Curriculum and Methods of Teaching in Secondary Schools II: Social Studies
    (Prerequisite: EDU 432, EDU 469. Must be admitted into Teacher Certification Program*) 3 cr.
  • EDU 474 Curriculum and Methods of Teaching in Secondary Schools II: Communication Arts
    (Prerequisite: EDU 432, EDU 469. Must be admitted into Teacher Certification Program*) 3 cr.
  • EDU 475 Curriculum and Methods of Teaching in Secondary Schools II: Science
    (Prerequisite: EDU 432, EDU 469. Must be admitted into Teacher Certification Program*) 3 cr.
    AND
  • EDU 490 Directed Teaching in the Secondary Schools (All Education coursework must be completed before doing
    student teaching) 8 cr.

    * See current Teacher Certification Handbook for requirements

Post Degree Certification

Post-degree is our "non-degree" route to teacher certification. Post-degree students may prepare for an elementary or secondary teaching certificate in the College of Liberal Arts & Education.

In addition, students pursuing elementary education are required to fulfill the following general studies requirements:

  • English Writing 3 cr.
  • Speech 3 cr.
  • Literature 3 cr.
  • Computer Science 3 cr.
  • Math for Elementary Teachers 6 cr.
  • General Science 6 cr.
  • Developmental Psychology 3 cr.
  • Multicultural Understanding 3 cr.
  • Humanities 6 cr.
  • Social Studies 6 cr.
  • Social Responsibility 6 cr.
  • Humanities: Art, Music, or Drama 3 cr.

Students pursuing secondary education are required to have fulfilled the following general studies requirements:

  • English Writing 3 cr.
  • Speech 3 cr.
  • Computer Science 3 cr.
  • Intermediate Algebra 3 cr.
  • Science 3 cr.
  • Developmental Psychology 3 cr.
  • Multicultural Understanding 3 cr.
  • Humanities 9 cr.
  • Social Science 9 cr.
  • Social Responsibility 6 cr.