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, Teaching and Health 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 I: Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST); earn an average grade of 2.70 or higher in EDU-205 Schools and Society and EDU-320 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 and U.S. History. 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; Art History; Anthropology; Biology; CLEG (Communication, Legal Institutions, Economics and Government); Chemistry; Economics; Environmental Studies; French Studies; Foreign Language and Communication Media; Justice; German Studies; Graphic Design; Health Promotion, History; International Studies; Language and Area Studies; Law and Society; Literature; Mathematics; Multimedia; Music; Statistics; Studio Art; Performing Arts: Theatre; Performing Arts: Music Theatre; Physics; Political Science; Spanish Studies; or Sociology. 
• 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

• EDU-205 Schools and Society 4:2 (3) 
• EDU-320 Psychology of Education (3) 
• EDU-321 Field Experience: Observation and Analysis (1) 

Note: EDU-205, EDU-320, and EDU-321 must be taken prior to application for admission to the Teacher Education Program. 

• EDU-362 Classroom Management (3) 
• EDU-492 Service Learning in Teacher Education (1) 
• EDU-499 Student Teaching (12) 
• EDU-520 Reading, Writing, and Literature across the       Curriculum (3) 
• EDU-522 Principles of Effective Methods and Instruction (3) 
• EDU-540 Methods and Materials in Secondary Education (3) (or other methods courses offered by arts and sciences departments and approved by the SETH advisor) 
• EDU-541 Foundations of Special Education for     Exceptional Children (3) or 

    EDU-545 Overview of all Exceptionalities: The Arts in Special Education (3) 

• EDU-xxx elective (2–3) as approved by SETH advisor 

University Honors Program

All University Honors students must complete at least 12 credit hours of advanced-level (300-level and above) Honors courses including a 3 to 6 credit hour Honors Senior Capstone Project. Students may graduate with University Honors in the major if they complete at least 12 advanced-level Honors courses including the Senior Capstone Project in the department. Each department has three levels of University Honors requirements: Level I Options (100-200-level Honors classes); Level II Options (300-level and above Honors classes); and Level III Options (Honors Senior Capstone). The department Honors coordinator advises students in the University Honors Program regarding departmental options. For more information, go to http://www1.american.edu/academics/honors/.