Secondary Major and Certification

Students major in Secondary Education.

Teacher candidates will be eligible for K-12, 5-12 or 7-12 certification depending upon their content major. Candidates must successfully pass Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators and Praxis II (in the subject area). Candidates will complete a clinical experience in a middle school and high school.

Certification in New Hampshire qualifies the student to teach in a specific content area. Prospective secondary teachers may major in any of the following: Chemistry, Applied Physics, English, French, History, Latin, Mathematics, Natural Science or Spanish and double major in secondary education. Emphasis in coursework is placed on grades 5-12 or 7-12. There are four clinical experiences embedded in the following courses: ED130 Principles of Teaching and Learning, 30 hours; ED322 Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity in Education, 30 hours; and ED440-445 Content Methods Bridge Experience, 20 hours the fall prior to Supervised Student Teaching and Supervised Student Teaching (spring) for 13 weeks. Each placement will be in a school with an experienced certified secondary teacher matching their content area. It is highly recommended that a variety of sites are used: Catholic, urban, and suburban. It is not unusual that most of the students’ electives must be utilized. For this reason early career decision and careful program planning are essential.

The Education Department does not allow service learning hours to count for more than one course at a time. Therefore, Education students are able to take one service learning or field placement course per semester.

Secondary Education Required Courses

Required courses are pre-populated onto the plan of study. Those courses must be taken during the designated semester. In addition, students will select when to take PY 203 Adolescent Psychology (fall or spring, before ED 322)

Freshman Year:

Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators/MTELs/equivalent test must be completed prior to TEP Acceptance.

Sophomore Year

ED 130 - Principles of Teaching and Learning (Spring) which includes a 30 hour practicum (SEFE).

Junior Year

ED 322 - Inclusion, Equity, and Diversity in Education with 30 hr. service learning/practicum (Fall)
ED 340 - Curriculum and Assessment in Teaching (Spring)
Apply to Student Teaching

Senior Year

Fall

Complete all core and content major courses
PRAXIS II/MTEL/Other in content area
Student teaching orientation meetings (2)
Bridge Experiences (20 hours)

Spring

ED 432 - Supervised Student Teaching (13 weeks)
ED 440-445 Methods of Teaching in content Area specific to the major

Chemistry

Students should bear in mind that most chemistry courses have prerequisites. Consequently prospective teachers schedule their calculus and physics courses to be completed by the end of their sophomore year. This action will enable the students to complete the chemistry major and allow for student teaching during the second semester of senior year. In CH 420 the student will plan a research project in chemical education. The project will be implemented in ED 432 . CH 420 - Research and Seminar I carries no credit. ED 432 fulfills the CH 421 requirement for chemistry in the educational track, provided the student fulfills the thesis presentation requirements of CH 421 .

English Language Arts (English Major)

Students are required to take the following:

Classical Languages (Latin)

Students are required to take the following:

Life Sciences (Certified grades 7 - 12)

Students should major in Natural Sciences in the Biology Department. General Biology I - II (BI 103 -BI 104 ) and General Chemistry I-II (CH 130 -CH 131 ) should be completed freshman year in order to fit all required courses for the two majors. Upper level science courses will be chosen in consultation with one’s academic advisor with the goal of completing and strengthening the student’s portfolio.

Mathematics

Students are suggested to take:

Note:

Prospective teachers must also either take a computer-programming course or complete a senior project.

Modern Languages (Spanish and French)

Students are required to successfully complete a study abroad or immersion program for at least one semester (or equivalent summer program) in order to receive a teaching license. The purpose is to develop linguistic competency and cultural appreciation. If this is not a viable option, an immersion experience in the target language is required. Information on study abroad opportunities and/or immersion programs is available in the Study Abroad Office.

Applied Physics

Students are required to meet with the Physics Chairperson to select appropriate courses to meet competencies for Physics and Teacher Education. Students are required to take:

PS 241 - Statics
PS 245 - Electrical Circuits
two additional technical electives

Social Studies (History Major)

To comply with the State’s requirements, prospective social studies teachers must be able to show competence in both history and social studies more broadly (including geography, civics, economics, anthropology and sociology). In order to achieve that breadth, students are encouraged to take the U.S. history survey (HI 250 - HI 251 ), Origins of European Civ (HI 101 ), or World History (HI 105 ). Courses on the relationship of humans and their environment have also been helpful (HI 358 - History of New England , HI 374 - Special Topics: American History ), as has Cities and Social Change (HI 107 ). It has been helpful to students in the past to use their elective options to take an American government course (PO 102 , PO 212 , or PO 219 ), a basic economics course (BU 103 , EC 141 - EC 142 ), or a basic sociology course (SO 101 ). Students should discuss major, core and elective courses with their major advisor to assure that all courses will fulfill requirements.