English – Certification in Secondary Education (7-12)

About the Major and Certification

In the English – certification in secondary education (7-12) program, you’ll major in English while also gaining knowledge and practical classroom experience on the education side.

Not only will you study the classics from the Middle Ages through the contemporary period, but you’ll also delve into the study of the English language itself. Additionally, you’ll learn various writing styles, including journalistic, argumentative and creative.

To prepare you for secondary education certification, you’ll gain an understanding of learning theory and human development, reading processes, methods of research, educational policies, and lesson planning and assessment.

The program culminates with an internship and professional seminar, enabling you to practice the skills you’ve developed in real-world situations. After the certification process, you’ll be able to teach to students from seventh to 12th grade. You’ll prepare them for college and beyond, while teaching them transferable skills in reading, writing and communication, as well as more specific areas such as journalism, Shakespeare or contemporary literature if you choose.

These programs in English and mathematics lead to certification in grades seven through 12. Each student who plans to teach at the secondary level must have a content area major.

An advisor in the Agnone School of Education will be assigned upon the student’s admission to a teacher education program, though the primary advisor resides in the major department. The student is responsible for knowing and meeting the requirements and deadlines for internship, program completion and certification, as well as all graduation requirements of the major department and of the university. The Maryland Approved programs in secondary teacher education meet requirements for certification in other states. Students are advised, however, to consult certification requirements in states of interest early in their study.

Learn more about the English program.

Featured Graduate

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  Claire Doll, C'24

  Hampstead, Maryland / Major: English – certification in secondary education

  My student teaching internship prepared me immensely for post-college because it taught me how to live and work in my career life. Additionally, through one-on-one relationships with professors, I was able to learn how to interact with my mentors in my internships. I plan to build relationships with my future students and ensure their human dignity in the classroom. I want to make my classroom an environment where students know they can succeed and live significantly.

  After the Mount: English / Language Arts Teacher

  Read More About Claire

About the Minor

If you’re interested in the field of education but don’t necessarily want to pursue a teaching career, or if you’d like to complement your major by studying topics that are important to educators, you may want to consider an education minor. Through these courses, you’ll gain a broad understanding of educational policies, learning theories, and the societal impacts of education, among others.