Penn State University Secondary Education
http://bulletins.psu.edu/bulletins/bluebook/college_campus_details.cfm?id=26&program=seced.htm
Abington College (SECAB)
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College (SECBC)
University Park, College of Education (SECED)
Not all options are available at every campus. Contact the campus you are interested in attending to determine which options are offered.
PROFESSOR GREGORY J. KELLY, Head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction
The following teaching options are available for majors in Secondary Education: Biological Science, Chemistry, Earth and Space Science, English/Communication, Environmental Education, General Science, Mathematics, Physics, and Social Studies/Citizenship Education.
The Secondary Education major helps prepare students for middle school and/or high school teaching positions and for other employment in fields related to their content specialties.
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE TEACHING OPTION: This option enables the graduate to meet all of the academic requirements for the Instructional I certificate for teaching at the secondary-school level, which is issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
CHEMISTRY TEACHING OPTION: This option enables the graduate to meet all of the academic requirements for the Instructional I certificate for teaching at the secondary-school level, which is issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE TEACHING OPTION: This option enables the graduate to meet all of the academic requirements for the Instructional I certificate for teaching at the secondary-school level, which is issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
ENGLISH/COMMUNICATION TEACHING OPTION: This option enables the graduate to meet all of the academic requirements for the Instructional I certificate for teaching at the secondary-school level, which is issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. This program has a Language and Literature Core and a Media Literacies Core. This program is open to students outside the College of Education who desire certification.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION TEACHING OPTION: This option enables the graduate to meet all of the academic requirements for a Pennsylvania teacher certification in Environmental Education when completed in conjunction with another secondary education teaching option (i.e., Biological Science Teaching option). The total number of credits required will depend primarily on that other option.
GENERAL SCIENCE TEACHING OPTION: This option enables the graduate to meet all of the academic requirements for the Instructional I certificate for teaching General Science at the secondary-school level, which is issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. This option may only be completed in conjunction with another secondary education option (e.g., Biology); the total number of credits required will depend primarily on that other option.
MATHEMATICS TEACHING OPTION: This option enables the graduate to meet all of the academic requirements for the Instructional I certificate for teaching at the secondary-school level, which is issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
PHYSICS TEACHING OPTION: This option enables the graduate to meet all of the academic requirements for the Instructional I certificate for teaching at the secondary-school level, which is issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHING OPTION: This option enables the graduate to meet all of the academic requirements for the Instructional I certificate for teaching social studies courses in the secondary-school level, which is issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. This program has a prescribed component required for all candidates as well as a choice of concentrations that focus on a specific area. All graduates who successfully complete this program are highly qualified to teach history in secondary grades (7-12) and are eligible for PA certifcation in Social Studies (7-12) and /or Citizenship Education (7-12). Candidates who successfully complete the Civics & Government concentration are highly qualified to be teachers of U.S. government and civics (7-12). Candidates who successfully complete the Economics concentration are highly qualified to be teachers of economics and economic issues (7-12). Candidates who successfully complete the Geography concentration are highly qualified to be teachers of geography and global studies (7-12). Candidates who successfully complete teh Citizenship Education concentration receive additional in-depth content preparation in Economics, Geography, History, and Political Science (7-12). Candidates who successfully complete the Heritage Education concentration receive training to be educational specialists at heritage-museaum sites.
Baccalaureate degree candidates must meet the following requirements 1-3 by the end of their third semester:
1. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00
2. Qualifying scores from the PRAXIS I - PPST for Reading, Writing and Mathematics
3. Documentation of at least 80 hours of volunteer or paid education work experience with learners of the age group the candidate plans to teach. Candidates for Secondary Education must document 40 of these hours with learners who come from backgrounds that are different from the candidate's.
Requirements 4-9 must be met by the end of the fourth semester when students typically participate in the Entrance to Major process.
4. A grade of "C" or better in all specified courses.
5. Completion of an early field experience specified by the certification program.
6. Completion of a core of Education courses specified by the certification program.
7. Completion of additional credits as specified by the certification program.
8. Completion of at least 48 semester credit hours, including ENGL 015 GWS(3)or ENGL 030 GWS(3), three credits of literature, and six credits of quantification
9. Approval from the professional education adviser or the head of the pertinent certification program.
For the B.S. degree in Secondary Education with an option in Biological Science Teaching, a minimum of 129 credits is required; with an option in Chemistry Teaching, a minimum of 126 credits is required; with an option in Earth and Space Science Teaching, a minimum of 123 credits is required; with an option in English/Communication Teaching, a minimum of 126 credits is required; with an option in Environmental Education Teaching and a cohort option, a minimum of 123 credits is required; with an option in General Science Teaching and a cohort option, a minimum of 121 credits is required; with an option in Mathematics Teaching, a minimum of 132 credits is required; with an option in Physics Teaching, a minimum of 121 credits is required; with an option in Social Studies Teaching, a minimum of 132 credits is required. (See also Teacher Education Programs.)