English with Secondary Certification, BA
and the National Council of Teachers of English
Observation of classes in middle and high schools
The Bachelor of Arts in English with secondary certification program prepares you to teach in grades 7-12 in Pennsylvania, as well as more than 40 other states with reciprocal agreements. Shippensburg University is a great place to study to become an English teacher because this program is nationally recognized by the National Council of Accreditation for Teacher Education and by the National Council of Teachers of English.
You will take courses in literature, academic and creative writing, and literary theory and criticism. Additionally, you will take courses that focus on effective teaching of the English language arts.
In addition to classroom teaching in public schools, independent schools and in alternative educational settings, graduates of this program often go on to careers in education that include arts activities (drama and literary arts in particular), curriculum leadership, administrative leadership (principals, district leadership, school board) and a wide range of educator professional development ranging from teacher development to school board learning experiences.
Student teachers are supervised by English certification faculty who are already teachers, advisors and mentors to students. Their capstone experience is shared with university supervisors who have been involved in their development since their first year.
Students in this major will also present their research at the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of English Language Arts and the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). We encourage you to join Shippensburg's chapter of NCTE.
Our program offers many other opportunities for you outside the classroom. Some great assets include:
- The ability to serve as a writing tutor or peer anchor, allowing you to gain valuable teaching experience
- A secondary English resource room stocked with textbooks, young adult literature, and many other resources that you can use for group work, lesson planning, and other important high-impact activities
- Readings by nationally-recognized novelists and poets
- Plenty of chances to share and publish your work
4+1 Program Available
With careful planning, you may be able to complete a Bachelor of Arts in English with Secondary Certification and a Master of Science in Organizational Development and Leadership with only one additional year of study through a 4+1 program. For more information, contact the Political and Social Inquiry Department.
Course Work for English with Secondary Certification, BA
All undergraduate degree programs require a minimum of 120 credits. Some courses meet multiple requirements, but are only counted once toward the 120 credit total required to graduate. For full course descriptions, please visit the undergraduate catalog.