Secondary English Education, B.A.E.

Requirements for Program

This B.A. includes completion of an approved plan in the academic specialty teaching of English. No teacher certification is awarded with the B.A. Students desiring to go on to Master’s with Initial Certification must apply to the Graduate School and apply to the Secondary English Program Faculty in the spring of their senior year.

To receive the B.A. degree, students must: (1) complete the UK Core requirements; (2) complete the requirements for secondary English education; (3) major course work, support area, and related studies; and (4) complete 100 hours of fieldwork with adolescents through the required three hour course:

• EDC 362 - FIELD EXPERIENCES IN SECONDARY EDUCATION
    Credit(s): 3

In 1996, the National Council of Teachers of English and the International Reading Association published Standards for the English Language Arts. This document identified six English language arts: reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and visually representing. In addition, it presented an expanded definition of literacy, which reflects the ways technology and society have changed and will continue to change the ways in which we use language to communicate and to think. In order to prepare students for the literacy demands of today and tomorrow, English language arts education will need to address many different types and uses of language, including those that have traditionally been given limited attention in the curriculum. One such example is spoken language. Being literate in contemporary society means being active, critical, and creative users not only of print and spoken language but also of the visual language of film, television, photography and other media. Therefore, the content model should reflect the study of language and literacy through speech, theater, writing, and media. The English education program prepares its pre-service teachers with such a model so that their students will succeed as effective language learners and users, equipped with the skills they need to become critically literate citizens, workers, members of society, and lifelong learners.

Continuous Assessment

1. Because certification occurs through the Masters in Education including certification (MIC), students should be aware that they will need to be formally admitted to the MIC program. Admission/Retention/Completion regulations for all teacher certification programs are specified in the section “Admission, Retention and Completion from Teacher Education Programs”.
2. Oral and written communication skills of applicants for the MIC program in English Education will be assessed at the time of the interview, and through the entrance portfolio.
3. At the time of application to the English Education program at the Master’s degree level, applicants are evaluated according to the following criteria: grade-point average, quality of work in the subject content area, Graduate Record Examination scores, graded and on-site writing tasks, verbal communication, quality of references, commitment to teaching, social awareness, educational experiences with diverse learners 14-18 years old, and multicultural experiences.

Statement on Student Teaching

There is no student teaching required for completion of the Secondary English Education major. Student teaching occurs as part of the Masters in Education with initial certification.