Program Overview

English Language Arts and Reading Teacher Certification

Program Overview

The English Language Arts and Reading teacher certification program is designed to prepare students for a career in teaching at the secondary level. The program is offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences and is widely recognized as a foundational liberal arts degree.

Program Details

• Program Type: Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) with Teacher Certification
• Major: English
• Teaching Certification: Language Arts and Reading
• Format: On Campus
• Estimated Time to Complete: 4 years
• Credit Hours: 120

Program Description

The English major develops students' writing, critical thinking, and analytical skills while introducing them to American, British, and world literatures, creative writing, literary theory, composition, language arts, and rhetoric. The program prepares students for a range of careers, including teaching, law, publishing, and business, where analytical thinking and effective communication are essential.

Marketable Skills

• Write clearly, concisely, and compellingly
• Communicate meaningfully to diverse audiences
• Develop solutions to complex problems
• Think critically, creatively, and independently
• Identify and evaluate credible sources

Program Highlights

• Faculty hail from top graduate programs in the country and are active scholars and researchers
• Opportunities to participate in student organizations, including the Sigma Tau Delta international English honor society
• Creative writing students receive feedback from published writers
• Visiting Writers Series provides a forum to meet accomplished authors
• Class sizes are restricted to provide opportunities for collaboration and close interaction with professors

Career Opportunities

A Bachelor of Arts degree in English prepares students for jobs that require strong writing, communication, and analytical thinking skills. Graduates choose careers in a variety of fields, including law, publishing, education, advertising, journalism, or public relations. Many alumni teach English composition, British or American literature, or English as a Second Language in public and private schools.

Sample Courses

• Advanced Grammar and Usage (3 hrs)
• Instruction and Assessment in English Language Arts (3 hrs)
• Professional Issues in Teaching (3 hrs)
• Content Area Reading (3 hrs)
• Teaching Diverse Populations (3 hrs)
• Academic Writing in the Humanities (3 hrs)