The secondary education program is designed for individuals who wish to teach students in secondary schools (Grades 9-12). It leads to a master of arts degree and prepares candidates to pursue an Illinois teaching license.
The program requires successful completion of general education courses, professional education courses and core courses, as outlined below:
Professional Education Course Requirements (30-33 credit hours*)
- EDGSE 404: Field Experience for Secondary (1)
- EDGSP 413: Survey of Students with Exceptionalities for the Regular Classroom Teacher (3)
- EDGSE 415: Principles and Practices of the Middle and Secondary School (3)
- EDGSE 463-69: Methods of Teaching (Major) in the Middle and Secondary School (3)
- EDGIP 459: Methods, Curriculum and Philosophy of Teaching in the Middle School (3)
- EDGSE 497: Literacy Instruction for Secondary Teachers (3)
- EDGSE 507: Advanced Educational Psychology (3)
- EDGSE 508: Advanced Adolescent Development (3)
- EDGCC 512: Assessment of Instruction and Learning (3)
- EDGSE 444: Directed Teaching - Secondary (6)
- EDGSE 445: Seminar in Teaching and Learning (2)
- EDGSE 423: Secondary Education Practicum (for Licensed Teachers Only in lieu of Directed Teaching) (3-6)
Core Course Requirements (9 to 12 credit hours*)
- EDGCC 511: Foundations of Education (3)
- EDGCC 513: Educational Research Design and Development (3)
- EDGCC 514: Scholarship of Teaching: Finalizing the Inquiry Process (3)
*33 hours of professional education courses for a license for individuals without prior licensure, plus 9 or 12 credit hours of core courses for degree. This coursework meets the requirement for the middle school endorsement as well. Required number of credits for licensed educators pursuing an endorsement in secondary education varies.
Candidates for a master of arts degree in individualized education who are enrolled in the secondary program must complete EDGCC 511, 513 and 514. In lieu of 514 and the completion of a graduate study research, graduate secondary students make take two additional graduate courses offered by the School of Education, as approved by their advisers.