Secondary Education

As a secondary education teacher, you face the particular challenges that come with a roomful of pre-teens and teenagers. A positive classroom environment that engages students and promotes equity among them is key to your and your students' success. Our program teaches you how to maintain your students' enthusiasm for subject matter, staying intellectually engaged while collaborating with colleagues, parents, and peers.

We show you how to plan your curriculum and lessons based on state requirements, while infusing them with multiple learning opportunities and meaningful achievement measures. We introduce you to current educational theories, best practices, and managing time and classroom resources.

Our secondary education program prepares prospective teachers to work with grades eight to 12 in biology, chemistry, English, history, or mathematics, or Spanish for grades five to 12.

Initial teaching licenses earned at Elms College qualify candidates to begin teaching in Massachusetts and more than 40 states, islands, and territories, including all of the New England states and New York.

Bachelor of Arts Degree

Major in Secondary Education (Biology, Chemistry, English, History, or Mathematics, Grades 8-12; Spanish, Grades 5-12)

Initial License in Secondary Education (5-12) or (8-12)

(Minimum at Elms College: 18 credits)

Major Requirements (33 credits)

EDU 100 Introduction to Schooling and Education (3 credits)
PSY 214 Children's Learning and Development (3 credits)
EDU 319 Students with Special Needs (3 credits)
EDU 343 Models of Inclusion (3 credits)
PSY 335 Adolescent Psychology (3 credits)
EDU 370 Secondary Instruction (3 credits)
EDU 330 Secondary Curriculum (3 credits)
EDU 360 Seminar in Professional Education (3 credits)

One of the following:
EDU 430A Biology (8-12) Initial Practicum (9 credits)
EDU 430B Chemistry (8-12) Initial Practicum (9 credits)
EDU 430C English (8-12) Initial Practicum (9 credits)
EDU 488A Foreign Language/Spanish (5-12) Initial Practicum (9 credits)
EDU 430D History (8-12) Initial Practicum (9 credits)
EDU 430E Mathematics (8-12) Initial Practicum (9 credits)