English for Secondary Education

Why This Program & What You'll Learn

English teachers play a critical role in preparing middle and high school students to become critical, empathetic, engaged citizens of the world. This program builds your understanding of literature, language, composition and pedagogy and prepares you to inspire the next generation.

In deeply relevant courses, you’ll learn how to meet the needs of diverse learners. You’ll explore ways to motivate students with quality reading and writing methods. And you’ll learn how to incorporate social justice into your teaching.

Our program is built on a strong foundation of real-life experience, including 60+ hours of classroom experience before you even start student teaching. Here are just a few of the experiences available to you:

• Work one on one with English Language Learners.
• Conference with middle school readers in after-school programs.
• Co-teach in a local English classroom during an immersive pre-student teaching experience.
• Student teach in Michigan, around the country, or in other parts of the world.

Completion of the B.S. in education degree with a major in English will qualify you for recommendation to the Michigan State Board of Education for a Secondary Standard Certificate.

Program Highlights

This program gives you opportunities to:

• Study with award-winning faculty and published authors.
• Make connections and build professional skills by joining the National Council of Teachers of English, the Writing Circle or another student group.
• Present at professional conferences at the state and national levels.
• Network with practicing teachers through our Chippewa River Writing Project, part of the National Writing Project.
• Submit your poetry, fiction, or nonfiction work to Central Review, CMU’s literary journal.
• Hear from prominent poets and fiction writers who come to CMU for readings and classroom visits.