McKay School of Education > Education Student Services > Teaching Majors & Minors

Approved Teaching Majors and Minors

The McKay School of Education coordinates with other university colleges to provide secondary education programs which both graduate students in a secondary education major and certify them to teach in a middle school, junior high school, or high school.

The teacher certification program requires students to complete the following: (1) general education and university requirements, (2) teaching major or teaching composite major, and 3) teaching minor if desired or if required by major. The options below explain which teaching majors require a teaching minor.

Please note that students will graduate with a teaching degree in their major college. For example, students majoring in English Teaching will graduate in the College of Humanities with a BA degree in English Teaching.

To begin your graduation/certification program, please complete the following steps:

 Step 1     Select a program from Options 1a, 1b, 2, or 3.

Option 1a: Teaching Major- Although a teaching minor is strongly recommended, the following majors do not require a teaching minor.

     Chemistry Education                                 History Teaching                                 Special Education

     Dance Education                                      Mathematics Education                        Theatre Arts Education

     English Teaching                                      Physics Teaching                     

 Option 1b: Teaching Major and Approved Teaching Minor- The following majors require an approved teaching minor.

     French Teaching                                      German Teaching                                Spanish Teaching

 Approved Teaching Minors for Options 1a and 1b Teaching Majors:     

     Art Education                                           Geography Teaching                            Physics Teaching

     Chemistry Education                                 Geology Teaching                                Political Science Teaching

     Chinese Teaching                                     German Teaching                                Psychology Teaching

     Coaching & Teaching PE                           Health Education                                  Russian Teaching

     Computer Science Teaching                      History Teaching                                  Spanish Teaching

     Driver Safety Education                             Japanese Teaching                              TESOL K-12

     English Teaching                                      Latin Teaching                                     TESOL/Bilingual K-12 Spanish

     French Teaching                                      Mathematics Education                         Theatre Arts Education

Option 2: Restricted Teaching Major and Approved Teaching Minor- The following majors require an approved teaching minor from a frequently taught academic area.

     Latin Teaching                                         School Health Education        

 Approved Teaching Minors for Option 2 Teaching Majors:

     Art Education                                           English Teaching                                Mathematics Education

     Chemistry Education                                 French Teaching                                Physics Teaching

     Coaching & Teaching PE                           Geography Teaching                          Spanish Teaching

     Computer Science Teaching                      German Teaching                              TESOL K-12

     Driver Safety Education                             History Teaching                               TESOL/Bilingual K-12 Spanish

                                                                                                                     Theatre Arts Education

Option 3: Teaching Composite Major- A teaching composite enables a student to complete a broader range of content area courses. These majors require at least 45 hours in the teaching major, usually exceeding the 120 hours required for graduation. Teaching composite majors are available in the following subject areas:

     Art Education K-12                                    Music K-12 – Choral                          Teaching Physical Science

     Biology Science Education                          Music K-12 – Instrumental                 Teaching Social Science

     Earth and Space Science Education             PE Teaching/Coaching (K-12)            Technology and Engineering Ed           

     Family and Consumer Science Ed

Step 2  Declare your teaching major at the college advisement center of your selected major, where you may obtain a list of required major courses.

Step 3  Declare your teaching minor by obtaining a Minor Clearance Form from the college advisement center of your minor. Submit the form to your major college advisement center. For example, if your major is Spanish Teaching and you want to declare a Mathematics Education minor, you will obtain a Minor Clearance Form from the Physical and Mathematical Sciences Advisement Center and return it to the Humanities Advisement Center.

Step 4  We recommend you create a graduation plan. You may refer to your Major Academic Plan (MAP) and minor course requirement list. For assistance, contact your major/minor college advisement center where they can help you identify course order and prerequisites. Questions regarding secondary education classes may be directed to the Education Student Services, 120 MCKB.

Step 5   Apply to your teaching major. See your major advisement center for details.

Step 6  Complete Secondary Education 300-level courses and Instructional Psychology & Technology 286 after completing Secondary Education 276R.

Step 7  Complete Secondary Education 476R (student teaching) or Secondary Education 496R (internship).

All coursework including GE must be completed prior to beginning student teaching or internship.