English Education Major

 

The UD English Education program is a four-year undergraduate major and is distinguished by a strong faculty and a rigorous program of study. All three full-time English Education faculty are committed to equity-oriented teaching and scholarship; they have won awards honoring their excellence in mentoring as well as their research accomplishments. All English Education faculty conduct research that looks at relationships between teachers and students. We examine connections between the teaching of literacy and race/ethnicity and social class: most recently, one faculty member studied conversations about racism in a middle school classroom; another studied student and teacher retention in diverse school districts; and another studied the writing of teachers and students in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

 

Our program is designed to prepare students to teach adolescents with cultural awareness, adaptability, and relevance. Our first commitment is to prepare future teacher professionals of quality so that they can reach every adolescent. Second, our program prepares students with a broad and deep knowledge of English language and literature and pedagogy. Students take courses in writing, linguistics, oral language, a wide range of literature in various genres, adolescent development, diversity, and methods of teaching English.

 

Students completing our program are eligible for certification as a secondary school English teacher in Delaware; other states may require additional coursework. UD students wishing to teach in states other than Delaware should research the certification requirements of the state(s) of interest. Please be aware that states often offer a probationary license for one year to anyone graduating from a secondary education program with the understanding that the individual will have to complete the additional requirements within one calendar year. See, for example, The Pennsylvania Department of Education, New Jersey Licensure & Credentials, New York State Education Department Certification, and Maryland State Department of Education Certification.

 

Our students have been extremely successful in finding teaching positions immediately following graduation. Students receive job counseling and pre-professional preparation as part of the program and through various job fairs on and off campus.

 

For more detailed information, click on the links provided on the left-side menu.