This degree prepares students to teach a field rich in nuance, literary tradition, and global value. Students will build on their love of English to excite secondary students about expressing themselves effectively and creatively in one of the world’s great languages.
This program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) This program is nationally recognized by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
If you have a flair for grammar and a love of literature that you'd like to share with the next generation, teaching English in high school is just the career for you. Earning a degree in secondary education with an emphasis on English will lead you to a rewarding job where you'll have the opportunity to shape the culture and character of students through their English education.
You'll graduate with the expertise in teaching and curriculum to influence and inspire all the students who enter your classroom. Enjoy a diverse and collaborative learning environment that will prepare you for the job opportunities that await.
Note: In addition to being admitted to the university, you must also meet the additional admission requirements and apply for admission to the Professional Education Programs.
To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.
The full policy can be viewed here.
In addition to University Requirements:
Candidates in this program are required to demonstrate content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and skills, professional knowledge, and professional dispositions to be eligible to enter student teaching or internship placements.
Content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge or skills, and professional dispositions are demonstrated through candidate performance on key assessments embedded in the following course(s):
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 120 |
| Major GPA | 3.0 |
| Highest Mathematics Required | MAT 114 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Required |
| Foreign Language | Required |
| Student Teaching/Supervised Teaching | Required |
| University Honors Program | Optional |
| AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A | Recommended |
| Progression Plan Link | View Progression Plan |
| Licensure | This program may lead to licensure. |
Purpose Statement
The Bachelor of Science in Education, English prepares future teachers to be well versed in their subject area to give students the best education possible. The English and education major at NAU lets students achieve the ideal balance between being an expert in your subject and being a great teacher. NAU’s English education major will equip you with an in-depth study of language, literature, linguistics, and writing. As a foundation for their work in education, students are trained to write well, organize ideas in a logical way, analyze complex information, research, and critically read and observe. Our English Secondary Education students also develop competency in lesson design, classroom management, instructional delivery, and research-based methods for teaching writing, literature, prose, grammar, and vocabulary. As students integrate their knowledge of the English discipline with teaching theories and techniques, strong emphasis is placed on gaining extensive field experience. Faculty connect these field experiences to coursework, combining theory and practice, modeling effective instruction, providing relevant context, and building confidence to address the variety of situations future teachers will encounter. Upon completion of this degree, students are prepared to become a certified English teacher in the state of Arizona, or engage in careers in related fields such as publishing, curriculum development, and educational research.
Student Learning Outcomes
Outcomes align with Standards from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the National Council of Teachers of English, and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium.
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
To receive Professional Education Programs (PEP) approval, candidates must:
This major requires 72 units distributed as follows:
Take the following 72 units. A minimum NAU cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required and a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required for all ENG coursework. For all major requirements, a passing grade is required or a Grade of "C" or better is required for courses evaluated on an A-F scale.
Content Major Courses
Students enrolled in this plan may not enroll in or pursue the following due to the number of overlapping units:
Teacher education programs require a student teaching or internship experience. A minimum number of practicum units are also required, which involves supervised field experience with a practicing teacher. These required experiences are embedded in the major requirements courses.
Before being accepted to student teaching, the following criteria must be met:
Arizona Teacher Certification
You must pass the National Evaluation Series Secondary Assessment Professional Knowledge Exam to obtain an Arizona teaching certificate.
You must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English that is equivalent to two terms of university coursework in the same language. You may satisfy this requirement by taking language courses or through credit by exam. (8 units)
Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.
You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.
We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.
Be aware that Arizona state teacher certification requirements leading to an Institutional Recommendation may change at any time, and may impact program of study requirements.