If I am an incoming student, how can I explore teaching English as a career and prepare for application to education programs?
First- and second-year English Pre-Teaching majors can participate in the Pre-Teaching Secondary English Learning Community. They can also enroll in a section of UNIV 1810 designed specifically for English pre-teaching majors, which is taught by English faculty member and TNE Fellow, Dr. Jason Courtmanche.
English majors pursuing either the dual degree program or the Concentration in Teaching English are also assigned to Dr. Courtmanche for advising. Students can gain valuable education-related experiences through various undergraduate internships and tutoring opportunities available through the English Department’s writing programs.
First- and second-year students who want to apply to the Teacher Education program are advised as Pre-Teaching students through the Academic Center for Exploratory Students (ACES). See ACES for more information on their program.
How does the English Department support English majors interested in teaching English?
The English Department offers a Concentration in Teaching English to its majors who have taken four or more courses related to the teaching of English. The Concentration is specifically designed for those majors who plan to pursue a Master of Arts in Education and become secondary English teachers, or elementary school or special education teachers with a specialization in English.
The Concentration provides students the opportunity to enhance their knowledge of several foundational elements of the field, especially composition, grammar, and literature for children and adolescents. Because the courses that make up the Concentration are required of the students pursuing a dual degree in English and Education through the Neag School of Education, the Concentration presents students with an excellent opportunity to take courses along with Education majors and with English faculty members who are accustomed to working with students studying to become teachers.
A student fulfilling the requirements for the Concentration will receive a letter of acknowledgment from the English Department following graduation.
Who is typically accepted in the IBM program, and how can I apply?
For more information on the program, see Neag’s Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s Teacher Education. For more information on the application process, see Neag’s overview on how to apply to Neag’s School of Education.
What if I didn’t get into the IB/M program but still want to teach?
Many English majors decide to teach after they have already begun their BA degree in CLAS. For these students, and those not initially admitted to the IB/M program, the English Department offers a Concentration in Teaching English that is designed to prepare English majors to pass the state’s teaching certification exam (known as the Praxis II) and to have the necessary undergraduate coursework to be competitive candidates for graduate degree programs in Education.
(Please note that this coursework is not pedagogical in nature and that the Concentration does not provide certification).
What if I’m a recent college graduate (or I will be graduating soon) and I’d like to teach?
For college graduates who wish to gain teacher certification, the Neag School of Education developed the Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates (TCPCG). A one-year, full-time degree program offered on the Greater Hartford and Waterbury campuses, the TCPCG confers a Master’s Degree in Education, as well as state teacher certification.
The TCPCG shares with the IB/M program a strong commitment to high standards, extensive clinical experience, and a concern for the development of reflective and analytic practitioners for urban and multicultural issues in education and for teacher leadership.
Experienced, certified English teachers with a Bachelor’s degree in Education who wish to pursue an additional degree in their content area may wish to consider the MA degree for teachers offered by the Graduate English program.
What coursework should an undergraduate in English take to be a good candidate for graduate study in English Education?
The Teacher Certification Program for College Graduates (TCPCG), as well as other accredited graduate programs in English Education, has aligned its content area admission requirements with National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) requirements. So, in addition to the Grammar, Composition, and Adolescent Literature courses that comprise the Concentration in Teaching English, students should have coursework in American Literature, English Literature, Literary Genres (such as Poetry, Short Story, Drama, or the Novel), World Literature, and Women or Minority Authors.
How can I learn more about the teaching profession and teaching degree programs?
- Neag School of Education
- Additional teaching degree programs and institutions.
- UConn English majors have pursued graduate degrees in Education at the following schools:
- Eastern Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University, Central Connecticut State University, Sacred Heart University, University of Fairfield, Quinnipiac University, University of Bridgeport, University of Hartford, University of Saint Joseph, University of New Haven, Simmons College, New York University, Columbia University Teachers College, State University of New York, University of Colorado, Kansas State University, New York City Teaching Fellows, Bard College, Fordham University
- Connecticut State Education Department
- UConn Department of Career Services