Education: Secondary Education, English (BA)

Degree: Bachelor of Arts
Major: English
Concentration: Secondary Education
Program Code: 3213

About This Major . . .

The Center for Teacher Education offers a comprehensive program of study that leads to licensure in Colorado. Our professors are experienced, knowledgeable, accessible, and dedicated to the improvement of public education. At Colorado Mesa University, we pride ourselves on the personal touch. Faculty offer one-on-one guidance for course selection, field placements, student teaching, and employment. Our mission is to develop Educators as Innovators; we are always looking to improve the quality of learning in our programs and K-12 schools.

As a student, you will gradually accumulate over 200 hours of classroom experience before beginning student teaching. School districts throughout western Colorado provide opportunities to gain experience with children of all ages and backgrounds in a variety of school settings.  The secondary licensure program provides teacher education candidates with broad content knowledge in English and prepares them as teachers for grades 7 through 12.  A minimum of 75 credit hours of Essential Learning and content area coursework must be completed with a minimum GPA of 2.80 before a candidate may apply for admission to the Center for Teacher Education secondary licensure program.  Please see the Teacher Education Admission Packet for further information on admissions criteria.  EDUC 115 and EDUC 215, must be taken before applying to the program.

Important information for this degree:

  • 2.80 cumulative GPA or higher in all CMU coursework.
  • 2.80 cumulative GPA or higher in coursework toward the major content area.
  • All EDUC prefix courses must be completed with a grade of “B” or better.
  • Students must pass the PRAXIS II exam in the content area prior to beginning the internship.  Also, all other coursework toward the degree must be successfully completed prior to the internship.
  • A grade of “C” or better must be earned in all required foundation and major courses, unless otherwise stated.

For more information on what you can do with this major, visit Career Services’ What to Do with a Major? resource.

All CMU baccalaureate graduates are expected to demonstrate proficiency in specialized knowledge/applied learning, quantitative fluency, communication fluency, critical thinking, personal and social responsibility, and information literacy. In addition to these campus-wide student learning outcomes, graduates of this major will be able to:

  1. Express themselves effectively in a variety of forms. (Specialized Knowledge)
    2.
  2. State and support, sometimes using research, interpretive claims about a variety of texts. (Critical Thinking)
    3.
  3. Identify the salient features of literary texts from a broad range of English and American literary periods. (Specialized Knowledge)
    4.
  4. Employ knowledge of literary traditions to produce imaginative writing. (Communication Fluency/Applied Learning)
    5.
  5. English Outcome 5: Use research to assist in problem-solving. (Critical Thinking)
    6.
  6. Demonstrate mastery of major area’s content knowledge and pedagogical strategies through fieldwork with learners in professional settings. (Specialized Knowledge/Applied Learning)
    7.
  7. Design and establish a safe, inclusive, and respectful learning environment for a diverse population of students. (Specialized Knowledge/Applied Learning)
    8.
  8. Plan and deliver effective instruction to students, based on research-based pedagogical practices. (Communication Literacy/Information Literacy)
    9.
  9. Collect and analyze student assessment data and use results to inform planning and instruction. (Quantitative Fluency)
    10.
  10. Demonstrate professionalism through ethical conduct, reflection, and leadership. (Personal and Social Responsibility)

Each section below contains details about the requirements for this program. Select a header to expand the information/requirements for that particular section of the program's requirements. 

To print or save an overview of this program's information, including the program description, learning outcomes, requirements, suggested course sequencing (if applicable), and advising and graduation information, scroll to the bottom of the left-hand navigation menu and select "Print Options." This will give you the options to either "Send Page to Printer" or "Download PDF of This Page." The "Download PDF of This Page" option prepares a much more concise presentation of all program information. The PDF is also printable and may be preferable due to its brevity. 

Institutional Degree Requirements

The following institutional degree requirements apply to all CMU baccalaureate degrees. Specific programs may have different requirements that must be met in addition to institutional requirements.

  • 120 semester hours minimum.
  • Students must complete a minimum of 30 of the last 60 hours of credit at CMU, with at least 15 semester hours in major discipline courses numbered 300 or higher.
  • 40 upper-division credits (an alternative credit limit applies to the Bachelor of Applied Science degree).
  • 2.00 cumulative GPA or higher in all CMU coursework.
  • A course may only be used to fulfill one requirement for each degree/certificate.
  • No more than six semester hours of independent study courses can be used toward the degree.
  • Non-traditional credit, such as advanced placement, credit by examination, credit for prior learning, cooperative education and internships, cannot exceed 30 semester credit hours for a baccalaureate degree. A maximum of 15 of the 30 credits may be for cooperative education, internships, and practica.
  • Pre-collegiate courses (usually numbered below 100) cannot be used for graduation.
  • Capstone exit assessment/projects (e.g., Major Field Achievement Test) requirements are identified under Program-Specific Degree Requirements.
  • The Catalog Year determines which program sheet and degree requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. Visit with your advisor or academic department to determine which catalog year and program requirements you should follow.
  • See “Requirements for Undergraduate Degrees and Certificates” in the catalog for a complete list of graduation requirements.

Essential Learning Requirements

(31 semester hours)

See the current catalog for a list of courses that fulfill the requirements below. If a course is an Essential Learning option and a requirement for your major, you must use it to fulfill the major requirement and make a different selection for the Essential Learning requirement.

English 1
ENGL 111English Composition I-GTCO13
ENGL 112English Composition II-GTCO23
Mathematics 1
MATH 110Mathematical Investigations-GTMA13
History
Select one History course3
Humanities
Select one Humanities course3
Social and Behavioral Sciences
PSYC 233Human Growth and Development-GTSS33
Select one Social and Behavioral Sciences course3
Fine Arts
Select one Fine Arts course3
Natural Sciences 2
Select one Natural Sciences course3
Select one Natural Sciences course with a lab4
Total Semester Credit Hours31
1

Must receive a grade of “C” or better and must be completed by the time the student has 60 semester hours.

2

One course must include a lab.

Other Lower Division Requirements

Wellness Requirement
KINE 100Health and Wellness1
Select one Activity course1
Essential Learning Capstone 1
ESSL 290Maverick Milestone3
ESSL 200Essential Speech1
Total Semester Credit Hours6
1

Essential Learning Capstone must be taken after completion of the Essential Learning English and Mathematics requirements, and when a student has earned between 45 and 75 hours.

Foundation Courses

(24 semester hours, must pass each course with a grade of “C” or better.)

Texts
ENGL 254Survey of English Literature I-GTAH23
ENGL 255Survey of English Literature II-GTAH23
ENGL 261Survey of American Literature I-GTAH23
ENGL 262Survey of American Literature II-GTAH23
Writing
ENGL 250Introduction to Creative Writing3
Frameworks
ENGL 210Introduction to Literary Studies3
Foreign Language
Select two consecutive classes in the same foreign language6
Total Semester Credit Hours24

Program Specific Degree Requirements

(59 semester hours, must pass each course with a grade of “C” or better and maintain a 2.80 cumulative GPA or higher in coursework in this area.)

  • 2.80 cumulative GPA or higher in all CMU coursework.
  • All EDUC prefix courses must be completed with a grade of “B” or better.
  • Students must pass the PRAXIS II exam in the content area prior to beginning the internship.  Also, all other coursework toward the degree must be successfully completed prior to the internship.
  • A grade of “C” or better must be earned in all required foundation and major courses, unless otherwise stated.
Texts: Secondary Education Cornerstones
ENGL 355Shakespeare3
ENGL 365Literature for Young Adults3
ENGL 494Seminar in Literature3
SPCH 307Professional Presentations3
Texts: Upper Division English Electives
Select two courses. Any course not chosen can be used for Texts, Writing, and Frameworks: English Elective.6
ENGL 401
Studies in American Literature I
ENGL 403
Studies in British and Commonwealth Literature I
ENGL 402
Studies in American Literature II
ENGL 404
Studies in British and Commonwealth Literature II
ENGL 444
Studies in Identity
Frameworks: Secondary Education Cornerstones
ENGL 421Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism3
ENGL 451Understanding and Using English Grammar3
ENGL 491Composition Theory and Practice3
Texts, Writing, and Frameworks: English Electives
Select one course. 3
ENGL 131
Western World Literature I-GTAH2
ENGL 132
Western World Literature II-GTAH2
ENGL 150
Introduction to Literature-GTAH2
ENGL 219
Introduction to Professional Writing-GTCO3
ENGL 222
Mythology-GTAH2
ENGL 240
Children's Literature
ENGL 325
Writing for Engineers
ENGL 320
Report and Proposal Writing
ENGL 330
Women in World Thought and Literature
ENGL 335
The Bible as Literature
ENGL 343
Language Systems and Linguistic Diversity
ENGL 380
Memoir and Creative Non-Fiction
ENGL 381
Creative Writing: Fiction
ENGL 382
Creative Writing: Crafting Fiction
ENGL 383
Creative Writing: Poetry
ENGL 384
The Art of the Essay
ENGL 385
Technical and Professional Writing
ENGL 386
Roots of Modern Rhetoric
ENGL 388
Creative Writing: Crafting Poetry
ENGL 389
Screenwriting
ENGL 390
Introduction to Film Studies
ENGL 394
Technical and Professional Writing Topics
ENGL 423
Genre Studies
ENGL 425
Scientific Writing
ENGL 440
History of the English Language
Total Semester Credit Hours30
Secondary Education Requirements 2,3
EDUC 115What It Means To Be An Educator1
EDUC 215Teaching as a Profession1
EDUC 342Pedagogy and Assessment: Secondary and K-123
EDUC 343Teaching to Diversity3
EDUC 442Integrating Literacy Across the Curriculum: Secondary and K-12 Art3
EDUC 475Classroom Management for K-12 Educators1
EDUC 497Content Methodology Practicum3
EDUC 497AMethods of Teaching Secondary English 42
EDUC 499GTeaching Internship and Colloquia: Secondary12
Praxis II Exam Passed
Total Semester Credit Hours29
1

ENGL 494 must be taken after 60 semester hours have been accumulated.  A student must take the seminar in their junior year.

2

Must pass courses with a grade of “B” or better.

3

Program Requirements:  ENGL 111, ENGL 112, PSYC 233, EDUC 115 and EDUC 215 (all with a grade of “B” or better) and formal acceptance to the Teacher Education Program.

4

This course is only offered in the fall semester. It may be taken with either the 300-level or 400-level EDUC courses but must be taken before the student teaching semester.

 All EDUC prefix courses listed above must be completed with a grade of B or better to progress through the program sequence.  Students must PASS the PRAXIS II exam in the content area prior to commencing the internship.  Also, ALL other coursework toward the degree must be successfully completed prior to the internship. 

Suggested Course Sequencing for Spring Interns

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterSemester Credit Hours
ENGL 111 English Composition I-GTCO1 3
MATH 110 Mathematical Investigations-GTMA1 3
Foundation Course - Foreign Language 3
PSYC 233 Human Growth and Development-GTSS3 3
Essential Learning - History 3
KINE 100 Health and Wellness 1
 Semester Credit Hours16
Spring Semester
ENGL 112 English Composition II-GTCO2 3
ENGL 250 Introduction to Creative Writing 3
Foundation Course - Foreign Language 3
Essential Learning - Fine Arts 3
Essential Learning - Natural Science with Lab 4
 Semester Credit Hours16
Second Year
Fall Semester
ENGL 261 Survey of American Literature I-GTAH2 3
ENGL 254 Survey of English Literature I-GTAH2 3
Essential Learning - Social and Behavioral Science 3
Essential Learning - Humanities 3
EDUC 115 What It Means To Be An Educator 1
KINA Activity 1
English Elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours17
Spring Semester
ENGL 262 Survey of American Literature II-GTAH2 3
ENGL 255 Survey of English Literature II-GTAH2 3
ENGL 210 Introduction to Literary Studies 3
Essential Learning - Natural Science 3
ESSL 290 Maverick Milestone 3
ESSL 200 Essential Speech 1
 Semester Credit Hours16
Third Year
Fall Semester
ENGL 355 Shakespeare 3
ENGL 451 Understanding and Using English Grammar 3
Upper Division English Elective 3
Upper Division Literature Elective 3
SPCH 307 Professional Presentations 3
EDUC 215 Teaching as a Profession 1
 Semester Credit Hours16
Spring Semester
EDUC 342 Pedagogy and Assessment: Secondary and K-12 3
EDUC 343 Teaching to Diversity 3
ENGL 421 Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism 3
ENGL 491 Composition Theory and Practice 3
ENGL 365 Literature for Young Adults 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
ENGL 494 Seminar in Literature 3
EDUC 442 Integrating Literacy Across the Curriculum: Secondary and K-12 Art 3
EDUC 475 Classroom Management for K-12 Educators 1
EDUC 497 Content Methodology Practicum 3
EDUC 497A Methods of Teaching Secondary English 2
 Semester Credit Hours12
Spring Semester
EDUC 499G Teaching Internship and Colloquia: Secondary 12
 Semester Credit Hours12
 Total Semester Credit Hours120

Suggested Course Sequencing for Fall Interns

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterSemester Credit Hours
ENGL 111 English Composition I-GTCO1 3
MATH 110 Mathematical Investigations-GTMA1 3
PSYC 233 Human Growth and Development-GTSS3 3
KINE 100 Health and Wellness 1
Essential Learning - History 3
Foundation Course - Foreign Language 3
 Semester Credit Hours16
Spring Semester
ENGL 112 English Composition II-GTCO2 3
ENGL 250 Introduction to Creative Writing 3
EDUC 115 What It Means To Be An Educator 1
Foundation Course - Foreign Language 3
Essential Learning - Fine Arts 3
Essential Learning - Natural Science with Lab 4
 Semester Credit Hours17
Second Year
Fall Semester
ENGL 210 Introduction to Literary Studies 3
ENGL 254 Survey of English Literature I-GTAH2 3
ENGL 261 Survey of American Literature I-GTAH2 3
ENGL 262 Survey of American Literature II-GTAH2 3
EDUC 215 Teaching as a Profession 1
Essential Learning - Social and Behavioral Science 3
Essential Learning - Humanities 3
 Semester Credit Hours19
Spring Semester
ENGL 255 Survey of English Literature II-GTAH2 3
ENGL 365 Literature for Young Adults 3
ESSL 200 Essential Speech 1
ESSL 290 Maverick Milestone 3
Essential Learning - Natural Science 3
KINA Activity 1
 Semester Credit Hours14
Third Year
Fall Semester
ENGL 355 Shakespeare 3
ENGL 451 Understanding and Using English Grammar 3
SPCH 307 Professional Presentations 3
Upper Division English Elective 3
English Elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours15
Spring Semester
EDUC 342 Pedagogy and Assessment: Secondary and K-12 3
EDUC 343 Teaching to Diversity 3
ENGL 421 Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism 3
EDUC 497A Methods of Teaching Secondary English 2
Upper Division English Elective 3
 Semester Credit Hours14
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
ENGL 491 Composition Theory and Practice 3
EDUC 442 Integrating Literacy Across the Curriculum: Secondary and K-12 Art 3
EDUC 475 Classroom Management for K-12 Educators 1
EDUC 497 Content Methodology Practicum 3
ENGL 494 Seminar in Literature 3
 Semester Credit Hours13
Spring Semester
EDUC 499G Teaching Internship and Colloquia: Secondary 12
 Semester Credit Hours12
 Total Semester Credit Hours120

Advising Process and DegreeWorks

Documentation on the pages related to this program is intended for informational purposes to help determine what courses and associated requirements are needed to earn a degree. The suggested course sequencing outlines how students could finish degree requirements. Some courses are critical to complete in specific semesters, while others may be moved around. Meeting with an academic advisor is essential in planning courses and altering the suggested course sequencing. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to understand and fulfill the requirements for their intended degree(s).

DegreeWorks is an online degree audit tool available in MAVzone. It is the official record used by the Registrar’s Office to evaluate progress towards a degree and determine eligibility for graduation. Students are responsible for reviewing their DegreeWorks audit on a regular basis and should discuss questions or concerns with their advisor or academic department head. Discrepancies in requirements should be reported to the Registrar’s Office.

Graduation Process

Students must complete the following in the first two months of the semester prior to completing their degree requirements:

  • Review their DegreeWorks audit and create a plan that outlines how unmet requirements will be met in the final semester.
  • Meet with their advisor and modify their plan as needed. The advisor must approve the final plan.
  • Submit the “Intent to Graduate” form to the Registrar’s Office to officially declare the intended graduation date and commencement ceremony plans.
  • Register for all needed courses and complete all requirements for each degree sought.

Submission deadlines and commencement details can be found at http://www.coloradomesa.edu/registrar/graduation.html.

If a student’s petition for graduation is denied, it will be their responsibility to consult the Registrar’s Office regarding next steps.