English Education Degree
Career prospects for teachers
Teachers from WCU outperform those from other UNC institutions in preparing students in secondary English, according to a UNC-Chapel Hill study (Henry and Thompson, 2009).
Where do our graduates teach?
- Secondary and middle schools
- Community college
- Private settings
- Overseas
What will I learn?
We'll arm you with these skills:
- Strong preparation in literature, writing, and grammar to help prepare you for the classroom.
- Knowledge of language development as well as teaching methods, research and theory in the English field.
- A firm grounding in technology, media, posting lessons and units online via portfolio software, and creating your own interactive websites. You'll produce and update your own individual growth plan, to which you can add work samples and lesson plans.
- An understanding of the diverse nature of your students (their abilities, race, culture, gender, socioeconomic status, sexuality, and religion) through coursework, case studies, hands-on classroom experience, and such initiatives as WCU's Rural-Urban Exchange.
Our goal is to foster dedicated teachers with strong content knowledge who balance pragmatism and passion with the knowledge, values and experience articulated by the College of Education’s Conceptual Framework.
Dual degree program
Did you know roughly half of all US teachers leave the profession after 3-5 years? If you're not sure you want a North Carolina teaching license, the second degree gives you options if you change your focus later.
Our dual degrees in English Education enhance your ability to teach the English language arts in grades 9-12 at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.
You can also teach in community colleges and private schools, however, thanks to our coordinating major—the B.S.Ed. in Secondary and Special Subject Teaching in English with one of our other English concentrations, like the B.A. in English Studies Pedagogy.
Internships and student teaching
Teaching candidates gain hands-on experience through both professional education courses and support and mentoring. You'll receive this support from the sophomore year onward, culminating in a year-long internship in a high school English classroom.