Secondary English Education Program Description
The Secondary English Education Program develops outstanding English teachers who prepare their students to become confident, capable and critical participants in communities of readers and writers.

Our pedagogy models our core beliefs about learning: students learn best when provided with opportunities to read, write, speak, and listen for meaningful purposes in authentic literacy contexts.  As we introduce a broad range of scholarship and instructional practices in the field of English education, we also guide candidates through assignments and projects that require reflective application of theories and methods within the practical realities of urban secondary schools.

These ‘realities’ are marked by culturally, linguistically, socio-economically, and developmentally diverse school populations. Another focus of our program then is to understand the varied strengths of diverse learners and how they can best be used to promote literacy development and positive engagement with literature.

Certification Programs
Undergraduate Students.  In order to teach English in secondary schools, undergraduates must complete the requirements of the English major as defined by the English Department as well as requirements of the English Education Program.  Once students have declared an English major and completed a minimum of 18 credits within this major, they can begin the undergraduate application process for the English Education Program.

Graduate Students.  There are three different graduate program plans. Two of these lead to a Master's Degree and New York State Certification while a third program is a non-degree, credentialing process.  All three program plans have the same graduate application process.