Undergraduate Secondary Education Program

Application Deadline for Fall is August 30th; deadline for Spring is December 15th.  

Undergraduate students who wish to teach at the secondary level (certification is grades 6-12) are required to complete a concentration in the subject area or areas they expect to teach, and they are additionally required to complete 27 semester hours of professional education courses in one of the following endorsement areas:

Students seeking licensure in Virginia must complete training in Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting. For students who take and pass EDUC 310, this requirement is met. If a student is exempted from EDUC 310 for any reason, then he or she must contact the Office of Teacher Education & Professional Services in order to complete a training module in these competencies.

Additional policies and procedures that govern students in the teacher preparation programs during their field experiences are included in the Handbook for Practica and Student Teaching Experiences, which is available in the Office of Professional Services.

Endorsement Courses for Specific Secondary School Teaching Endorsements
English

Contact: [[lljohnson, Dr. Lindy Johnson]] - (757) 221-2333

In order to be licensed as a secondary English teacher (6-12) in Virginia, William & Mary English majors shall receive a degree with a major in English or a minimum of 36 semester hours distributed in the following areas:

Literacy and reading - 12 semester hours with courses to include:
  • Survey of British literature
  • Survey of American literature
  • World literature
  • Literary theory and criticism

Language - 3 semester hours, to include the development and nature of the English language

Composition - 12 semester hours with experiences to include:
  • A grammar course integrating grammar and writing
  • The teaching of writing, based on current knowledge and most effective practices, including the use of technology for this purpose
  • An advanced composition course emphasizing rhetorical practices of expository, persuasive, argumentative, and analytical writing
  • Teaching research including ethical accessing, evaluating, organizing, crediting, and synthesizing information

Oral language - 3 semester hours, to include the teaching of public and presentation speaking, including nonverbal communication and the role of communication in small group and mass communication

Electives in English - 6 semester hours

Mathematics

Contact: [[mmmaso,Dr. Margie Mason]] -  (757) 221-2327

Those students preparing to teach mathematics must fulfill the major requirements in the mathematics department. Within the major requirements, students need to complete 36 semester hours of coursework distributed in each of the following areas:

  • Experience shall include linear algebra (matrices, vectors, and linear transformations) and abstract algebra (ring, group, and field theory);
  • Experience shall include Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometries;
  • Analytic geometry;
  • Probability and statistics;
  • Discrete mathematics. Experience shall include the study of mathematical properties of finite sets and systems and linear programming;
  • Experience shall include multivariable calculus;
  • Mathematical modeling; and
  • Computer science, including two programming languages
Science

Contact: [[mwkier,Dr. Meredith Kier]] - (757) 221-2332

Biology - The teacher candidate shall have earned a baccalaureate degree from William & Mary and completed a major in biology or 32 semester hours in biology and at least one course in each of the following areas: genetics, biochemistry/molecular biology, cell biology, botany, zoology, anatomy/physiology, ecology, and evolutionary biology and other preparation consistent with the competencies for the endorsement.

Chemistry - The teacher candidate shall have earned a baccalaureate degree from William & Mary and completed a major in chemistry or 32 semester hours in chemistry, including at least one course in each of the following areas: inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, biochemistry, and analytical chemistry and other preparation consistent with the competencies required for the endorsement.

Earth Science - The teacher candidate shall have earned a baccalaureate degree from William & Mary and completed a major in Earth science, geology, or environmental science with a minimum of 32 semester hours in Earth sciences, including at least one course in each of the following areas: structural geology, petrology, paleontology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy/space science.

Physics - The teacher candidate shall have earned a baccalaureate degree from William & Mary and completed a major in physics or 32 semester hours in physics, including the following coursework: mechanics, electricity and magnetism, optics, and modern physics and other preparation consistent with the competencies required for the endorsement.

History and Social Sciences endorsement

Contact: [[ejkim05,Dr. Esther Kim]] - (757) 221-2348

The following subject area coursework is required for the social studies endorsement:

  1. A major in History or Government (or equivalent 33 semester hours)
    1. 12 hours in Government - needed for a History major (coursework must include at least 3 hours of American government or politics)
    2. 18 hours in History - needed for a Government major (coursework must include at least 6 hours of American or US History)
  2. 3 hours in Economics (micro or macro)
  3. 3 hours in Human Geography
  4. 3 hours in Non-Western History/Culture
  5. 3 hours in Sociology
  6. 3 hours in Anthropology