Bachelor of Arts in English (7-12 Teacher Certification)

Website: https://twu.edu/english-rhetoric-spanish/undergraduate-program/

The Teacher Certification track provides students with the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed as leaders of their own secondary education classrooms. Students take courses in American, British, and World literature, as well as courses in specific genres and diverse perspectives. The curriculum also includes advanced writing courses to prepare future teachers for offering instruction in a multimodal world. In addition to the Education minor that students take, courses on this track provide coverage of the content covered in 7-12 ELAR classes; they also provide opportunities to learn about and develop best practices for literature and writing instruction. While some courses for this program may be taken online, it is not an online degree.

Marketable Skills

Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."

Degree Skills

  1. Communicate effectively to diverse audiences using a range of media and technology.
  2. Organize, synthesize, and evaluate the credibility of information, such as, but not limited to, a range of academic and non-academic sources, and use this knowledge to make ethical decisions.
  3. ​Use effective research strategies to inform argument-driven projects.

Teacher Certification Skills

  1. Appropriately explain the impact of effective planning and communication (within the chosen area of concentration) to relevant internal and external stakeholders in an education or community setting.
  2. Identify, select, and implement entry-level instructional plans when serving as an instructor in the school setting.
  3. Successfully manage organizational and student behavior when teaching in the school setting.
  4. Efficiently and accurately assess student progress and use data to develop and modify instruction for K-12 students.
  5. Work effectively and collaboratively with students and families from diverse backgrounds.

Admissions

Teacher Certification

Application Deadlines

There are three application periods per year (Fall, Spring, and Summer). Students must have their applications in by the deadline the semester before they intend to take ECE 3223 (EC-3 only), EDUC 3003, EDUC 3482, or READ 4223 (EC-3 only).  (see schedule below).

Spring Application Deadlines*  (Admission to the EDUC 3000s Summer)
  • May 1 - Deadline to apply for Summer admission
  • May 31 - Deadline for Transfer Grades, Grade Changes, or Any Other Requirement
Summer Application Deadlines  (Admission to the EDUC 3000s Fall)
  • July 1 - Deadline to apply for Fall admission
  • July 31 - Deadline for Transfer Grades, Grade Changes, or Any Other Requirement
Fall Application Deadlines*  (Admission to the EDUC 3000s Spring)
  • December 1 - Deadline to apply for Spring admission
  • December 21 - Deadline for Transfer Grades, Grade Changes, or Any Other Requirement

Guidelines

Please adhere to the following guidelines: 

  • We recommend preparing your application well in advance of the deadline. That way you will be able to identify and resolve any potential issues before the deadline date. 
  • If you intend to register early for ECE 3223 (EC-3 only), EDUC 3003, EDUC 3482, or READ 4223 (EC-3 only) for the Summer or Fall semesters and have met all admission requirements, it is recommended that you apply to the EPP by December 1.
  • If you apply for admission to the Educator Preparation Program while enrolled in EDUC 2003 or are taking coursework to increase your GPA to a 2.75, the Office of Educator Preparation Services will process your application. If the GPA requirement, along with all other admission requirements are met at the end of the semester, an admission decision will be made at that time.
  • No late applications will be accepted. If the deadline date falls on a weekend or a day that TWU is closed, applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on the next day that TWU is open after the deadline day.

Requirements

In addition to the general undergraduate admissions requirements, to obtain acceptance into the undergraduate Educator Preparation Program (and prior to taking ECE 3223 (EC-3 only), EDUC 3003EDUC 3482, EDUC 4113EDUC 4243, READ 4223 (EC-3 only), and Clinical Student Teaching) students must have:

  • A cumulative GPA of 2.75 (includes all courses, whether posted to TWU transcript or used on a degree plan. Excludes developmental and repeated courses);
  • Demonstrated basic skills in reading, written communication, and mathematics by meeting the requirements of the Texas Success Initiative;

  • A minimum of 12 to 15 semester credit hours in the subject-specific content area for the certification sought;

  • Completed EDUC 2003 with a C or higher;

  • Completed department application for admission to the Educator Preparation Program in Tk20;
  • Completed the Digital Literacy Pre-assessment;

  • Submitted a non-refundable Texas Education Agency Fee;

  • Completed a Commitment Contract acknowledging awareness and understanding of the Professional Dispositions Policy and Educators’ Code of Ethics;

  • Successfully completed a pre-admission departmental interview with an interview panel; and

  • Acknowledged and accepted admission to the Educator Preparation Program.

Please note:

  • All accepted students must maintain the admission requirements to remain in the TWU Education Preparation Program.
  • Admission requirements are determined by Texas Education Agency policies and are subject to change without notice.
  • Students seeking Bilingual certification must meet minimum proficiency in Spanish.
  • Students seeking Deaf/Hard of Hearing certification must meet minimum proficiency in sign.

All admission decisions are based on the successful completion of the above requirements. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor other than a minor traffic violation may affect certification. Additional information may be obtained by contacting the Texas Education Agency. Any previous or current issues of academic dishonesty, disruptive behavior, or professional dispositions infractions at TWU, another university, or another Educator Preparation Program may result in denial of admission. Any decision may be appealed by contacting the Office of Educator Preparation Services at 940-898-2829.

Contact the Office of Educator Preparation Services (OEPS) at copeadvising@twu.edu or 940-898-2829 with any questions.

Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Requirements

  • Candidates must undergo a criminal history background check prior to employment as an educator. [19 TAC §227.1(b)(1)]
  • Candidates must undergo a criminal history background check prior to clinical teaching. [19 TAC §227.1(b)(2)]
  • The potential ineligibility of an individual who has been convicted of an offense for issuance of a certificate. [19 TAC §227.1(d)(1)]
  • The right to request a preliminary criminal history evaluation from TEA. [19 TAC §227.1(d)(3)]

Degree Requirements

Total Semester Credit Hours (SCH): 125   

Major: 42 SCH  Minor required: 26 SCH

Program Code: ENGLISH.BA.EDUC;   CIP Code: 23.0101.00

English Majors on the Teacher Certification Track must earn a grade of C or higher in all courses in the major (except ENG 3203, in which a B or better is required) and maintain an average GPA of 3.0 in the major. Students who do not meet these standards must earn at least a 3.0 in the subsequent semester of enrollment and return to a 3.0 GPA within one year. If this requirement is not met, the student will be removed from the Teacher Certification track and transitioned to another track in the English Major.

Texas Core Curriculum

ENG 1013Composition I3
ENG 1023Composition II3
Mathematics3
Life & Physical Sciences6
Language, Philosophy, & Culture3
Creative Arts3
HIST 1013History of the United States, 1492-18653
HIST 1023History of the United States, 1865 to the Present3
POLS 2013U.S. National Government3
POLS 2023Texas Government3
Social & Behavioral Sciences3
CAO: Women's Studies3
CAO: First Year Seminar, Wellness or Mathematics3
Total SCHs42

Courses Required for Major 

English Core (for all tracks)
ENG 3113Introduction to English Studies3
ENG 3033Introduction to the Study of World Literature3
ENG 3203Advanced Grammar and Composition (Requires a grade of "B" or better for certification majors.)3
Genre Studies (Select two of the following)6
Drama
Fiction
Poetry
Film and Literature
Genre Studies
Linguistics3
Introduction to Linguistics
Teacher Certification Track Requirements
ENG 3233Advanced Expository Writing 3
ENG 4363Digital Rhetoric3
ENG 4483Methods of Teaching English (Must be taken in Spring Semester of the Junior year)3
Surveys
ENG 3013British Literature to 17603
ENG 3023British Literature from 1760 to Present3
ENG 3283American Literature: Colonial through Romantic3
ENG 3293American Literature: Realism to the Present3
Diverse Perspectives (Select one of the following)3
Mythology
Literature by Women
Multicultural Literature
Total SCHs42

Departmental Requirements

Languages Other Than English (LOTE): at least four courses. Options: 12 SCH in one LOTE, 6 SCH/6 SCH in two LOTEs (including ASL), or 9 SCH in one spoken LOTE/3 SCH in ASL.12
SPCH 1013Oral Communication3
English Exit Portfolio. All students pursuing a B.A. in English will submit an exit portfolio and portfolio self-assessment during their last semester of course work. This is a degree requirement that students must complete in order to graduate.
Total SCHs15

Professional Education Studies

Admission to the Educator Preparation Program is required. Students must apply for admission into the Educator Preparation Program prior to enrolling in EDUC 3003/EDUC 3482EDUC 4113/EDUC 4243, and EDUC 4946. Information is available from the Office of Educator Preparation Services.

Pedagogical and Professional Responsibility
EDUC 2003Schools and Society3
EDUC 3003Learning Theory and Development3
EDUC 3482Teaching Diverse Learners Through Technology Integration2
EDUC 4113Design and Implementation of Instruction and Assessment3
EDUC 4243Classroom Environment and Management3
EDUC 4946Clinical Student Teaching6
Related Studies in Education
READ 3013Literacy and Learning across the Curriculum3
EDSP 3203Learners with Exceptionalities3
Total SCHs26

Notes:

  1. EDUC 2003 may be taken at a community college. Check with the Office of Educator Preparation Services to make sure the course has the equivalent number.
  2. EDUC 4113 and EDUC 4243 must be taken during the same semester.

Recommended Plan of Study

First Year
FallTCCNSCHs
ENG 1013Composition I ENGL 13013
UNIV 1231Learning Frameworks: First-Year Seminar EDUC 1100, EDUC 1200, EDUC 13001
SPCH 1013Oral Communication SPCH 13113
Life/Physical Science Core3
HIST 1013History of the United States, 1492-1865 HIST 13013
Creative Arts Core3
 SCHs 16
SpringTCCN
ENG 1023Composition II ENGL 13023
Multi-Cultural Women's Studies Core3
Life/Physical Science Core3
HIST 1023History of the United States, 1865 to the Present HIST 13023
Language, Philosophy, and Culture Core3
 SCHs 15
Second Year
FallTCCN
ENG 3113Introduction to English Studies 3
Foreign Language I3
Mathematics Core3
ENG 3203Advanced Grammar and Composition 3
POLS 2013U.S. National Government GOVT 23053
Wellnes CAO Core2
 SCHs 17
SpringTCCN
Foreign Language II3
ENG 3363Introduction to Linguistics 3
Genre Course (Select 3 SCH)3
Drama  
Fiction  
Poetry  
Film and Literature  
ENG 3293American Literature: Realism to the Present 3
Social and Behavioral Sciences Core3
EDUC 2003Schools and Society EDUC 13013
 SCHs 18
Third Year
FallTCCN
EDUC 3482Teaching Diverse Learners Through Technology Integration 2
EDUC 3003Learning Theory and Development 3
Foreign Language III3
ENG 3013British Literature to 1760 3
ENG 3153
or 3073
Multicultural Literature
or Literature by Women
3
Genre Course (Select 3 SCH)3
Drama  
Fiction  
Poetry  
Film and Literature  
 SCHs 17
SpringTCCN
Foreign Language IV3
EDUC 4113Design and Implementation of Instruction and Assessment 3
EDUC 4243Classroom Environment and Management 3
ENG 3033Introduction to the Study of World Literature 3
ENG 4483Methods of Teaching English 3
READ 3013Literacy and Learning across the Curriculum 3
 SCHs 18
Fourth Year
FallTCCN
POLS 2023Texas Government GOVT 23063
EDSP 3203Learners with Exceptionalities 3
ENG 3023British Literature from 1760 to Present 3
ENG 3283American Literature: Colonial through Romantic 3
ENG 3233Advanced Expository Writing 3
ENG 4363Digital Rhetoric 3
 SCHs 18
SpringTCCN
EDUC 4946Clinical Student Teaching 6
 SCHs 6
 Total SCHs:  125