Degree Requirements
I. This program is designed for the student who intends to teach in grades 6-12 in public and private schools in the State of Illinois.
This nationally accredited program is approved by the Illinois State Teacher Certification Board in conjunction with the Illinois State Board of Education and leads to the Standard High School (6-12) Certificate. At Lewis University, secondary education candidates earn two majors. The candidate’s first major is in the academic content area (Biology, Chemistry, English/Language Arts, History, Mathematics, Psychology, Physics). The second major is in Secondary Education. The earning of two majors enables graduates to be recognized as experts, both in teaching techniques and in a specific subject area. Candidates work with advisors in both the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education as they progress through their coursework. Candidates can have a maximum of two “C’s” in their content area classes.
Note: See the section in the catalog which describes the advanced writing component for the specific major.
II. Professional Education: For Secondary (6-12) Certification (36)
| 54-357 | Exceptional Learners in Inclusive Communities | 3 |
| 53-322 | Characteristics and the Development of the Adolescent Learner | 3 |
| 53-200 | Secondary Field Experience I (50 field experience hrs.) | 1 |
| 53-300 | Secondary Field Experience II (50 field experience hrs.) | 1 |
| 53-304 | Technology for Teaching and Learning | 3 |
| 53-312 | Instructional Strategies and Learning Communities for Adolescents | 3 |
| 55-321 | Curriculum and Instruction in the Middle School | 3 |
| 53-331 | Methods of Teaching Reading in the Content Areas, Grades 4-12 | 3 |
| 53-360 | History and Philosophy of Education | 3 |
| 53-394 | Pedagogy and Assessment for Effective 6-12 Instruction | 3 |
| 53-481 | Secondary Student Teaching | 9 |
Secondary Education Minors/Majors will register in the appropriate three (3) credit hour Special Methods course for their minor/major. See Education Advisor for more information.
III. Recommended Electives for Secondary Certification
| 53-315 | Communications for Teachers | 3 |
| 51-310 | Teaching English Language Learners in P-12 Schools | 3 |
53-315: Communication for Teachers, is required for English/Language Arts majors, but recommended for all other majors.
“Candidate” refers to individuals admitted to Lewis University’s College of Education. “Student” refers to children and adolescents in P-12 schools.
Also recommended: workshops in problem-based learning, reading in the content area, teaching multicultural populations, gifted students, and at risk students.
IV. All candidates must successfully pass the Illinois Basic Skills Test or Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP) before they will be allowed to take education courses.
A 2.75 GPA is required for all education courses. Field experience courses include Secondary Field Experience I(53-200) (50 hours) and Secondary Field Experience II (53-300) (50 hours). Candidates complete 100 clock hours of field experience as part of the coursework in the secondary program. Assignment to the field experience site is arranged by the College of Education. Experiences are designed to provide the teacher candidate with diverse experiences. Teacher candidates must complete at least one field experience in a culturally diverse setting. Most secondary teacher candidates are expected to have one field experience in a 6-9 classroom and one in a 9-12 classroom. Candidates are responsible for providing their own transportation to the sites. Field experience hours completed at other institutions will be evaluated by the Department Chair to determine whether or not the hours can be transferred. A maximum of 30 hours will be accepted as transfer field experience hours.
To obtain a Middle School Endorsement, candidates must take 53-322 Characteristics and the Development of the Adolescent Learner and 55-321 Curriculum and Instruction in the Middle School.
A complete listing of General Education requirements is located in the General Education Information Section.
V. Student Teaching
Application for admission to student teaching must be filed by September 30 of the year prior to the planned student teacher experience. Procedures and requirements for admission to student teaching are published in the Guide for Initial Teacher Certification Program Candidates. This publication is available on Blackboard. All candidates are responsible for the information in this Guide. Evidence of successful completion of the appropriate State of Illinois content area test(s) must be received in the College of Education at least 30 days prior to the beginning of the student teaching semester in order to be allowed to student teach. Candidates are responsible for providing their own transportation while student teaching. Only one additional course may be taken concurrently with student teaching. Official documentation of a negative TB test must be filed prior to student teaching. The Assessment of Professional Teaching Test must be successfully completed before entitlement for certification will be sent to the state.