Secondary Education
If you dream of sharpening and developing the minds of future leaders in the classroom, secondary ed may be the best major for you. Our secondary education program offers students a path to teaching at the middle/high school level, typically grades four through 12, to acquire a teaching certificate from the state of Washington.
Outcomes
Community
Why Saint Martin's University?
The Bachelor of Arts degree in secondary education prepares you to become an integral part of our dynamic, inclusive and compassionate community of teaching professionals. We strive to use our knowledge, skills and dispositions to positively transform the lives of the students we serve.
Secondary ed program highlights:
- 97 percent of our graduates find teaching jobs after graduation
- National accreditation and approved by the Washington Professional Educators Standards Board (PESB)
- Faculty members are professional educators with extensive, contemporary, real-world experience and work closely with their students
- Top employers includes public schools in Washington, Hawaii and California
- Course selections offer a wide spectrum of choice and flexibility
- Students participate in internships and network with local teachers and principals
Internships
Before commencement, you participate in a semester-long supervised student teaching internship to help you launch a successful teaching career.
Saint Martin's matches you with a local school to get hands-on experience:
- planning and teaching lessons
- managing the classroom
- preparing for your teacher certification exam
... all under the guidance of a mentor teacher!
Careers
The secondary ed major prepares you for advanced study and/or teaching careers (grades four through 12) in a variety of environments:
- Public or private schools
- Tutoring and learning centers
- Overseas schools for military dependents
- Curriculum coordinator for school districts, museums or libraries
Top employers include public schools in Washington, Hawaii and California.
Study abroad
Study abroad opportunities open doors to teaching internationally.
“I learned about differentiated learning and culturally responsive teaching to help engage students."
Mariah Partin '18
Residence teacher
Branksome Hall Asia
Seogwipo, South Korea
Secondary Education Requirements
Students must apply to the secondary education program before taking any education courses at the 300 level and above. This is a Washington State requirement. Information on the application process can be obtained from the College of Education and Counseling main office in Old Main, room 476.
To ensure proper sequencing of courses, students planning to enter the program must consult an advisor from the College of Education and Counseling prior to taking courses.
Details on courses, including university core requirements, can be found in the academic catalog.
- University core requirements
- 33-35 credit hours of pre-professional courses
- 22 credit hours of certification core requirements
- 13 credit hours of secondary methods requirements
- 12 credit hours for internship requirement
- Diversity in educational systems
- Technology for the classroom
- Educational law and issues of abuse
- Issues and trends in English language learners and bilingual education
- Secondary literacy
- Arts and movement
- Philosophy of reading instruction
Secondary Education at a Glance
- Degree
- Bachelor of Arts
- Program Type
- Major
- Campus
- Main (Lacey)
- Type of Instruction
- In Person
- Resources
- What can I do with this major?
