Department of Education
Division of Social Sciences

The Secondary Education Certification Program prepares students to be certified to teach middle or high school students through foundational coursework, practical field experiences, and a full-time teaching internship.

Students completing the Secondary Education Certification Program will also complete the Education Studies Minor.

Note that students must complete 2 of the 4 required courses and a field experience through Washington College in order to complete the minor and the certification program.

Washington College was the first college in Maryland to offer an undergraduate pathway to teacher certification in Computer Science and is the only college to offer undergraduates certification in Environmental Science!

• cumulative GPA of 3.0 (and GPA of 3.0 in the teaching field for secondary certification) Students with a GPA below 3.0 may be required to pass a nationally normed basic skills exam; 
• recommendation from a professor in the student’s major field of study (secondary only); 
• approval of the Education Department following a formal interview with the Chair and departmental colleagues. The following are some of the personal and professional attributes that are considered for approval: maturity, oral and written communication skills, professional attitude, flexibility, initiative, collaboration, and overall potential to be successful in a teaching internship. (Please note: An interview for the Elementary Education Program will only be granted to students who meet all entry requirements.) 

1. earn an academic degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (and a GPA of 3.0 in their major for secondary certification); 
2. complete the Washington College Teacher Certification Program; 
3. complete national content examinations with a passing score according to Maryland standards, 
4. complete a national teacher performance assessment with a passing score according to Maryland standards, 
5. complete an exit interview; and 
6. earn a grade of “B-” or better in EDU 405 Secondary Teaching Internship orEDU 413 Elementary Teaching Internship and EDU 414 Elementary Teaching Internship. 

Secondary Education Certification Requirements

Washington College has fifteen Maryland Approved Secondary Certification Programs: Biology, Business Education, Chemistry, Computer Science, English, Environmental Science, Mathematics, Physics, and Social Studies (grades 7-12); and Art, French, German, Music, Spanish and Theatre (PreK-12). The number and specificity of courses required for certification in these subject areas vary, with social studies, computer science, and English having more extensive state requirements.

The following education courses are required for students who wish to become certified as secondary teachers:

¹

As an alternative, students can take two clinical field experience courses.

²

Students in EDU 403 Special Methods in the Teaching Field choose the section that is appropriate for their area of certification: art, biology, business education, chemistry, computer science, English, environmental science, French, German, mathematics, music, physics, social studies, Spanish, or theater.

EDU 401 Principles of Teaching I: Secondary, EDU 403 Special Methods in the Teaching Field, and EDU 405 Secondary Teaching Internship make up the “Education Block” internship taken Fall Semester of the senior year or the Fall Semester after graduation.

EDU 307 Literacy in the Content Area meets Maryland Literacy I and II Secondary Requirements (together with EDU 401 Principles of Teaching I: Secondary & EDU 404 Secondary Teaching Internship).

Students who wish to be certified in English should consider completing EDU 315 Traditional & Modern Grammar and EDU 354 Children's & Young Adult Literature / ENG 342 Children's & Young Adult Literature.

To be certified in computer science, students must complete CSI 440 Computer Networks and CSI 450 Data Ethics and Practicum from the major requirements.

Students who major in environmental science may apply for certification in biology, chemistry, or environmental science, depending on the courses they have taken. Students are encouraged to work with department and major advisors, as they must plan their programs carefully to meet all course requirements.

Students majoring in history, economics, political science, psychology, sociology, international studies, and American studies may be eligible for certification in social studies and do their student teaching in social studies. They must plan their programs carefully to meet all requirements.

Students from majors other than history who pursue social studies certification should take the following core courses (history majors are recommended to take ECN 111 Principles of Macroeconomics, POL 102 American Government and Politics, and EDU 311 Human Geography):