Secondary Education – Teacher Licensure Major Options

The Secondary Education Licensure Program prepares candidates to teach content-area courses in grades 7-12. Through the sequence of courses and field experiences, the candidate satisfies all of Colorado’s standards for licensure in Secondary Education. Degree seeking Secondary Education Licensure candidates choose from one of the following majors to complete a licensure program in Secondary Education.

Majors with Secondary Education Licensure

• English
• Mathematics
• Science (Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, or Physics)
• Social Studies (Africana Studies, Chicana/o Studies, Economics, History, or Political Science)

The requirements of each major are designed to ensure licensure programs meet Colorado standards for teacher licensure, prepare candidates to pass required licensure content examinations and teach the current required content for teachers in Colorado within their discipline.

*All secondary licensure candidates must consult two advisors, one in the Secondary Education/K-12 Department in the School of Education and one in their major department (licensure content area).

Candidates seeking teacher licensure must gain admission to the Secondary Education Teacher Licensure Program. You can learn about the application process by visiting the link below. Each Major program might have a different minimum grade requirement. However, all courses required for Secondary Education Teacher Licensure Program must be passed with a grade of C- or better.

Undergraduate degree-seeking students interested in becoming a secondary English teacher will major in English with a concentration in Secondary English Teacher Licensure.

This program prepares future secondary teachers of English to understand and teach the diverse subject matter required for licensure. This program equips students with a wide variety of language principles and skills, practical experience in developing and teaching the processes of writing, sound knowledge of approaches to literature and literary genres, periods and authors (including a special focus on young adult literature) and an understanding of communication and media as used in English studies.

In addition to meeting specified state and departmental requirements, this program offers students the opportunity to develop further specialization in writing, language or literature to complement the major. The major provides student with a background in the current standard for English teachers in Colorado and prepares them to pass the required content exam for licensure.

We encourage you to connect with our advisors to discuss this program further!

Undergraduate degree-seeking students interested in becoming a secondary Mathematics teacher will major in Mathematics with a concentration in Secondary Mathematics Education with Teacher Licensure.

The goals of this program are to provide degree-seeking candidates with: (1) broad-based and coherent preparation in the various disciplines that constitute the mathematical sciences and; (2) the pedagogical knowledge of mathematics needed to begin a career as a middle or high school mathematics teacher. Candidates are required to meet with one or more of the faculty advisors in the area of mathematics education as well as a teacher licensure advisor as they plan their academic program.

We encourage you to connect with our advisors to discuss this program further!

Undergraduate degree-seeking students interested in becoming a secondary science teacher will choose from one of the following majors:

• Biology Major, B.A. with Secondary Science Teacher Licensure Concentration
• Chemistry Major, B.A. with Secondary Science Teacher Licensure Concentration
• Environmental Science Major, B.S., with Secondary Science Teacher Licensure Concentration
• Physics Major, B.A. with Secondary Science Teacher Licensure Concentration

Each of these program options includes coursework across the science disciplines that aligns with the standards for teachers of secondary science in Colorado, and that prepares student to pass the required licensure exam for secondary science teachers.

We encourage you to connect with our advisors to discuss this program further!

Undergraduate degree-seeking students interested in becoming a secondary social studies teacher will choose from one of the following majors:

• Africana Studies Major, B.A. with Secondary Social Studies Teacher Licensure Concentration
• Chicano Studies Major, B.A. with Secondary Social Studies Teacher Licensure Concentration
• Economics Major, B.A. with Secondary Social Studies Teacher Licensure Concentration
• History Major, B.A. with Secondary Social Studies Teacher Licensure Concentration
• Political Science Major, B.A. with Secondary Social Studies Teacher Licensure Concentration

Each of these program options includes coursework across the social studies disciplines that aligns with the standards for teachers of secondary social studies in Colorado, and that prepares student to pass the required licensure exam for secondary social studies teachers.

We encourage you to connect with our advisors to discuss this program further!