Bachelor of Arts English with a Major in Secondary English Education (6-12) (BA)
Heather Weddington, Chief Departmental Advisor
Michelle Fowler-Amato, Director of English Teacher Education
This program leads to eligibility for teacher licensure in Virginia. Licensure in English prepares students for a full range of secondary school teaching assignments. The program is accredited by the State of Virginia; in addition, Virginia has licensure reciprocity agreements with thirty other states, should the student leave Virginia.
The program combines the usual requirements of a college major. Students take courses in Old Dominion University’s College of Arts and Letters and Darden College of Education and Professional Studies.
Requirements
Lower-Division General Education
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Written Communication | 6 | |
| Oral Communication | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| Language and Culture | 0-6 | |
| Information Literacy and Research | 3 | |
| Human Behavior | 3 | |
| Human Creativity | 3 | |
| Interpreting the Past | 3 | |
| Literature | 3 | |
| Philosophy and Ethics | 3 | |
| The Nature of Science | 8 | |
| Impact of Technology | 3 | |
Written Communication: Grade of C or better required in both courses and in ENGL 110C before declaring major.
Language and Culture: BA students must have competence through the 202 level; competence is not met by completion of the associate degree.
Impact of Technology: met in the major with ENGL 307T.
Upper-Division General Education
Satisfied through the professional education sequence.
Requirements for Graduation
Requirements for graduation include completion of ENGL 110C, ENGL 211C or ENGL 231C , and the writing intensive (W) course in the major with a grade of C or better, completion of the Senior Assessment; a minimum cumulative 2.75 GPA in the major area and in the professional education core with no grade less than a C in the major/content and with no grade less than a C- in the professional education core; successful completion of the Teacher Candidate Internship; and a minimum of 120 credit hours, which must include both a minimum of 30 credit hours overall and 12 credit hours of upper-level courses in the major program from Old Dominion University.
Licensure requirements also include certificate of completion in First Aid/AED/CPR, Dyslexia Awareness Training, Child Abuse and Neglect Recognition and Intervention Training, and Regulations Governing the Use of Restraint and Seclusion in Elementary and Secondary Schools, and Cultural Competence Training.
Due to changing University requirements, national accreditation standards, and the Virginia Board of Education licensure regulations, the teacher education programs in the College of Arts and Letters are under constant revision. Any changes resulting from these factors supersede the program requirements described in this Catalog. Students are encouraged to obtain current program information from their advisors and from the Office of Clinical Experiences website at www.odu.edu/oce.
Secondary English Education (6-12) Major
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | ||
| Complete lower-division requirements | 38-44 | |
| Complete upper-division requirements (met in the major through professional education coursework) | ||
| Complete foreign language coursework through the 202 level | 0-6 | |
| Secondary English Education (6-12) | ||
| ENGL 307T | Digital Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 327W | Advanced Composition * | 3 |
| ENGL 333 | Introduction to Critical Theory | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Rhetorical Studies | ||
| English Linguistics | ||
| Required Literature Electives | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to British Literature I | ||
| Shakespeare's Histories and Comedies | ||
| Shakespeare's Tragedies and Poetry | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| World Literature I | ||
| World Literature II | ||
| Contemporary World Literature | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Jewish Writers | ||
| New Literatures in English | ||
| Women Writers | ||
| Native American Literature | ||
| African American Literature | ||
| Asian American Literature | ||
| Additional Requirements for the Major: | ||
| ENGL 302 | Introduction to British Literature II | 3 |
| ENGL 345 | American Literature to 1860 | 3 |
| ENGL 346 | American Literature Since 1860 | 3 |
| ENGL 350 | Aspects of the English Language | 3 |
| ENGL 406 | The Teaching of Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 455 | The Teaching of Composition, Grades 6-12 | 3 |
| Professional Education Courses | ||
| TLED 301 | Foundations and Introduction to Assessment of Education | 3 |
| TLED 360 | Classroom Management and Discipline | 2 |
| TLED 408 | Reading and Writing in Content Areas | 3 |
| TLED 430W | PK-12 Instructional Technology | 3 |
| TLED 451 | Developing Instructional Strategies for Teaching in the Middle/High School: English | 3 |
| TLED 483 | Seminar in Teacher Education | 1 |
| TLED 485 | Teacher Candidate Internship | 12 |
| SPED 313 | Fundamentals of Human Growth and Development: Birth through Adolescence | 3 |
| SPED 400 | Foundations of Special Education: Legal Aspects and Characteristics | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 110-122 | |
- *
Grade of C or better required
Additional Requirements and Information
Admission
All students must apply for and be admitted into the approved secondary English education program. Students must meet the required criteria for admission as described below.
Prescribed Virginia Board of Education Assessment for Admission to an Approved Teacher Education Program
Old Dominion University students seeking admission to an approved teacher education program must satisfy the Virginia Board of Education required assessment for admission into an approved teacher education program. The requirement can be satisfied by meeting a passing score in the following:
- Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA): Scaled passing score of 235 for the reading subtest and score of 235 for the writing subtest OR a composite score of 470 for the assessment.
For the most current information on the prescribed Virginia Board of Education admission assessment, visit the Virginia Department of Education at https://www.doe.virginia.gov/.
Required grade point averages (GPA)
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A cumulative GPA of 2.75 is required.
-
A major/content GPA of 2.75 is required – all upper-division English courses must be passed with a grade of C- or higher. Lower-division and English W courses must be passed with a grade of C or higher.
-
A professional education GPA of 2.75 is required – all professional education courses must be passed with a grade of C- or higher.
Although students may enroll in a limited number of education courses, students must be admitted into the approved secondary English education program prior to enrolling in any instructional strategies practicum education course. Students must also meet with an education advisor in the Career and Advising Resource Center in the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies (1107 Education Building).
Continuance
Students must maintain the required GPA and grades once they are accepted into the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies. Students must take and pass the Praxis Subject Assessment, English Language Arts content knowledge (test code #5038) prior to or while enrolled in the instructional strategies course. All assessments must be passed prior to the start of the Teacher Candidate Internship Orientation session. Students are encouraged to obtain information regarding the recommended timeline to complete the required assessments from the Office of Clinical Experiences website at www.odu.edu/oce.
Background Clearance Requirement
Old Dominion University requires a background clearance check of candidates interested in many of the professional education programs. Professional education programs have several field experiences that are required for continuance and graduation from the program. The background clearance must be successfully completed prior to a field experience placement. Candidates will be provided a field experience placement when the background check process is completed with resolution of any issues. The process to complete the ODU clearance background check is located at: http://www.odu.edu/success/academic/teacher-education/placement/background-checks. The ODU clearance process includes: an FBI fingerprint, a child protective service/social service review, and a Virginia State Police sex offender registry review. Candidates interested in the professional education programs are advised to complete this clearance process immediately upon entry into the program since the clearance process takes a minimum of eight weeks to complete.
Virginia Board of Education Prescribed Assessments for Licensure
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Praxis Subject Assessment, English Language Arts content knowledge (test code #5038)--passing score of 167 required.
To review more information on the Virginia Board of Education prescribed assessments, visit the Office of Clinical Experiences website, www.odu.edu/oce.
Advising
To declare an English major or minor, students must see the English chief departmental advisor (CDA). The CDA will assign each major to a faculty advisor. Students in the Secondary Education Endorsement Program will also have an advisor in the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies. All English majors are required to have a conference with their English advisor before each semester (preferably during preregistration). The CDA will hold periodic group meetings with English majors to keep them fully informed.
Research Practicum
Students who wish to combine research and real-world experience can take ENGL 369 Research Practicum.
Degree Program Guide
The Degree Program Guide is a suggested curriculum to complete this degree program in four years. It is just one of several plans that will work and is presented only as broad guidance to students. Each student is strongly encouraged to develop a customized plan in consultation with their academic advisor. Additional information can also be found in Degree Works.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| ENGL 110C | English Composition (Grade of C or better required) | 3 |
| Mathematical Skills | 3 | |
| Human Creativity | 3 | |
| Interpreting the Past | 3 | |
| Elective or Language and Culture I (May be waived; See requirement details) | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Oral Communication | 3 | |
| Literature | 3 | |
| Information Literacy and Research | 3 | |
| Human Behavior | 3 | |
| Elective or Language and Culture II (May be waived; See requirement details) | 1-3 | |
| Credit Hours | 13-15 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 211C or ENGL 231C |
Writing, Rhetoric, and Research (Grade of C or better required) or Writing, Rhetoric, and Research: Special Topics |
3 |
| Nature of Science I | 4 | |
| Language and Culture III | 3 | |
| Philosophy and Ethics | 3 | |
| TLED 301 | Foundations and Introduction to Assessment of Education | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Nature of Science II | 4 | |
| Language and Culture IV | 3 | |
| ENGL 327W | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| ENGL 302 | Introduction to British Literature II | 3 |
| SPED 313 | Fundamentals of Human Growth and Development: Birth through Adolescence | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 301 or ENGL 303 |
Introduction to British Literature I or Shakespeare's Histories and Comedies |
3 |
| ENGL 333 | Introduction to Critical Theory | 3 |
| ENGL 345 | American Literature to 1860 | 3 |
| ENGL 325 or ENGL 370 | 3 | |
| TLED 430W | PK-12 Instructional Technology | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Select one of the following (Grade of C or better in at least one W course required): | 3 | |
| Jewish Writers | ||
| New Literatures in English | ||
| Women Writers | ||
| Native American Literature | ||
| African American Literature | ||
| Asian American Literature | ||
| ENGL 307T | Digital Writing | 3 |
| ENGL 346 | American Literature Since 1860 | 3 |
| ENGL 350 | Aspects of the English Language | 3 |
| ENGL 455 | The Teaching of Composition, Grades 6-12 | 3 |
| TLED 360 | Classroom Management and Discipline | 2 |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| World Literature I | ||
| World Literature II | ||
| Contemporary World Literature | ||
| ENGL 406 | The Teaching of Literature | 3 |
| SPED 400 | Foundations of Special Education: Legal Aspects and Characteristics | 3 |
| TLED 408 | Reading and Writing in Content Areas | 3 |
| TLED 451 | Developing Instructional Strategies for Teaching in the Middle/High School: English | 3 |
| TLED 483 | Seminar in Teacher Education | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| TLED 485 | Teacher Candidate Internship | 12 |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120-122 | |
Linked Bachelor of Arts in English/Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics
The linked BA in English with a major in Applied Linguistics and MA in Applied Linguistics makes it possible for exceptional students to count up to 12 hours of graduate courses toward both an undergraduate and graduate degree. Students must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 for the undergraduate degree and 30 for the graduate degree).
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the program, students must have completed at least 60 undergraduate hours, including at least nine hours in English applied linguistics courses at the 300 level or above. At the time of admission, they must have an overall GPA of 3.00 or better, and a GPA of 3.30 or better in all English applied linguistics courses.
Admission Procedures
Interested students who meet the admission requirements should apply to the graduate program director as soon as possible after completing the required 60 undergraduate hours. In consultation with the graduate program director, students will:
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Officially declare themselves an undergraduate Applied Linguistics major to the English Department's undergraduate chief departmental advisor.
-
Draft a schedule of graduate courses to be taken as an undergraduate, which will be placed in the student's undergraduate and graduate advising files.
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Apply to the Office of Graduate Admissions for admission to the MA in Applied Linguistics program during their senior year.
Students will be admitted to the linked program for the semester after they make their application. Once students have been awarded their BA degrees and have fulfilled all regular admission requirements for the MA in applied linguistics, they will be officially admitted into the MA program.
Program Requirements
Students in the program will fulfill all normal admission and curricular requirements for both a BA in English with an Applied Linguistics major and an MA in Applied Linguistics, with the following exceptions:
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Students in the program may count up to 12 hours of graduate courses taken as an undergraduate for which they have earned a grade of B (3.0) or better toward both the BA in English and MA in Applied Linguistics degrees.
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Students in the program may substitute English linguistics graduate courses for undergraduate courses according to the following schema. All students must complete an undergraduate writing intensive course in the major.
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Any 500-level linguistics course that is cross listed with a 400-level course may be substituted for the 400-level course.
-
Students may substitute 600-level courses for undergraduate courses according to the following list:
Course List Code Title Credit Hours ENGL 672 Language Structure Analysis 3 for ENGL 350 Aspects of the English Language 3 ENGL 677 Language and Communication Across Cultures 3 for ENGL 371W Language and Culture 3 ENGL 695 Topics 1-3 for ENGL 495 Topics in English 1-3
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c. Students in the program may make a written petition for other substitutions to the graduate program director (GPD) for electives in fields such as Asian studies, education, or professional writing. The GPD will consider substitutions in consultation with the chief departmental advisor and the instructor(s) of the courses involved. Students should consult the Graduate Catalog for requirements for the MA in Applied Linguistics.
BA or BS to MBA (Master of Business Administration) Linked Program
The linked BA/MBA or BS/MBA program is an early entry to the MBA program of study. The early-entry program is designed for well qualified non-business undergraduate ODU students to start their MBA program prior to completing their undergraduate degree. Well qualified non-business undergraduate students may take MBA-level courses as early as three semesters prior to graduation and count up to 12 graduate credits toward their undergraduate degree. Students participating in the early-entry program must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree and 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree). Early-entry program students should carefully consider their undergraduate degree program requirements when planning their course of study. Students in the early-entry program work in close consultation with the MBA Program Office and should refer to information in the Strome College of Business section in the graduate catalog to develop an individualized plan of study based on the required coursework.
BA or BS to MPA (Master of Public Administration) Linked Program
The linked BA/MPA or BS/MPA program provides qualified Old Dominion University undergraduate students with the opportunity to earn a master's degree in public administration while taking credits in the MPA program as an undergraduate student. The program is designed for highly motivated students with the desire to immediately continue their education after the bachelor's degree. The program is especially relevant to individuals seeking to work (or currently working) in the public or non-profit sectors, but is suitable for students from any undergraduate major. Graduate courses may be taken during the fall and spring semester of the student's senior undergraduate year. Up to 12 graduate credits can count toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree and can meet upper-level General Education requirements. After receiving the undergraduate degree, a student will continue with the MPA program, taking MPA courses until completing the required 39 credit hours. Students in the linked program must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree and 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree).
Requirements for admission to the graduate program can be found in the School of Public Service section of the Graduate Catalog. For additional information, please contact the School of Public Service in the Strome College of Business.