English Education
and Teaching Certification
As part of its mission, the English Department at UM-St. Louis works together with the College of Education to prepare new teachers of English who are well grounded in literature, writing, and language as well as in pedagogy. New teachers can prepare for certification through several routes: undergraduate students may choose the BA in English plus coursework in Education, or the BS in secondary Education with coursework in English; both programs have the identical course requirements in Education and in English, but the BA has the added requirement of a foreign language. A third route, now followed by over half our English Education students, is post-baccalaureate degree certification.
Secondary English teachers are also a primary audience for graduate courses in the English Department. Many teachers enroll in the MA (both the composition and the literature emphasis). Through the Gateway Writing Project teachers may also work toward a Graduate Certificate in the Teaching of Writing.
Students seeking advising for English education should begin with the Teacher Certification and Advising office (155 Marillac, 314-516-5937).
Students should also meet with an English adviser. Advisers are assigned through the English department (4th Floor, Lucas Hall, 314-516-5541).