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College of Applied Human Sciences: School of Education

Secondary Education, MA

The Department of Curriculum and Instruction/Literacy Studies offers opportunities for graduate study leading to teacher certification and a Master of Arts degree in content areas that include science, social studies and English. This program is designed to prepare individuals to become educators in grades 5-12 public school classroom.

Students in this program will work with faculty who contribute as educational scholars to the profession at university, state and national levels. Additionally, the program offers opportunities to develop technology rich, culturally responsive and active learning environments associated with greater student achievement.

This program has met accreditation standards.

Your Degree Plan Learn by Doing Careers and Outcomes Meet Your Community Admission Requirements Take the Next Steps

Your Degree Plan

Intro

Aerial view of Martin and Woodburn Halls

This program offers opportunities to earn teacher certification as well as a Master of Arts degree in content areas that include science, social studies and English. The program is designed to prepare individuals to become educators in grades 5-12 in public school classrooms.

Tailor this major to your interests by focusing your coursework in one of these areas:

  • English Education

  • Biology Education

  • General Science

  • Math Education

  • Physics Education

  • Social Studies Education

  • Chemistry Education

  • English (5-Adult)

  • General Science (5-Adult)

  • Social Studies (5-Adult)

  • Physics (9-Adult)

  • Chemistry (9-Adult)

  • Biology (9-Adult)

  • Mathematics (5-Adult)

Take advantage of special options related to this major:

  • Honors

    Expand your curiosity — and enhance your curriculum — through the WVU Honors College. Two programs are offered: Honors Foundations for first- and second-year students and Honors EXCEL for third- and fourth-year students.

    Explore Honors

Learn by Doing

Learning happens outside the classroom. Get involved.

125-hour Field Experience
As required by the West Virginia Department of Education policy, field experiences are completed in local pK-12 schools at the level and subject for which certification is being sought. Multiple experiences provide a diversity of experiences in different schools. These experiences are under the guidance of experienced teachers and provide an outlet for practical applications of the theory and practice that are taught in the program. We partner with several local county school districts including Harrison, Marion, Monongalia and Preston county schools, as well as others.

Full-time Clinical Experience
In the final semester of the program, teacher candidates are placed in a classroom for a full-time student teaching experience. Typically under the supervision of a mentor teacher, candidates assume the role of classroom teacher and complete a widely recognized performance assessment.

Outside of the Evansdale Crossing building.

What you learn outside of the classroom is just as important as what you learn during class. We’ll help you follow your curiosity.

Careers and Outcomes

How does this degree prepare students for a career?

Secondary School Teachers

Teach students in one or more subjects, such as English, mathematics or social studies, at the secondary level in public or private schools. May be designated according to subject matter specialty.

Median Salary: $58,030

Possible job titles include: English Teacher, Math Teacher (Mathematics Teacher), Social Studies Teacher, Teacher.

Explore Career

Secondary English Teacher

Secondary Mathematics Teacher

Secondary Science Teacher

Secondary Social Studies Teacher

Meet Your Community

The Secondary Education family will inspire and support you.

  • Portrait of Matthew Campbell in Allen Hall.

    Matthew Campbell

    Professional highlights:

    • President, West Virginia Council of Teachers of Mathematics (WVCTM), 2022-2024
    • Editorial Panel Chair, Mathematics Teacher Educator, 2021-2022
    • Outstanding Teaching Award, WVU College of Education and Human Services, 2019

  • Jeffrey Carver

    Professional highlights:

    • 20 years' experience in the educational field
    • Directs STEM Education Initiatives at the College of Applied Human Services
    • Research interests focus on the improvement of teaching and learning in the STEM disciplines at all levels (p-20)

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admission into a graduate program at WVU an applicant must submit official, bachelor's degree transcripts from a regionally accredited institution and hold a GPA of at least 2.75. WVU operates decentralized admissions. Decentralized admissions allows each graduate program to set its own application requirements in addition to the University requirements.

  • Admission Requirements

    Prospective graduate students at WVU are urged to initiate application for admission as early as possible.

    Applicants must:

    • Submit a WVU application for graduate admission.
    • Hold a bachelor's degree with a 2.75 GPA or above
    • Submit a one-page goal statement. This statement should contain professional experiences, career ambitions and will be considered as a writing sample.

    Test Requirements

    Passing scores on the Praxis CORE Academic Skills for Educators tests in reading, writing and math. (Reading, 156; Writing, 162; and Math, 150). The combined test code is #5752.

    Waivers may be requested for one of the reasons below:

    ACT

    • Composite score of 25 on the ACT (prior to 1989)
    • Combined score in English and Reading of 34 with a minimum score of 17 for each area and a minimum Math score of 21 (effective November 1989)

    Scores can be taken from multiple sittings of test administrations and from superscores.

    SAT

    • 1035 on the SAT (prior to 1995)
    • 1125 on the re-centered SAT (effective April 1995)
    • 1170 on the revised SAT using the combined Critical Reading and Math score (effective March 2005)
    • New SAT score of 480 using the combined Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (this is the Verbal score) and a score of 530 in Math (effective May 2016)

    Scores can be taken from multiple sittings of test administrations and from superscores.

    GRE

    • Attained from a single administration a combined score of 800 verbal and quantitative (prior to November 2011)
    • Minimum 286 on the GRE (after November 2011)

    Deadline for all program requirements: August 1

  • Application Deadlines

    Each graduate program sets their own terms for admission and application deadlines. Applicants can only apply for admission for the terms displayed below. Any questions regarding the application deadline should be directed to the graduate program representative.

    • Fall: August 1

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