Education - Secondary Education, A.A.

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This curriculum suggests courses likely to apply to a major in Secondary Education meeting the guidelines of the Illinois Articulation Initiative General Education Core. Students should consult their advisor and an advisor at the university early and often. This will ensure you are taking appropriate courses for the major and licensure requirements. Licensure requirements may change and these professionals will have the most up-to-date information to ensure you complete appropriate courses.

State Licensure Requirements

To teach in Illinois public schools, teachers must be licensed by the State of Illinois. See the Illinois State Board of Education’s website for details on current licensure options. To transfer into a baccalaureate program in education as a junior, students must have 60-64 semester credits. Admission to teacher preparation programs is competitive; completion of recommended courses does not guarantee acceptance. A minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale is usually required for program admission.

Suggested Curriculum

I. General Education Core (37-40)

Area A: Communication (9 credits)

ENG 101 Composition I 3 hrs transfer credit - with a grade of C or better
ENG 102 Composition II 3 hrs transfer credit - with a grade of C or better
COMM 101 Principles of Communication 3 hrs transfer credit

Area B: Humanities and Fine Arts (9 credits) **

Select three courses from the list for Area B with at least one course selected from humanities and one course from fine arts, including one English course numbered 200 or above. ART 131 , ENG 243 , HUMAN 101 , or PHILO 205 recommended to meet the non-Western Cultures requirement at some senior institutions.

Area C: Mathematics (3-5 credits)

Select one math course from the list for Area C . Select the course that satisfies the math requirement in your teaching major.

Area D: Physical and Life Sciences (7-8 credits)

Select one life science course and one physical science course from the list for Area D . One course must have a lab component. It is recommended that both courses have a lab for the Illinois teaching certificate.

Area E: Social and Behavioral Sciences (9 credits) **

HIST 201 U.S. History: 1492 to 1877 3 hrs transfer credit or
HIST 202 U.S. History: 1877 to Present 3 hrs transfer credit
POLSC 140 Introduction to U.S. Government and Politics 3 hrs transfer credit
PSYCH 101 Introduction to Psychology 3 hrs transfer credit

II. Area of Concentration/Major Field (18)

Select four courses from the bachelor’s degree major or subject you wish to teach.

ED 100 Foundations of American Public Education 3 hrs credit
ED 212 Exceptional Child 3 hrs transfer credit

III. Electives (6-7)

PSYCH 102 Human Growth and Development: Life Span 3 hrs transfer credit
PSYCH 212 Theories of Personality 3 hrs transfer credit

Required A.A. Degree Program Total: 62 credits

**Note: Select at least one course designated by IAI as non-Western (N) or Diversity (D) from either Social and Behavioral Sciences or Humanities and Fine Arts. Any of these courses will fulfill this requirement: ANTHR 215 , ANTHR 222 ; ART 131 ; ENG 215 , ENG 243 ; GEOG 101 ; HIST 111 , HIST 112 , HIST 115 , HIST 116 , HIST 140 ; HUMAN 101 ; PHILO 205 ; SOCIO 215 , SOCIO 220

Each college and university has its own major requirements and transfer policies. Consult the schools you are considering and a PSC advisor to discuss courses and their transferability.