Adolescence to Young Adult Education (B.S.)
Adolescence to young adult education licensure prepares you to teach grades seven through 12 by pursuing in-depth studies in your area of concentration. The department offers courses leading to provisional licensure in foreign language, integrated language arts, integrated mathematics, integrated social studies and sciences and integrated science.
As an adolescence to young adult education major, you must be committed to assisting seventh through 12th grade students learn and grow. You will examine — and seek your own answers to — the pertinent questions of education: why there must be structure in learning; why there must be freedom in learning; why learning requires motivation; and why learning requires others.
In addition to developing a comprehensive knowledge of your specialized teaching field, you will develop a personal and professional commitment to the teaching profession. Throughout all four years, you will participate in teaching experiences in area schools, completing extensive hours of field-based experience before student teaching. During these experiences, you will be supported by department faculty and cooperating teacher educators on local schools staffs.
In your senior year, you will take a block of courses designed to integrate the personal, technical and critical dimensions of teaching, as well as provide a model of team teaching and instructional experiences in area middle and high school classrooms. Small class sizes permit individual attention and high-quality faculty-student interaction.
In order to be approved for student teaching and recommended for licensure, you must maintain a 2.5 grade point average overall, both in professional education courses and in your teaching field.
Licensure
The School of Education and Allied Professions is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. Generally, Ohio licensure granted in the School of Education and Allied Professions extends to most states. By the end of your first year, you must pass the Praxis I, which assesses reading, writing and mathematics skills. Licensure is contingent on successfully passing a state-mandated exit examination, Praxis II, that tests your knowledge in the principles of learning and teaching, and the content area of specialization. Passing scores for the Praxis II are established by the state of Ohio.
If you are a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, you may earn teacher licensure by following your degree program and taking designated professional education courses, including student teaching, through the E 11 program. Through this program, you will graduate with a bachelor's degree in your major and qualify for teacher licensure for grades seven through 12. Students in art, foreign language and music qualify for prekindergarten through grade 12 licensure.
Career Opportunities
When it comes time for you to graduate, Career Services will assist you in securing a teaching position. In some cases, interviews with prospective employers are conducted on campus. Immediate possibilities for a career in teaching vary, depending on geographical area and particular teaching field. Presently, graduates from foreign language, mathematics and science are in high demand.
Because our program has a reputation for excellence and high performance standards, a high percentage of our graduates find teaching positions. Several student teachers have received state awards of merit for outstanding performance during student teaching. Many graduates achieve administrative positions, and some serve in educational capacities in business, government and industry.