Bachelor of Arts: Secondary Education
Are you interested in teaching high school students, preparing them to enter the workforce or college? Concordia’s Secondary Education program prepares you to be an educator in a specific subject area, teaching grades 6-12.
Program Overview
First established in 1864 as Addison Teachers Seminary, Concordia University Chicago continues its proud legacy of educating teachers for private and public schools. A testament to the quality of our programs is that 13 CUC alumni have been recognized by the Golden Apple Foundation for outstanding teaching. All of our education programs exceed the requirements of the Illinois State Certification Board and meet rigorous national accreditation standards.
Hands-on experience in the classroom with students is a cornerstone of our program. You are required to earn at least 100 hours of field experience observing, assisting and teaching in grades 6-12. Our 16-week student teaching semester is four weeks longer than most programs, providing our graduates with additional experience and confidence.
Most secondary teachers specialize in a specific subject area that may include art, biology, chemistry, earth science/geography, economics, English, history, mathematics, physical education, psychology, physics, sociology, or Spanish (or another specific language), to name a few.
General Course Information
Coursework includes the foundations of education, literacy, language development, psychology and methods for teaching the exceptional learner. You will take methods classes that teach you how to teach your subject area to high school students. Additionally, you will learn how to develop and organize curriculum. Your coursework will teach you how to work with diverse populations, and how to think critically to solve problems that may arise in the classroom.
For details about required courses and course descriptions, please visit our online catalog pages.
Opportunities
Concordia’s location provides numerous opportunities for students to observe and teach in both public and private schools, and in special education and multicultural settings throughout Chicago and its suburbs.
We offer extensive graduate-level programs in education, with options for advanced degrees and additional certificates—supporting your professional development needs throughout your teaching career.