College of Education and the Liberal Arts

The Secondary Education program is highlighted by in-depth study in a subject major with or without a minor, extended field experience in secondary school settings, and focused development of the knowledge and skills critical for effective teachers. The program leads to a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science degree in the student’s major area.

Secondary-level teacher certification in Michigan permits individuals to teach the subject areas, in which they hold endorsements, at grades 6-12. The subject majors and minors provide the required coursework for the related endorsements. Completing the coursework and passing the corresponding Michigan Test for Teacher Certification subject test enable graduates to earn a Michigan’s Teacher Certificate which can be transferred to other states and to Canadian provinces.

Secondary Education programs begin with students taking courses in their academic major (social studies, math, English, or science) and beginning education courses. Upper level education coursework, along with the completion of the major, is the focus for the junior and senior years. Student teaching, a semester-long culminating experience, may be completed in the spring of the fourth year or the fall of the fifth year, depending on the individual student’s progress through the program. Generally, this student teaching experience will be in the Eastern Upper Peninsula or in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The Michigan Test for Teacher Certification subject test in the major must be passed prior to beginning student teaching.

Why Students Choose LSSU – Field Experience

Clinical field experience is a hallmark of all programs in the School of Education. Students complete field experience hours as part of their professional education coursework, being placed at appropriate levels in area secondary schools. Specific assignments and tasks are designed for these placements, which serve to integrate the classwork on campus and the experience in the field. This intentional design serves to strengthen students ability to learn from these experiences and to reflect on their professional development as an educator. Secondary student teachers are placed for both their majors and their minors if applicable, providing them with a broad range of experience and preparation for their first teaching jobs.

The School of Education is also committed to preparing teachers for small, rural schools, which have unique cultures and expectations. Many LSSU students are from smaller communities in the United States and Canada, and aspire to return to those communities (or similar ones) for their careers. Through partnerships with schools in the Eastern Upper Peninsula and in Ontario, School of Education students work closely with cooperating teachers in their clinical field experiences and in the culminating practicums and student teaching experiences. This further supports the preparation of effective teachers for the small school environment.

Degrees

Subject major and minor options are listed below.

Majors

Minors

$59,330

Median Salary

Career Choices

High School Teacher
Middle School Teacher
Curriculum Developer
Education Program Coordinator

“You can teach a student a lesson for a day, but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives,” by Clay P. Bedford, is a quote that I first read on a professor’s door at LSSU. LSSU teaches you how to teach by guiding the children in your class to a positive future. LSSU gives you the foundation that makes a person into a teacher who will make a difference in the lives of children.”

Krista VitSchool of Education graduate