A. General. or B. Pre-Law. Designed to meet special writing needs of the pre-law student. or C. English Certification. Designed to meet the special writing needs of students seeking certification to teach in the secondary schools.
Fulfillment of B.A. foreign language requirement (0-12) See “Foreign Language Requirement for the B.A. Degree” in the Other Graduation Requirements section of this catalog.
Total Hours for a Major in English, Track 1: 39-51
Track 2. English Studies with Teacher Certification
These are minimum requirements. Meeting these requirements will not guarantee students admission to the program or to particular courses.
Students majoring in English who seek certification to teach at the secondary level should consult with the coordinator of teacher certification in English at the earliest possible date. Undergraduate majors apply for admission to teacher certification in English at the end of the sophomore year, except in the case of transfer students, who normally apply at the end of their first semester at NIU. Graduate students should see the appropriate section of the entry in the Graduate Catalog for the Department of English. Students who already possess the baccalaureate or higher degree and wish to pursue certification without becoming a candidate for a degree should consult the coordinator of teacher certification in English as early as possible.
Admission Requirements
Application in writing to the coordinator.
Passing score on the Basic Skills Test.
Completion of at least 9 semester hours of English beyond ENGL 105 at NIU, including ENGL 200 and ENGL 207, with a GPA of at least 3.00. Students may be exempted from ENGL 207 by passing an exemption examination.
Completion of at least 15 hours of work at NIU with a GPA of at least 2.75.
Completion of the core competency requirements in English, communication studies, and mathematical sciences with a grade of C or better in each course used to satisfy these requirements.
Satisfactory interview with the coordinator.
Retention
Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.75 in all work at NIU with a minimum GPA of 3.00 in all English courses beyond ENGL 105 at NIU. They must obtain a grade of B or better in ENGL 300C, ENGL 404, and ENGL 480 and have a satisfactory review of progress with the coordinator each semester.
Requirements in Department (39)
ENGL 300C, ENGL 404, ENGL 479, ENGL 480, and ENGL 485 must be taken in sequence. ENGL 480 must be taken in the semester immediately prior to enrollment in ENGL 485. Students are admitted to ENGL 485 only upon application, review of their academic record and of their professional fitness, and satisfactory completion of all other work required for graduation, including all other work in the major.
Fulfillment of B.A. foreign language requirement (0-12). See “Foreign Language Requirement for the B.A. Degree” in the Other Graduation Requirements section of this catalog.
Students seeking certification should consult the coordinator as early as possible.
Additional Requirements
The state of Illinois requires 100 clock hours of substantial, varied, and sequential clinical experiences prior to student teaching. This requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing the following courses.
A course in human growth and development (3)
A course in the psychology of exceptional children (3)
Students are also required to have course work in reading instruction at the secondary level and in history and/or philosophy of education. Students should consult with the certification adviser in English to determine which courses are approved for satisfying the additional requirements. Students must also pass the state of Illinois certification examination in English.
Total Hours for a Major in English, Track 2: 48-60
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