Offered in: Chicago

The Secondary Teacher Education minor is designed for undergraduates who wish to become high school teachers in history, chemistry, biology, English, and mathematics.  Students who successfully complete the minor are eligible for a State of Illinois teaching license, grades 9 through 12, with an endorsement in their chosen subject area (biology, chemistry, English, history, or math). The middle school endorsement and other endorsements can also be earned, in consultation with a professional advisor in the Department of Education.

Admission

Students are formally admitted to the teacher licensure program when they earn a passing score on the required ILTS content exam, provided that they have a minimum 2.7 GPA overall in undergraduate courses and have demonstrated professional dispositions in the 18 semester hours of education courses required prior to the last year of study. Formal admission is required to enroll in courses offered in the program's last year.

Undergraduates who do not earn a passing score on the required ILTS content exam by the deadline of September 1 will not be eligible to enroll in the courses required during the program's last year. In this situation, students will be advised to complete all of the requirements for their major before attempting again to pass the ILTS content exam. Should a passing score be earned at a later date, students will be able to complete the last year of the program through the fifth year of undergraduate study or as a graduate student in Secondary Education.

Advising

Because specific courses in the academic major are required for licensure, students must consult with both their education and academic major advisors to ensure that their academic study plans are correct and in fulfillment of all licensure requirements. All declared, or prospective minors should contact an education advisor in their first year of study at Roosevelt University. 

Undergraduates must frequently consult with their education and academic major advisors because requirements for teacher licensure are subject to change. The advising plan developed by the education advisor provides the most up-­to-­date and authoritative information for all program and licensure requirements.

Prerequisites

The minor does not have any prerequisites. However, the course below is recommended as an introduction to the Secondary Teacher Education minor.

Requirements

Students may begin minor Secondary Education courses so long as they have a minimum 2.7 GPA in all undergraduate courses.

Students must maintain an overall GPA of at least 2.7 while enrolled in the education program. Should a student fall below a 2.7 GPA, the program's faculty will review the student's eligibility to continue moving forward in the licensure program.

One semester prior to student teaching, students must submit proof of passing the appropriate Secondary Education content exam that meets the state's criterion and have a minimum 2.7 GPA in all undergraduate courses. All courses must be passed with grades of C- or higher. Please contact the Department of Education for more information regarding the Secondary Education content exam criteria.

Student Teaching must be passed with a minimum C or higher.

Field experience & student teaching

Field experiences in Secondary Education involve urban and suburban placements and must include culturally diverse learners. Experiences occur in Secondary Education settings and involve teacher candidates in individual, small group, and whole-class instruction, observation, and participation in community-based activities. A minimum of 80-100 hours of field experiences is required before student teaching.

Placement in student teaching is planned with consideration for each student's needs and interests. A Department of Education faculty member and a resident, experienced teacher supervise each student. A formal application is required approximately two semesters in advance of student teaching. To earn admission to student teaching, a student must have passed the appropriate Secondary Education content exam. In addition, all students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.7 in their undergraduate general education courses and major content courses.  All general education, academic content, and professional education course requirements must be completed with grades of C- or higher. The edTPA test should be taken during student teaching. This test is required for licensure.

In addition to the requirements outlined in this academic catalog, students in the Secondary Education program are obligated to become familiar with and comply with, all requirements outlined in the Initial Licensure Field Experience & Student Teaching Handbook in order to receive a passing grade for field experience and student teaching courses proceeding to licensure. Students enrolled in field experience and student teaching courses will receive the handbook from the Director of Field Placement.

CONTENT REQUIREMENTS

Students who want to earn a license to teach Secondary Education must choose one of the following content areas for the endorsement; Biology, Chemistry, English, History, or  Math. Each content area has a specific set of courses students must enroll in to meet the state standards to earn licensure. Please consult with the Department of Education advisor for further information. 

To determine the order in which the content courses below should be taken and to ensure pre-requisite requirements are met, students must also consult with their major advisor.

Licensure requirements

In order to qualify for Roosevelt University’s recommendation for the Illinois teaching license and Secondary Education endorsement, students must meet all academic major and general education requirements that are in effect at the time of their application. Students must have also completed 32 semester hours of specific course content in their academic major.

Students must consult with their education advisor to determine which academic major and general education courses are acceptable toward fulfillment of licensure requirements. Because requirements for licensure, graduation, and continuing enrollment are subject to change, undergraduates must consult frequently with their education advisors. The advising plan developed at program admission provides the most up-to-date and authoritative information with respect to all program and licensure requirements.

Before issuing a license, the Illinois State Board of Education also requires satisfactory scores on the Educator Teacher Performance Assessment Portfolio (edTPA).

CORE Requirements (General Education)

Your degree map is a general guide suggesting courses to complete each term on the academic pathway to your degree. It is based on the most current scheduling information from your academic program. Your program’s degree map is reviewed annually and updated as schedules change (although you retain the same course requirements as long as you are continuously enrolled in your degree program).

Always work closely with your academic advisor to understand curriculum requirements and scheduling, as each student’s academic plan can look slightly different.