College of Education, Department of Curriculum & Instruction Secondary English Education (M.A.) Master’s with Initial Certification Program in English

You'll earn both a master’s degree and secondary teaching certification within one calendar year. You'll be prepared to:

• Apply for certification to teach English in grades 8-12 in Kentucky, along with journalism, speech, theater, and humanities. (It is recommended you check teacher certification requirements in other states where you are interested in teaching) 
• Teach critical skills in reading, writing, speaking & listening, digital and non-print media, and literary studies 
• Build classroom environments and meaningful experiences to engage and motivate adolescents to become critical thinkers, strong readers, and skilled communicators 

Students in this degree program begin teaching from Day 1. This clinically-based learning environment helps students quickly acclimate to the day-to-day life of a classroom teacher with actual, hands-on experience. We believe the ideal learning environment combines theory with practice, and therefore the program is structured to maximize that synthesis.

Upon graduation, students advance to Rank II status, which results in a pay increase for Kentucky teachers.

Technology is reshaping our use of visual and written language, our definitions of text, and the skills all members of society need to become active, critical, and creative users of many media. Definitions of literacy and intelligences are expanding, canons are questioned, and the languages of visual arts, dance, and music are welcomed into the English classroom. With all its challenges, English teaching remains a rewarding, stimulating, and vital profession. 

Meet our Faculty

• English methods class (fall semester)
  • Learn and practice teaching strategies before a supportive audience of your peers
  • Many opportunities to observe experienced, skilled English teachers and to learn from them in the high school classroom. 
• Student teaching
  • Before the end of the fall semester, you will enter your student teaching placement and have nine weeks to get to know your cooperating teacher and your students before you actually begin student teaching
  • By the time student teaching officially begins in January, you should feel confident, comfortable, and ready to try out your teaching skills
  • Spring semester: an English teaching seminar accompanies student teaching. In this seminar, we discuss your own teaching experiences and address many practical concerns of English teachers, such as managing the paper load and working with the Kentucky Writing Portfolio.
• Nine elective graduate credit hours
  • Six in your content area
  • Three in education, specifically in the teaching of reading. The English department offers many graduate courses that fit the interests, needs, and schedules of MIC students.
• English Support Area
  • 18 hours of journalism, speech, theater, and fine arts
  • At least one course in each area and at least three courses in one area. If you have significant life or career experience in any of the areas, you may work with the English Education advisor to document some of this experience in lieu of coursework.Students may need to take additional courses, such as an advanced writing course or a multicultural literature course, in order to meet these requirements for certification.

Learn more about:

• Application requirements
• Degree requirements

Visit the University of Kentucky catalog for more program details