Secondary Education Licensure Program
Emphases: Art Teaching, BFA; Biology Teaching, BA, BS; Chemistry - Teaching Emphasis, BA, BS; Earth Science Composite Teaching, BS; English Teaching, BA, Film & Media Arts, BA, French Teaching, BA; History Teaching, BA; Health & Kinesiology - Health & Physical Education Teaching Emphasis, BS; Mathematics Teaching, BA, BS; Modern Dance Teaching, BFA; Music Education – Choral Emphasis/Instrumental
Bennion
Center
Capstones
Program
Courses
Getting Started
- Complete USBE federal background clearance
- Meet with your subject-area advisor in affiliated Dept. and education advisor
- EDU 1010 - Intro to Teaching
- Intro teaching course in your field
Making Progress
Meet with your subject advisor and education advisor often:- Create a degree audit to track your requirements
- Explore minors, endorsements, and certificates to enhance your major
- Find scholarship opportunities in COE and across campus
- Finish up GE and pre-major requirements
- Make a plan to take your professional licensing exams
- Submit UITE application for secondary licensure program
Finishing Up
- Continue meeting with your subject/education advisors
- Complete student teaching
- Apply for graduation
- Apply for your Utah Professional Teaching license
Community
Getting Started
- Join a learning community - LEAP, Diversity Scholars, or Honors College
- Participate in events hosted by the COE Student Council
- Attend MUSE events
- Join a student organization/club
Making Progress
- Volunteer with the Bennion Center
- Get to know students in your courses and organize study groups
- Meet with your professors to get inspiration or ideas for your own career
- Gain leadership experience by joining ASUU
- Become an Orientation Leader, LEAP peer mentor, Bennion Center Scholar, and/or college ambassador
- Ask your advisor about events and opportunities in your subject area’s College/Dept.
Finishing Up
- Connect with the Utah Education Network and Utah Education Policy Center to gain undergraduate research experience
- Join the Alumni Association
- Learn about the Utah Education Association
Knowledge & Skills
Getting Started
- Check out academic resources like the Marriott Library, Knowledge Commons, Writing Center, Math Center, & Learning Center
- Look into scholarships and financial aid options
Making Progress
- Consider part-time employment in schools; work as a paraeducator, or in summer school, after school, and residential programs
- Gain a global perspective and enhance your major by participating in a Hinckley Global Internship or learning abroad experience
- Check out UITE’s Teaching Resources
- Talk with your subject area advisor to learn about resources and opportunities in their College/Dept.
Finishing Up
- Explore graduate programs and jobs to take your knowledge to the next level and deepen skills
- Present a project/research at the Annual Education Research Symposium
Transformation
Getting Started
- Develop a Teaching Philosophy statement that reflects your values and beliefs about teaching and learning
- Find mentors in your classroom and school-based community-learning experiences
Making Progress
- Meet with an advisor, Career Coach, and/or Student Success Coach to discuss your goals
- Get to know your professors in subject-area and education courses
- Work on an Honors Thesis, if applicable
- Connect with OUR to get started on an Undergraduate Research project
- Attend conferences, lectures, & symposiums on a variety of topics
- Keep track of lesson/unit plans to build a teaching portfolio
Finishing Up
- Create a portfolio of your student teaching artifacts that you can reference in job interviews
- Participate in university and college graduation ceremonies
Impact
Getting Started
- Check out events on the U calendar
- Attend a COE faculty or a guest lecturer presentation
- Explore programs like UROP, Bennion Center Scholars, and the Honors College
Making Progress
- Apply to UROP or work with one of the College of Education’s research groups/centers
- Apply to go on an Alternative Spring or Fall Break
- Attend a workshop or training offered through the Counseling Center, Mindfulness Center, or Center for Student Wellness
- Participate in or create your own community service project at the Bennion Center
- Volunteer at the Natural History Museum of Utah
Finishing Up
- Lead an Alternative Spring/Fall Break group
- Present a research project at an academic conference or Undergraduate Research Symposium
- Join a professional organization in education
Careers
Getting Started
Making Progress
- Meet with a Career Coach in the Career & Professional Development Center
- Regularly update your resume and Teaching Philosophy
- Attend career fairs hosted by local school districts
- Apply to volunteer & work opportunities in your field
- Find student leadership roles that offer networking opportunities
- Talk to your advisors about internships/job resources within their College/Dept.
Finishing Up
- Refine your resume & practice interviewing with a Career Coach
- Apply for jobs/graduate programs
- Join the Alumni Association
- Stay connected with COE and utilize UITE’s Teacher Resources
Start Your Career Journey
Find support at the Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC)
About the Major
The Secondary Teacher Licensure Program in the Urban Institute for Teacher Education (UITE) is an interdisciplinary teacher preparation program that provides you with professional education to teach middle school, junior high, and high school students across various ages, ability levels, and from diverse cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
As part of this program, you will complete a bachelor's degree in a subject area you would like to teach and also complete core professional teacher education courses that address a variety of topics, such as adolescent development, classroom technology integration, legal and policy foundations, assessment and behavioral instruction, and knowledge of students, families, and urban communities. The UITE partners with 6 Colleges at the U to provide 15 secondary teaching majors for you to choose from in disciplines such as Art, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, English, Film & Media Arts, French, History, Health & Physical Education, Math, Modern Dance, Music Education, Physics, Spanish, and Theatre.
In your final year, you complete a full-time student teaching experience in a secondary classroom where you are paired with experienced educators who mentor you through a final capstone teaching experience. Upon graduation and completion of licensure courses and exams, you will be recommended to the Utah State Board of Education to receive your Secondary Education 6-12 Utah Professional Teaching License.
As part of this program, you will complete a bachelor's degree in a subject area you would like to teach and also complete core professional teacher education courses that address a variety of topics, such as adolescent development, classroom technology integration, legal and policy foundations, assessment and behavioral instruction, and knowledge of students, families, and urban communities. The UITE partners with 6 Colleges at the U to provide 15 secondary teaching majors for you to choose from in disciplines such as Art, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science, English, Film & Media Arts, French, History, Health & Physical Education, Math, Modern Dance, Music Education, Physics, Spanish, and Theatre.
In your final year, you complete a full-time student teaching experience in a secondary classroom where you are paired with experienced educators who mentor you through a final capstone teaching experience. Upon graduation and completion of licensure courses and exams, you will be recommended to the Utah State Board of Education to receive your Secondary Education 6-12 Utah Professional Teaching License.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structure of the discipline(s) you will teach and create learning experiences to make them meaningful to students.
- Design, adapt, and deliver instruction that address a students’ diverse learning strengths and needs.
- Advocate for the learners, the school, the community, and the profession. Collaborate with essential partners to create a learning culture that promotes student growth and development.
- Be a reflective practitioner who uses evidence to continually evaluate and adapt your practice to meet the needs of each learner.
- Seek new knowledge that will lead to improvements in the education and lives of all students and their families.
- Demonstrate the highest standard of legal and ethical conduct by adhering to and upholding laws, rules, policies, and directives.
Plan & Prepare
At the U, we plan for our students to have an exceptional Educational Experience identified by four broad categories we call the Learning Framework: Community, Knowledge & Skills, Transformation, and Impact. This major map will help you envision, explore, design, and plan your personalized Exceptional Education Experience with the Learning Framework at the core. In addition to assisting you in planning your coursework and navigating the requirements of your major, this map will help you incorporate other kinds of experiences to expand your knowledge, support your development, and prepare you for the future you want.