Secondary Education

The Secondary Education program at Roger Williams University is designed for students seeking high school certification with specialization in any of the following areas: English, History, Social Studies, Mathematics, General Sciences, Biology, Chemistry or Foreign Languages. Undergraduates double major in both Secondary Education and the major of their chosen disciplines. After student teaching senior year, graduates are certified in Rhode Island and may apply for licensure in 43 states through a reciprocity agreement.

The RWU Secondary Education program was newly designed in 2009. The result is a state-of-the-art program. As part of the revision process, Secondary Education majors begin to practice teaching in local public schools as early as their sophomore year.

RWU has several unique aspects that set our program apart from the competition:

• Coursework is geared specifically toward the individual disciplines, and students join a cohort who share similar interests from sophomore year onward
• From freshman year on, students get experience in local high schools in different sites: urban, suburban and rural
• All education coursework is project-based involving authentic tasks. For example, students may design a lesson and then "try it out" in a local public school
• Opportunities to be involved in public high schools for community service, action research, and grant projects abound
• Secondary Education classes are small and students have multiple opportunities to work with full time faculty on special projects

All secondary education majors are encouraged to study abroad for a full semester, or take advantage of one of the short-term faculty-led programs offered at RWU. The education program has two study abroad opportunities: a two week program in Italy and an opportunity to student teach in Puerto Rico.

In addition, RWU offers many opportunities for both hands-on student/faculty research and internships. In 2009, students participated in an action research project at Durfee High School in Fall River, Mass., to answer the question,"What do high school students read?" All students presented their findings at an Action Research Conference at RWU in December 2009.

Secondary Teacher Education Certificate Program Requirements

Level I: Exploring the Profession Coursework

Level II: Preparing to Teach Coursework

Three additional pedagogical content knowledge courses in the certification area, the third of which is taken simultaneously with Practicum, and is understood as belonging to Curriculum Level II:

Secondary Mathematics only:

Secondary Science only:

Secondary English only:

Secondary History and Social Studies only:

Secondary Foreign Language only:

PK-12 Dance only:

Level III: Performing in the Classroom Coursework

All students are required to have field experiences in a variety of settings, including experiences in urban schools.