Education — Middle and Secondary Level
Description:
Education: Middle and Secondary Level provides two opportunities for students. It offers a pathway for students to earn an Associate in Arts degree in education, which is now required for many entry-level jobs in Pennsylvania K-12 schools. It also serves as a first step for those students who wish to transfer to four-year schools so that they may earn their baccalaureate degrees in education. The program offers two levels (Middle and Secondary) with two areas of concentration for each level (Math/Science and Humanities).
The Education: Middle and Secondary Level program prepares students for transfer to baccalaureate-degree granting institutions by introducing them to the field of education while guiding them through a coherent and well-rounded sequence of courses. Within each concentration, there are several possible subject areas in which to specialize; therefore, students choose from a list of content electives in those subjects.
After successful completion of this curriculum, students receive an Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree. Most graduates then transfer to a four-year institution where they earn a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in Education and are eligible for certification to teach at the middle or secondary levels, in areas related to their concentration.
Because transfer institutions require specific courses, it is highly recommended that students consult catalogues of schools to which they might transfer along with transfer information available in the Counseling Center, as well as their advisor, to make appropriate course selections.
According to Pennsylvania mandates, under Chapter 354, students need a 3.0 GPA for entry into upper-level education courses and teacher certification programs at four-year schools. In addition, they must pass the Pre-Professional Academic Performance Assessment (PAPA) before being admitted into these upper-level courses at four-year schools.
Note for Students in Middle Level: The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) requires candidates for 4th-8th grade teacher certification to earn 66 credits across four content areas: mathematics, science, English/language arts/reading and social studies. Students will not earn all the necessary content electives in this A.A. program. Depending on their transfer institution, students may apply the credits earned in their content electives towards those 66 content area credits. General education courses required by the program may also apply. Students must take additional content area courses at their transfer institution to fulfill that institution's requirements for content courses.
Program Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of the Education: Middle and Secondary Level degree program, graduates will be able to:
- Identify career options open to an individual with a background in education and describe the path required to Pennsylvania Teacher Certification
- Apply theories of adolescent development and cognitive processes to enhance student learning
- Explain the education models in the United States and the impact they have on teaching and learning
- Demonstrate the use of effective assessments that align with the professional teaching standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)
- Demonstrate effective teaching practices for diverse learners
- Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills
Program Entry Requirements:
New students are normally required to complete the College's placement test prior to their enrollment. Students identified as needing developmental work must satisfactorily complete the appropriate developmental English and mathematics courses as part of the program.
All students are required to take two mathematics courses. Students in the Humanities concentration are required to take MATH 161: Pre-Calculus I and MATH 162: Pre-Calculus II. Students in the Math/Science concentration begin their mathematics sequence with MATH 171: Calculus I and MATH 172: Calculus II. Students who have not tested into this level of mathematics must either take the prerequisite math courses (FNMT 118 or equivalent for MATH 161 and MATH 162 with a grade of C or better for MATH 171) or have taken their equivalents at another college either before enrolling or while enrolled in the program.
Because students will be required to observe and work with children the Program requires students to meet the requirements of the Child Protective Services Law, 23 Pa. C.S.A., section 6344 (relating to prospective childcare personnel). Students must therefore present up-to-date Pennsylvania criminal history reports, Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal history reports, Department of Public Welfare (child abuse) reports, and health clearances, clearly stating that they are eligible to work with children. (Up-to-date clearance is defined as being no more than 12 months old on the first day of working with children.) Failure to produce up-to-date clearances or a change of clearance status may result in a student's removal from the program. A student who believes that an error of fact has been made in his/her removal may appeal that decision. Information regarding the appeal procedure will be provided with the letter of removal.
Program of Study and Graduation Requirements:
To qualify for the Associate in Arts (A.A.) Degree in Education: Middle and Secondary Level, a student must complete a minimum of 61 credit hours as described in the following course sequence. Depending on the courses taken, students in the Math/Science concentration may earn additional credits. In addition, the student must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0, and a minimum grade of "C" in all Education courses. During their matriculation in the program, it is strongly recommended that students meet with a designated Education academic advisor to choose their courses.
Students whose behavior is viewed as inconsistent with professional standards may be dropped from the curriculum pending a departmental hearing.
Course Sequence:
Semester 1
| Course Number and Name | Prerequisites and Corequisites | Credits | Gen Ed Req. |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGL 101 - English Composition I or ENGL 101H - English Composition I (Honors) | 3 credits | Writing, Research, Info Lit 1 | |
| CIS 103 - Introduction to Information Technology | 3 credits | Technological Competency | |
| PSYC 101 - Introduction to Psychology or PSYC 101H - 101H Introduction to Psychology (Honors) | 3 credits | Cultural Analysis & Interpretation | |
| Middle Level (any concentration) or Secondary Level, Humanities & Special Education Concentration: MATH 161 - Pre-Calculus I* Secondary Level, Math/Science Concentration: MATH 171 - Calculus I | MATH 161: FNMT 118 with a grade of "C" or better or placement in MATH 161 or higher MATH 171: MATH 162 with a grade of "C" or better, or placement in MATH 171 or higher | 3 or 4 credits | Quantitative Reasoning |
| ED 201 - Foundations of Education for Middle and Secondary Years**** | ENGL 101 with a grade of "C" or better, which may be taken concurrently | 3 credits |
Semester 2
| Course Number and Name | Prerequisites and Corequisites | Credits | Gen Ed Req. |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGL 102 - The Research Paper or ENGL 102H - The Research Paper (Honors) | ENGL 101 with a grade of "C" or better | 3 credits | Writing, Research, Info Lit 2 |
| ENGL 115 - Public Speaking | ENGL 101, which may be taken concurrently | 3 credits | Oral Communication/ Creative Expression |
| PSYC 209 - Adolescent Psychology | PSYC 101 | 3 credits | |
| ED 214 - Cognition and Learning in the Classroom**** | (ED 105 or ED 201, either with a grade of "C" or better) and PSYC 101 | 3 credits | |
| Middle Level (any concentration) or Secondary Level, Humanities & Special Education Concentration: MATH 162 - Precalculus II* Secondary Level, | MATH 162: MATH 161 with a grade of C or better, or placement in MATH 162 or higher MATH 172: MATH 171 with a grade of "C" or better, or placement in MATH 172 or higher | 3 or 4 credits |
Semester 3
| Course Number and Name | Prerequisites and Corequisites | Credits | Gen Ed Req. |
|---|---|---|---|
| ED 265 - Introduction to Special Education and Inclusive Practices**** | (ED 105 or ED 201, either with a grade of "C" or better) and (ED 204 or ED 214, either with a grade of "C" or better) and (PSYC 201 or PSYC 209 or PSYC 215) | 3 credits | |
| Middle Level or Secondary Level, Humanities & Special Education Concentration: BIOL 106 - General Biology I Middle Level and Secondary Level, Math/Science Concentration: | PHYS 111: MATH 162 or MATH 171 or MATH 171 placement PHYS 140: MATH 171 BIOL 123: CHEM 121 or CHEM 110 with a grade of "C" or better and high school biology or permission of the department head | 4 or 5 credits | Scientific Reasoning |
| History Course (choose one): HIST 101 - United States History: Colonial America through the Revolutionary Era or HIST 102 - United States History: The Civil War and the 19th Century or HIST 103 - United States History: The 20th Century and Beyond ** or HIST 103H - United States and Pennsylvania History: The 20th Century (Honors) ** | 3 credits | ||
| Content Elective (see chart below for choice of content electives) *** | 3 to 5 credits | ||
| Content Elective (see chart below for choice of content electives) *** | 3 to 5 credits |
Semester 4
| Course Number and Name | Prerequisites and Corequisites | Credits | Gen Ed Req. |
|---|---|---|---|
| ED 255 - Teaching English Language Learners**** | (ED 105 or ED 201, either with a grade of "C" or better) and (ED 204 or ED 214, either with a grade of "C" or better) and (ED 222 with a grade of "C" or better or PSYC 209) and ENGL 102 | 3 credits | |
| Middle Level (any concentration) or Secondary Level, Humanities & Special Education Concentration: BIOL 107 - General Biology II or EASC 111 - Environmental Conservation or EASC 111H - Environmental Conservation (Honors) Secondary Level, Math/Science Concentration: ART 103 - History of Art: Ancient to Renaissance or ART 103H - History of Art: Ancient to Renaissance (Honors) or ART 104 - History of Art II: Renaissance to Modern or ART 104H - History of Art: Renaissance to Modern (Honors) MUS 103 - Introduction to Music or PHIL 101 - Introduction to Philosophy or PHIL 101H - Introduction to Philosophy (Honors) or Any 100 or 200-level World Language course or Any Religious Studies course (RS) | 3 or 4 credits | ||
| Content Elective (see chart below for choice of content electives) *** | 3 to 5 credits | ||
| Content Elective (see chart below for choice of content electives) *** | 3 to 5 credits | ||
| Content Elective (see chart below for choice of content electives) *** | 3 to 5 credits |
Notes:
* Students should choose math courses according to transfer institution. It is recommended that students consult with their program coordinator regarding optimal math course selection.
** Students planning to transfer to Temple University should take HIST 101 or HIST 103, not HIST 102.
*** Students selecting their content electives must receive approval from their education faculty advisor before they can register for their content electives. Banner will prevent students from registering without their advisor's approval.
**** Students must earn a grade of "C" or better in all ED courses.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) only certifies baccalaureate programs in education; PDE does not certify Associate programs. Therefore, the College cannot guarantee that the content electives listed below will count towards the PDE requirement. Acceptance will be determined by the four-year college to which the student transfers, and courses accepted vary by institution.
Middle Level (4th-8th) Content Electives
In consultation with an advisor, students should choose FIVE content electives from the chart below based on 1) their concentration (Math/Science or Humanities) and 2) the subject they plan to teach.
CONCENTRATION: MATH/SCIENCE
- SUBJECT: Mathematics
- MATH 162, MATH 171, MATH 172, MATH 251, MATH 270 and/or MATH 271
- SUBJECT: Science
- BIOL 106 and BIOL 107 or BIOL 123 and BIOL 124
- CHEM 105, CHEM 110, CHEM 121, and/or CHEM 122
- EASC 111
- PHYS 111 and 112 or PHYS 141 and PHYS 240
CONCENTRATION: HUMANITIES
- SUBJECT: English/Language Arts/Reading
- Any 200-level ENGL course, except 214 (includes Creative Writing courses)
- SUBJECT: Social Studies
- ANTH 112, POLS 111, SOC 101, SOC 233, RS 101, RS 1511
- ECON 181 or ECON 182
- GEOG 101, GEOG 103, GEOG 180, and/or GEOG 222
- HIST 121, HIST 122, HIST 220, and/or HIST 221
Secondary Level Content Electives
In consultation with an advisor, students should choose FIVE courses from the chart below based on 1) their concentration (Math/Science or Humanities) and 2) the subject they plan to teach.
CONCENTRATION: MATH/SCIENCE
- SUBJECT: Math or Physics
- MATH 270 and MATH 271
- PHYS 111 and PHYS 112 or PHYS 140 and PHYS 241
- SUBJECT: Chemistry
- CHEM 121, CHEM 122, CHEM 221, and CHEM 222
- SUBJECT: Biology or General Science
- CHEM 121 and CHEM 122
- BIOL 123 and BIOL 124
CONCENTRATION: SPECIAL EDUCATION
- SUBJECT: EDUCATION
- ED XXX: Introduction to Trauma Informed Teaching
- ED XXX: Instructional Strategies for Students with Mild, Moderate, & Severe Intellectual Disability
- ED XXX: Assistive Technology for Assessment for Special Education
- ED 245
- PSYCH 215 or BHHS 103
CONCENTRATION: HUMANITIES
- SUBJECT: Art 2
- ART 103 or ART 103H
- ART 104 or ART 104H
- ART 105
- ART 109
- ART 115
- SUBJECT: English
- Any 200-level ENGL course, except ENGL 214 (includes Creative Writing courses)
- SUBJECT: Music 3
- MUS 105
- MUS 106
- MUS 116
- MUS 118
- MUS 120
- MUS 121
- SUBJECT: Social Studies
- ANTH 112
- POLS 111 or POLS 111H
- SOC 101 or SOC 101H
- SOC 233
- ECON 181 ECON 182
- GEOG 101 GEOG 103 GEOG 180 GEOG 222
- HIST 121
- HIST 122
- HIST 220
- HIST 221
- RS 101
- RS 151
- SUBJECT: World Languages 4
- Students should take a minimum of two courses in the language they plan to teach and three additional courses in the Secondary Humanities content elective list.
1 Students who plan to attend a religiously-affiliated college or university should take Religious Studies (RS) courses.
2 Students who intend to teach art at the secondary level should also prepare a portfolio.
3 Most baccalaureate programs in music education require testing and/or auditions for incoming transfer students. CCP students who intend to teach music should contact their intended transfer institutions for details.
4 Students who are already fluent in the language they intend to teach should take five of the other courses in the Secondary Humanities concentration content electives list instead.
Minimum Credits Needed to Graduate:
61General Education Requirements:
All general education requirements necessary for graduation are met through the courses in the program as indicated above. Students who wish to take courses that differ from the general education courses indicated above must complete a course substitution request form. To access the form, login to the MyCCP portal, and in the Student tab, under Electronic Forms, click on the Records and Registration Forms link, then choose Request for Course Substitution of Graduation Requirement link. A more detailed explanation of the College's general education requirements is also available.
For More Information, Contact:
The Division of Liberal Studies, Room BR-21, 1700 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130, Telephone (215) 751-8450 or the College Information Center (215) 751-8010.