BSEd Requirements
 

Department of English

West Chester University

Contact Info
Dr. Vicki Tischio
532 Main Hall
West Chester, PA 19383
610-436-2822
VTISCHIO@WCUPA.EDU


Bachelor of Science in English Education

  1. Professional education requirements (41 semester hours)
    EDF     300; EDP 250; ENG/LAN 382; EDA 103, 303; EDR 347; 
    EDS 306; LIT 398; ENG 392; 
    EDS 411 and 412
  2. Departmental preparatory requirements (9 semester hours)
    ENG 194, 295, and either ENG 296 or LIT 206
  3. Language and linguistic courses (6 semester hours)            
    ENG 230 and 331
  4. Departmental intermediate requirements (24 semester hours)
    See the department handbook for group descriptions.

    5. Literatures track: One course from the following three categories – “genres,” “American multiethnic and world literatures,” and “historical contexts,” plus two additional literatures courses. At least two courses must be designated “early” in historical period; one course each must clearly satisfy the American, British, and world designations. Literatures track B.S.Ed. students choose an additional three courses as crossover study from the writings track, one of which must be WRH 325. (For more information, see the list of literature courses for the BSEd.)

    Writings track: WRH 325, one course from the following two categories – “style and aesthetics,” “power and politics” – plus two additional writing track courses. Writings track B.S.Ed. students choose an additional three courses as crossover study from the literatures track. From the literatures track, one American, one British, and one world literatures course must be chosen (among these, one course must be early literature). (For more information on literature courses for the BSEd, see this list.)

  5. Departmental advanced requirements (6 semester hours)
    Two seminars from a selection focusing on a specialized topic (ENG 400†)
    6. See the “Teacher Certification Programs” section of this catalog for an explanation of related requirements.

Student Teaching Prerequisites

Formal Admission. Students should apply for formal admission to the teacher education program in approximately their sophomore year. Formal admission allows students to enter advanced methods courses and student teaching, which then lead to teaching certification. Students must pass and provide an ETS score report that they took the Pre-Professional Skills Praxis I test in reading, writing, and math to achieve formal admission. Students must complete EDS 306 prior to ENG 390 and ENG 392 (no exceptions).

Students may not take advanced methods courses or student teach without formal admission including the Test of Writing Competency. Students must complete all course work before student teaching. See pages 163-164.

Test of Writing Competency

The Department of English requires that students must pass the Test of Writing Competency to achieve formal admission. This requirement is in addition to the others noted on pages 163-164. This test is scheduled once per semester and announced in advance by both the Department of English and the Department of Professional and Secondary Education. Students are urged to take the test as early in their program as possible.

Grades on Required Courses

Anyone attempting to qualify for student teaching must pass each of the following courses with a grade of C or higher:CLS 260, 261, 361, 362, or 367; EDF 300; EDP 250; EDS 306; ENG 194, 230, 295, 296 (or LIT 206), 331, 390, and 392; LAN/ENG 382: LIT 398; and WRT 120, 200 or 204, 205, 206, 208, or 220.

A student receiving a grade of C- or lower for any of these courses should retake the course immediately, before attempting courses in the English or education sequence. A student having difficulty with several of the courses listed above should recognize that he or she may not be able to meet the competency requirements for student teaching and should consider withdrawing from the B.S.Ed. program.

Grade Point Average

Before receiving formal admission, a student must attain an overall GPA of 2.8 or better, including a minimum GPA of 2.75 for all English courses attempted. Students must maintain these GPA requirements to remain formally admitted. Students must also achieve a GPA of 3.0 by the end of their student teaching.

Portfolio

A student in the B.S.Ed. English program must also pass a portfolio requirement in order to be elibible to student teach. Preferably two semesters before student teaching, students will submit their portfolio to the Department of English for evaluation. Specific requirements of the portfolio are listed in the English Majors' Handbook.

Praxis II

All teacher certification candidates must attempt the Praxis II tests required by their program and produce evidence of testing prior to the first day of their student teaching semester. They must pass the Praxis II tests prior to graduation.