Kutztown University has announced an update to the spring semester plan and new testing protocols. Spring 2021 Plan
Secondary Education
Preparing the next generation of teachers for grades 7-12
The undergraduate programs within our Secondary Education program help teaching candidates to strengthen their knowledge of the teaching profession of grades 7-12 students, as well as their academic specialization.
Find out more about our undergraduate programs below.
Please note that programs denoted with an asterisk (*) are also available as a Secondary Education/Special Education Dual Certification (PK-12). These programs have been developed to give students the opportunity to add the Special Education certification to their degree.
This program requires students to examine areas of language and composition in preparation to teach this vital subject area. Classes include experience in British, American, and world literature; linguistics; and teaching writing.
This program consists of courses in History, Geography, Civics & Government, Sociology, Anthropology, Economics, and Psychology. Graduates will be certified to teach all of these subjects in grades 7-12.
A strengthened knowledge in the German language will be acquired through this program. In addition to the language courses, students will have the opportunity to study abroad, and can explore German background in preparation for teaching courses like German Culture and Civilization.
Choosing to specialize in Spanish provides students a quality grasp of this language through required courses ranging from Spanish Composition to Advanced Syntax & Stylistics. Study abroad experiences can also be explored in preparation for teaching Spanish.
Biology, Zoology, and Physical Geology are part of a list of required courses that students concentrating in General Science will take. These students will experience a wide variety of courses in scientific areas to improve their understanding of a specific subject matter.
The nature of this program focuses on investigations, laboratory, and field studies. Kutztown’s beautiful campus and surrounding areas will be home to some of these in-depth and diverse observations that students will take part of in order to study this natural science.
Classes such as Astronomy, Meteorology, and Historical Geology are taken to ensure that Earth & Space Science teachers are well-versed in their subject matter and ready to pass this knowledge on to their students at a professional level.
Specific science courses must be taken to ensure that students are fully prepared to teach this multi-faceted natural science. These courses include Inorganic and Organic Chemistry, Calculus, Analytical Chemistry, and Physics.
Computer science, geometry, probability, and calculus courses, among many others, will be explored by those choosing this program. Mathematics courses are both theory and application-based in order to provide students with a rich understanding of this intricate subject.
Students partake in a range of courses in physics with strong supporting courses in mathematics. As faculty-led research is provided at a great level, Physics students will receive exceptional preparation for becoming a physics teacher.
This program requires students to examine areas of language and composition in preparation to teach this vital subject area. Classes include experience in British, American, and world literature; linguistics; and teaching writing.
Restorative justice as a classroom management model is embedded in each course.
Freshman Year:
Sophomore Year:
Junior Year:
Senior Year:
General Education at Kutztown University is designed to provide students with a foundation of learning a variety of subject areas and is required by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The General Education checksheet can be found here. Students must take courses (totalling 42-45 credits) that fulfill the following categories Click through each category to find the current course lists:
It is highly recommended to plan ahead and take Gen Ed courses that also count toward your program.
Note that students transferring to KU with an Associate’s degree do not need to complete General Education requirements.
The following courses comprise the education instruction in the Secondary Education curriculum:
All initial teacher certification programs use the ten InTASC standards, required by CAEP accreditation, as their Student Learning Outcomes. The ten InTASC standards are organized in 4 domains: The Learner and Learning, Content Knowledge, Instructional Practice, and Professional Responsibility.