Secondary English Education Degree

Explore the Secondary English Education Program

If you are passionate about literature, writing, and the art of storytelling, consider teaching young minds with a Secondary English Education degree. A person with this subject endorsement may teach and direct curricular and co-curricular activities in composition, language, literature, and reading in grades 6-12. In the Seondary English Education program at Wayne State, you’ll learn to develop creative lesson plans and explore diverse literary genres, so you can instill in your future students an appreciation for literature while promoting the importance of strong reading and writing skills.

As a secondary English teacher, you’ll have the potential to make a significant impact on the next generation by helping to develop student literacy and critical thinking - essential skills for academic and lifelong success.

View program courses Download program fact sheet (PDF)

Endorsement information
The grade levels and subjects you want to teach are called endorsements, and depending on the type of endorsement, you are required to choose one or more in order to obtain your teaching certificate/license. The Secondary English Education program at Wayne State is a subject endorsement. Typically, this means you must choose another subject endorsement or a field endorsement to pair with this program. However, the Secondary English Education program is an exception. It is a stand-alone subject endorsement and does not require the addition of any other endorsement for graduation. Learn more about endorsements.

Fast facts

Degree options: B.A. or B.S. in Secondary English Education

Endorsement type: Subject endorsement
Learn more about endorsements.

Delivery format: On campus (Wayne)

Program credit hours: 71

English content area (40 credit hours)
Education core courses (31 credit hours)

Note: Students must also take 30 credit hours of General Studies courses. A total of 120 credit hours are needed to graduate from WSC. Additional majors or minors can be added to help meet graduation requirements.

Schools: Arts and Humanities, Education and Behavioral Sciences

Departments: Language and Literature; Educational Foundations and Leadership

Prepare for your future

Becoming a teacher

Field experience and clinical practice

As a student pursuing a teaching career in English, you’ll complete field experiences and clinical practice. Some field experiences are embedded within the coursework of WSC’s educator preparation programs. Once you’ve completed the initial field experience requirements, you’ll then complete a semester of clinical practice (student teaching) in a school district chosen with the help of your adviser. During this semester, you’ll work closely with an experienced teacher to gain classroom experience.

Learn more about clinical practice

Northeast Nebraska Teacher Academy (NENTA)

Student teaching is a requirement for teacher certification in all 50 states and provides you with critical real-life experience before gaining a classroom of your own. Only Wayne State College adds to this experience through the Northeast Nebraska Teacher Academy (NENTA), a program that allows you to substitute teach as a junior and get paid, all while still earning your degree.

Learn more about NENTA

Student learning outcomes

English programs

Analyze works of literature in English
Evaluate works of literature in English
Explain how social, philosophical, and cultural factors influence language
Demonstrate effective skills in written communication for a range of genres, purposes, and audiences

Education programs

Teacher candidates who successfully complete an education preparation program at Wayne State will be able to:

Create environments that support individual and collaborative learning using knowledge of how students grow and develop, along with individual differences and diverse cultures. (InTASC Standards 1-3)
Plan for instruction by applying content knowledge, a variety of instructional strategies, and multiple methods of assessment to connect concepts for learners in real-world applications. (InTASC Standards 4-8)
Engage in ongoing professional learning and use evidence to reflect on and adapt practice to meet the needs of each learner. (InTASC Standard 9)
Seek leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with stakeholders, and to advance the profession. (InTASC Standard 10)

View InTASC Standards for Educator Preparation

Topics covered

English topics covered

Writing techniques for poetry, fiction, and/or creative nonfiction
British literature throughout history
Shakespeare’s plays and poetry
Ancient epic and of Greek drama, or literary analysis of the Bible
American literature throughout history
Linguistics and grammar of the English language
Classic literature

Education topics covered

Teaching reading, writing, and grammar
Teaching as a profession
Human learning processes and behavior
Instructional design methodologies, implementation, and evaluation
Educational collaboration and equitable learning opportunities
Classroom management

Admission to Wayne State College does not guarantee entry into its educator preparation programs. Students planning to pursue professional education must undergo a background check along with meeting other requirements (benchmarks) and advance through three levels of preparation required to become a teacher.

Level One - Preparing for Teacher Candidacy
In this level, students apply for educator preparation and complete some of the preliminary coursework of the program. Students will need to pass an initial background check as well. View all Level One benchmarks.

Level Two - Preparing for Clinical Practice
In Level Two, students will prepare for student teaching by passing the required courses, meeting evidence to show their readiness, and pass a complete background check. View all Level Two benchmarks.

Level Three - Clinical Practice
Level Three is the final level and includes the successful completion of clinical practice and meeting the degree requirements for graduation from Wayne State. Students will also register to take the Praxis Exam. Passing the Praxis Exam is not a graduation requirement; however, it is required to earn a teaching license for the state in which you want to teach. View all Level Three benchmarks.

Benchmarks and Levels of Educator Preparation

Teacher certification

After successfully completing a teacher education program at Wayne State, you’ll submit your application to become a licensed teacher in Nebraska.

Initial Teacher Certification

State licensure disclosure

Wayne State's Secondary English Education program is designed to prepare students for teacher licensure or certification in Nebraska. It has not been determined if these programs meet requirements for all other states.

If you are planning to pursue professional licensure or certification in a state other than Nebraska, it is strongly recommended that you contact the appropriate licensing entity in that state to seek information and guidance regarding licensure or certification requirements before beginning an academic program.

English Education Licensure Disclosure for all States About State Authorization and Licensure

Graduates with a degree in Secondary English Education teach in schools using the skills they learned while at Wayne State College.

Jobs of recent graduates:

4-12 Grade Special Education Teacher – Leigh Community Schools (Leigh, Neb.)
7-8 Grade English Teacher – Papillion-LaVista Community Schools (Papillion, Neb.)
7-9 Grade English Teacher – Guardian Angels Central Catholic (West Point, Neb.)
7-12 Grade English Teacher – Stanton Public Schools (Stanton, Neb.)
7-12 Grade English Teacher – Winside Public Schools (Winside, Neb.)
10-11 Grade English Teacher – Riverside Public Schools (Cedar Rapids, Neb.)
English Teacher – Allen Consolidated Schools (Allen, Neb.)
English Teacher – Ainsworth Community Schools (Ainsworth, Neb.)
English Teacher – Columbus Public Schools (Columbus, Neb.)
English Teacher – Elkhorn Public Schools (Elkhorn, Neb.)
English Teacher – Grand Island Public Schools (Grand Island, Neb.)
English Teacher – Norfolk High School (Norfolk, Neb.)
Secondary English Teacher – Pierce High School (Pierce, Neb.)
Secondary Language Arts Teacher – Weeping Water Public Schools (Weeping Water, Neb.)

job or grad school placement rate
within six months of graduation
Data based on most recent
employment outcomes survey

Cost of attendance

Most Affordable College in Nebraska

- College Affordability Guide, 2024

Wayne State is considered the most affordable four-year college or university in Nebraska. With same rates for in- and out-of-state students, our tuition guarantee, and our generous scholarship packages, it is clear to see how WSC earned the title. In fact, the average remaining annual cost of attendance for 2024-25 is $2,268 for undergraduate students after financial aid and scholarships.

English endorsement courses (40 credit hours)

Credits: 3
Description: Study of and practice in the techniques of poetry writing for the beginning student.
Credits: 3
Description: Study of a variety of analytical and interpretive approaches to the study of literature in print and non-print media. This course provides an introduction to the English major in which the English program goals are communicated.
Credits: 3
Description: A survey, beginning with pre-contact indigenous literature and concluding with the Naturalist/Symbolist Period.
Credits: 3
Description: A survey, beginning with the Harlem Renaissance and Modernist Period in American Literature and concluding with study of significant contemporary writers.
Credits: 3
Description: A survey of British literature, beginning with Beowulf and concluding with works by 18th century writers.
Credits: 3
Description: A survey of British literature, beginning with the Romantic writers and concluding with contemporary writers.
Credits: 3
Description: Directed reading of Shakespeare’s plays and poetry against the background of Renaissance culture.
Credits: 3
Description: A linguistic study primarily of English, including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, orthography, historical linguistics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, neurolinguistics, and linguistic anthropology.
Credits: 1
Description: Study of the rules and principles of traditional grammar in the English language, and of techniques and strategies for teaching grammar.
Credits: 2
Description: A survey of the major theories and issues surrounding the teaching of writing in the pre-college classroom. Topics include classroom strategies, traditional grammar and its alternatives, grading and testing, and individualizing the writing curriculum. After an initial survey of current literature on these topics, students will be involved in designing their own writing curricula, micro-teaching, and adapting materials to the needs of the student population they expect to encounter in their professional careers.
Credits: 2
Description: Study of popular and traditional literature appropriate for adolescent readers, and of techniques and strategies for teaching this literature.
Credits: 2
Description: Survey of current research on the reading processes of middle and secondary school student: techniques for assessing, developing, and improving students’ reading strategies, with emphasis on such topics as vocabulary development, comprehension, study skills, and reading in the content areas. This course meets the middle and secondary school reading requirement (reading in the content areas).
Credits: 3
Description: A study of the techniques of literary research, critical evaluation, and analysis of literary texts, as well as historical and thematic problems facing the literary scholar.
Prerequisite: ENG 270 Critical Approaches to Literature
Choose one of the following writing workshops:
- ENG 203 Fiction Workshop (3 credits) – Study of and practice in the techniques of writing short fiction.
- ENG 204 Creative Nonfiction Workshop (3 credits) – Study of and practice in the techniques of writing creative nonfiction, or fact-based writing that is crafted in a way that is both artistic and accessible rather than scholarly.
Choose one of the following courses:
- ENG 381 Classical Mythology (3 credits) – A study of the ancient epic and of Greek drama; readings of Homer, Virgil, Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, Aristophanes, and Aristotle.
- ENG 382 The Bible as Literature (3 credits) – Literary analysis of the Hebrew scripture (Old Testament) and of the New Testament.

Educator preparation core (31 credit hours)

Credits: 3

Description: Students are introduced to teaching as a profession through the historical, cultural, and philosophical foundations of educational systems. Students will explore various aspects of education, as well as their beliefs and values about teaching and learning through the exploration of professional knowledge, practice, and values. This course may include a field experience.
Credits: 0
Description: This course is designed for students in Level 1 of WSC’s educator preparation programs who are progressing into Level 2. Students will receive valuable information including, but not limited to, admission, program progression, degree and certification requirements, the use of portfolio software, professional dispositions for success, etc.

Notes: Graded S/NC
Credits: 3
Description: Students construct a conceptual basis for understanding the growth and development of learners. Theories of physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development are explored in order to better understand the importance of the nurturing role of the teacher in human development and learning. Students begin to understand the human learning process and individual differences in how learners think and behave based on their unique characteristics. Students study theoretical models and the integration of models for planning and facilitating effective and differentiated experiences for diversified learners. This course will include field experience.
Prerequisite: EDU 150 Introduction to Professional Education
Corequisite: EDU 245 Preparing for Level 2: Teacher Candidacy
Credits: 3
Description: Students will practice instructional design methodologies or analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. To explore and learn to recognize their biases, including but not limited to sexism, racism, prejudice, and discrimination, students will develop an awareness of the impact such biases have on their interpersonal relations. Students will be challenged to reflect on how they can relate more effectively to other individuals and groups in a pluralistic society in order to promote equitable approaches to instructional design. This course fulfills the human relations component established by the Nebraska Department of Education. This course may include a field experience.
Prerequisites: EDU 150 Introduction to Professional Education and EDU 250 Human Development and Cognition must be taken concurrently or prior to this course.
This course must be taken to meet the requirement for 3 semester hours of professional education coursework in pedagogical content knowledge.
Credits: 3
Description: This course examines the essential knowledge, skills, dispositions, and innovative applications of content needed for effective teaching in the 21st century. Specific content-area topics include instructional planning for differentiated instruction; effective strategies, techniques, materials, and assessment methods; reading and writing in the content area; classroom management; and the relationship of the content area to standards-based curriculum. To be taken concurrently with EDU 414 Content Area Practicum Experience.
Prerequisite: Acceptance to Educator Preparation (successful completion of Level 1 Benchmarks)
Credits: 1
Description: This 80-clock hour minimum content specific clinical experience (60 hours in classroom plus 20 hours in activities related to teaching) is designed to induct students into classroom teaching and develop an awareness of the many roles of a professional educator. Under the mentorship of a practicing K-12 educator, students will assist/co-teach/teach. Students will also actively participate in school-related activities commonly encountered by professional educators.
Prerequisites: Acceptance to Educator Preparation (successful completion of Level 1 Benchmarks), and successful completion or concurrent enrollment in EDU 409 Content Area Methods and Materials
Credits: 0
Description: This course is designed for graduate students in Level 2 of WSC’s educator preparation program who are progressing into Level 3 and those completing clinical practice to change endorsement levels. Two virtual sessions will be held at the beginning of each academic session for graduate teacher candidates planning to student teach in the following semester. Graduate teacher candidates will attend one of the two virtual sessions to receive valuable information including, but not limited to, how to apply for Clinical Practice, an overview of Clinical Practice requirements, rules regarding placement choices and department approval requirements.

Dual-listed: EDU 545
Notes: Graded S/NC
Credits: 12
Description: A semester course of full-day learning experiences in a secondary setting under the supervision of a cooperating 7-12 classroom teacher, a supervisor from the School of Education and Behavioral Sciences, and a faculty member from the appropriate content area. On-campus seminars will be offered periodically throughout the semester. This is the culminating experience of the secondary pre-service educator preparation program. Students in the Career Scholars Program will enroll for 3 credit hours in their first semester and 12 credit hours in their second semester (this course may be repeated by residency students only). All other students will enroll in 6 or 12 credit hours in one semester. Graded S/NC.
Prerequisite: Acceptance to Clinical Practice (successful completion of Level 2 Benchmarks)
Notes: Graded S/NC. Students in the Growing Together residency program will enroll for 3 credit hours in their first semester and 12 credit hours in their second semester (this course may be repeated by residency students only). All other students will enroll in 6 or 12 credit hours in one semester
Credits: 3
Description: The course will explore applications of methods and strategies within elementary and secondary settings to provide equitable learning opportunities within least restrictive learning environments for all students. An emphasis is placed on communication and collaboration among professionals and families to ensure the needs of all students are met.
Prerequisite: Acceptance to Educator Preparation (successful completion of Level 1 Benchmarks)
Credits: 3
Description: Understanding social and emotional development of all learners while considering Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). Emphasis on implications for the inclusive learning environment; promotion of social competence; awareness of prosocial skills; and effective utilization of responsive relationships. Completing the Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA) process and developing the Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) product to meet the needs of secondary learners.
Prerequisite: Acceptance to Educator Preparation (successful completion of Level 1 Benchmarks)

Popular pairings

Many students at Wayne State will add an extra endorsement to make themselves more marketable and expand their teaching abilities. Students who recently majored in Secondary English Education at Wayne State also paired this program with one or more of the following endorsements

View all majors and minors

Related programs

Students interested in the Secondary English Education endorsement may also be interested in

English Language Arts Education (6-12)
English Writing and Literature

I hope to be a high school English teacher. As an education major, Wayne State College immediately caught my attention because of its great reputation as an education school. The college does a great job of getting students into classrooms for experience right away. I also absolutely love being a NENTA student, so I can sub in the local school districts. There is such a positive atmosphere here with the students, professors, and staff. It truly is a great place to be for four years.

Erin Schwager

Orchard, Neb.

Major: Secondary English Education with a Journalism and Media Endorsement