The School of Education

About the Curriculum

Certification for classroom instruction is available in:

  • Elementary education
    • Elementary: PK-4
    • Elementary: PK-4 and Special Education
    • Middle Level Math and English
    • Middle Level Science and English
    • Middle Level Science and Math
  • Secondary education (grades 7-12)
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Earth and Space Science
    • English
    • General Science
    • Mathematics
    • Physics
    • Social Studies
  • Secondary education (grades K-12)
    • Environmental Education

Students may acquire certification in more than one subject area.

The program in Teacher Education uses university-wide resources to prepare fully qualified mathematics and science teachers at both the elementary and secondary levels. It applies the microcomputer in teaching and learning, and it is the only such program in the country to incorporate a six-month paid internship in industry related to the student’s area of certification (for example, a prospective chemistry teacher might co-op at a chemical company).

Because the program requires that students have a B average in content courses needed for certification, the student’s content coursework is evaluated at the end of the sophomore year for formal admittance into the Teacher Preparation program. All students are expected to meet the B average requirement in content coursework before beginning pre-student field teaching experience. Students who fail to meet this requirement must take additional content coursework until the B average is met.

Students participate in two periods of direct teaching experience. The first period, in the junior year, consists of a ten-week field experience (EDUC 320 WI) through which students participate in limited teaching; on-campus coursework accompanies the field experience (EDUC 325 and EDUC 326 WI). In the senior year, students complete the 12-week student-teaching experience (EDUC 412 WI) required for certification. Students must receive a grade of at least B in student teaching and in all pedagogy coursework to be recommended for certification.

Students pursuing the appropriate majors in the College of Arts and Sciences may also complete the requirements for certification within their area of study. For more information, contact the Program Coordinator for the School of Education at 215-895-6770.

Writing-Intensive Course Requirements
In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. Transfer students need to meet with an academic advisor to review the number of writing-intensive courses required to graduate.

A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List on the Drexel University Writing Center page. Students scheduling their courses in Banner/DrexelOne can also conduct a search for courses with the attribute "WI" to bring up a list of all writing-intensive courses available that term.