Major Requirements
The English Adolescence Education program offers a strong foundation in English content and pedagogy--and particularly stand-out preparation in the skills and knowledge required not just to teach, but to teach English. The program also offers a close-knit community: small classes, supportive faculty, and classmates who will form your support network at Fredonia and beyond.
Major Requirements
- Students may enter the major upon acceptance into Fredonia either as first-year students or transfers from other colleges.
- All English Adolescence Education majors must complete at least 36 credit hours at Fredonia in order to graduate, of which at least 21 credit hours must be taken within the major.
- All English Adolescence Education majors must complete at least 24 credit hours at or above the 300 level within the major.
- The BA in English Adolescence Education requires a minimum of 84 credit hours of courses selected according to the outline given below. In special circumstances, a particular course requirement may be waived and another course substituted--though state requirements limit which courses are eligible for waivers. Students seeking a waiver of a particular course requirement should consult their advisors and complete a Degree Exception Request form; approval for such waivers is granted by the English Department chairperson or designee.
- All majors must complete at least 66 credit hours outside the English (ENGL) major in order to graduate. Credits earned for ENGL 100 (Craft of Writing) do not count toward the major, but do count as credit hours outside the major. Credits transferred as ENGL 099 do not count toward the major, but do count as hours outside the major. ENED and EDU courses count toward the 66 hour requirement.
- Students may count up to 6 credit hours of internships and independent studies toward the major.
- English Adolescence Education majors are required to earn at least a C+ in each required English and English Education course and to maintain an overall GPA of 3.0. In addition to these courses (which are listed below), Adolescence Education majors must also take the following courses, achieving an average of 2.50: EDU 224, EDU 250, EDU 251, EDU 303, EDU 304, and EDU 349.
- Candidates are expected to demonstrate professional dispositions as part of their program requirements. Students should see the English department website for more information regarding dispositions for the English Adolescence Education program.
- English Adolescence Education majors are exempt from the minor requirement.
- Candidates in all education programs will complete training under the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA).
- New York State mandates that Adolescence Education majors demonstrate competence in a language other than English (American Sign Language, French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish). The General Education foreign language requirement meets the certification requirement. Proficiency requirement met by the following:
- Fredonia Placement Exam determination of Fredonia Foundations courses 100 and 110 in the same World Language or course 110 (or higher) in World Language.
- Proficiency may also be fulfilled by qualifying AP, IB, CLEP Exam scores or transferred courses of Elem I and Elem II of the same language, as verified by the Registrar's Office.
NOTE: New York State Regents’ revisions of programs in Adolescence Education may result in changes in requirements, and these changes may affect current as well as future English Adolescence Education majors.
See Education for certification information.
Screening: Once specific program requirements (listed below) have been met, students will be eligible for a screening interview given by a panel of English Adolescence Education faculty. A successful screening interview (along with meeting program requirements) allows students to begin taking graduate coursework in the fourth year. Screening interviews allow students to demonstrate their mastery of key pedagogical, content, and disposition issues related to English Adolescence Education. To be eligible for screening, a student must have at least junior-level standing (approximately 75 earned credit hours); an overall GPA of 3.0; successful completion (C+ or higher) in at least two of the following courses: ENED 250 Literacy and Technology, ENED 355 Adolescent Literature, ENED 356 Teaching Writing in the Secondary School, and ENED 357 Literacy, Language, Learning Theory. Screening occurs during the spring of a student's third year. Upon successful completion of screening, students will become "candidates" and will be admitted into the professional year. The professional year is comprised of five English Education courses available only to those who have become candidates. These are also described below.
To be eligible for screening, a student must have:
- at least junior-level standing (approximately 75 earned credit hours);
- an overall GPA of 3.0;
- successful completion (C+ or higher) in at least two of the following courses: ENED 250 Literacy and Technology, ENED 355 Adolescent Literature, ENED 356 Teaching Writing in the Secondary School, and ENED 357 Literacy, Language, Learning Theory.
Students will be notified in writing within two weeks after their screening whether they will move forward into the professional year. Student admitted to candidacy will take ENED 450, Senior Seminar and ENED 451 Methods for English Education during fall of their senior year, and ENED 452 Inquiries in Student Teaching, ENED 454 Student Teaching in the Secondary School - English High School (Student Teaching), and ENED 455 Student Teaching in the Secondary School - English Middle School (Student Teaching) during the spring of their senior year. Students who do not pass screening are given several options that may allow them to attempt screening the following year. Students who fail screening are not eligible to enroll in ENED 450, ENED 451, ENED 452, ENED 454, or ENED 455.
NOTE: New York State Regents’ revisions of programs in Adolescence Education may result in changes in requirements, and these changes may affect current as well as future English Adolescence Education majors.
See Education for certification information.
English Content Courses:
| ENGL 106 | Introduction to Literary Studies | 3 |
| ENGL 206 | Survey of American Literature | 3 |
| ENGL 213 | Texts and Contexts | 3 |
| WRTG 367 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| WRTG 372 | Grammar and Style for Writers | 3 |
| or | |
| ENGL 373 | English Grammar for Everyone | 3 |
| ENED 413 | Teaching Shakespeare | 3 |
| or | |
| ENGL 412 | Shakespeare: Romances and Comedies | 3 |
| or | |
| ENGL 414 | Shakespeare: Histories and Tragedies | 3 |
| World Literature course | 3 |
| British Literature Course | 3 |
| | 6 Credit Hours of Literature Electives | 6 |
| | 6 Credit Hours of ENGL or WRTG Electives | 6 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 36 |
NOTE:
- British Literature and World Literature courses: for lists of courses in these categories, please see the English BA catalog page
- At least two electives must be at the 300/400 level
- The British Literature requirement cannot be fulfilled by taking a second Shakespeare course
English Pedagogy Courses:
Candidates in the English Adolescence Education program count the following courses as part of the 66 credit hours outside their major discipline:
| ENED 101 | Introduction to English Adolescence Education | 1 |
| ENED 201 | Engaged Teaching in English Adolescence Education | 1 |
| ENED 250 | Literacy and Technology | 3 |
| ENED 301 | Reflective Teaching in English Adolescence Education | 1 |
| ENED 355 | Adolescent Literature | 3 |
| ENED 356 | Teaching Writing in the Secondary School | 3 |
| ENED 357 | Literacy/Language/Learning Theory | 3 |
| ENED 450 | Seminar for Teachers of English | 3 |
| ENED 451 | Methods for English Education | 3 |
| ENED 452 | Inquiries in Student Teaching | 3 |
| ENED 454 | Student Teaching in the Secondary School-English High School | 6 |
| ENED 455 | Student Teaching in the Secondary School-English Middle School | 6 |
| ENED 465 | Undergraduate Methods Field Experience-English Education | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 37 |
Education Courses:
| EDU 224 | Adolescent Development | 3 |
| EDU 250 | Introduction to the Exceptional Learner | 3 |
| EDU 251 | Practicum in Inclusive Education II | 1 |
| EDU 303 | Safe Schools/Healthy Students-DASA: Safety Education/Fire and Arson/School Violence | 1 |
| EDU 304 | Safe Schools & Healthy Students | 1 |
| EDU 349 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 12 |