Secondary Education Major
This program prepares candidates to teach at the middle or high school level, 6th-12th grade, by pairing rigorous content classes with solid pedagogy and teaching strategies.
Is This Program for Me?
Called to make a difference, candidates for this program enjoy working with adolescents. Typically, they are good motivators with a healthy sense of humor. Without doubt, secondary education majors are lifelong learners who have a passion for English, Social Studies (History and Geography), Math, and world languages.
What Will I Learn?
The secondary education program equips future teachers to be highly skilled and innovative educators by pairing rigorous content classes with solid teaching strategies. Specifically, understanding is gained in the following areas.
- Adolescent Development
- Instructional Planning and Assessment
- Teaching Methods and Materials
- Meeting the Needs of Diverse Learners
- Integrating Technology in the Classroom
Skills are applied as future teachers manage classroom instruction and student behavior and learn to effectively communicate with students and parents during field and clinical experiences in Grade 6-12 school settings.
“Secondary is very flexible. They work with us on scheduling every year, making sure we can get in our content courses as well as our education courses.”
—Eulaya Erb, Class of ‘21
What Makes Us Different?
Double Major
Secondary Education students have the unique opportunity to graduate in four years with a teacher certification and a bachelor's degree in the following content areas:
- English Language Arts Certification and BA in English
- General Social Studies Certification and BA in History
- Math Certification and BS in Mathematics
- World Languages Certification and BA in French, German or Spanish
Clinical Observations
Starting as early as freshman year, candidates begin their clinical observations in schools, many times also observing a coach or sponsor of an extracurricular activity of interest.
Career Preparation
This program gets students off campus and in real 6-12 classroom settings begining as early as their freshman year. Class by class, throughout the program, clinical observations in both middle and high schools allow students to experience meaningful and purposeful planning, co-teaching and teaching responsibilities.
Career Opportunities
Our program graduates have gone on to teach, coach and sponsor student activities. Many pursue graduate school, in either teaching or their specific content area. Various jobs include teaching/coaching in public and private schools, mission work, school administration (principals, superintendents, athletic directors, school counseling) and teaching in higher education (i.e. professorship roles).
Double majors can also use their content degrees for jobs outside of education. In recent years, we’ve had English education majors become editors/writers for online blogs and websites, history education majors go on to work in museums and math education majors to pursue graduate school in the biomedical field.
Internships & Fellowships
The student-teaching/internship semester is the final experience in teacher education. The internship experience includes 15 weeks of student teaching and may be taken in the final semester (fall or spring). It is here when students truly get a taste of the daily life of an educator. Student placements may be in public, private, middle or high schools. With advanced notice, and faculty approval, students can also request to do internships abroad/out of the immediate Samford area.
The Secondary Education program provides opportunities for students to explore teaching abroad through organizations such as the Network of International Christian Schools, Oasis International Schools, and the Consortium for Global Education.
