Secondary Education - Subject Area Endorsement Requirements

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The subject area requirements for specific secondary school teaching endorsements are as follows:

English

Dr. Lindy Johnson

lljohnson@wm.edu; (757) 221-2333

Students who wish to teach English in secondary schools must meet subject area requirements. Specifically, students must complete a major in English that includes a minimum of 36 semester hours, 27 of these hours in courses above the 300 level and distributed as follows:

6 hours in British literature: one course in literature before 1800, and one course in literature after 1800.
6 hours in American literature covering a broad spectrum of American literary history.
3 hours in Shakespeare.
3 hours in the study of a genre.
3 hours in an upper level creative writing course, a course in advanced composition, or a course in the teaching of writing.
6 hours in linguistics (required: an introduction to linguistics; a course in the history of the English language.)
3 hours in world literature or documented evidence (course name and number, authors and texts) of world literatures studied in multiple courses.
3 hours in a course that heavily emphasizes the work of women writers or documented evidence (course name and number, authors and texts) of women writers studied in multiple courses.

Students who are accepted into the M.A. Ed. Programwith undergraduate program deficiencies must complete course work to remove these deficiencies before they are eligible for licensure.

Mathematics

Dr. Margie Mason
mmmaso@wm.edu; (757) 221-2327

Those students preparing to teach mathematics must possess an undergraduate major in Mathematics that includes a minimum of 38 semester hours. Coursework must include the following: Geometry, Introduction to Number Theory, Statistics, Calculus I & II, Multivariable Calculus, Linear Algebra, Abstract Algebra, Foundations of Math, Differential Equations and Operations, and Research-Deterministic Models. Students in mathematics education may add an Algebra I endorsement to their teaching license by completing the program outlined for “Algebra I Add-On Endorsement” listed in the Advanced Programs for Licensed Teachers section of this catalog.

Foreign Languages

Dr. Jason Chen
jachen@wm.edu; (757) 221-6201

Students who major in French, German, Spanish, or Latin may become certified to teach in K-12 schools by fulfilling the general studies and professional studies requirements in the teacher preparation program. (Non-majors may qualify for the foreign language education program by completing 30 semester hours above the intermediate level in the foreign language.) Subject area coursework in the foreign language for majors and non-majors shall include study of the language at advanced levels, linguistics, grammar/composition, culture (inclusive of history and geography), and literature. Native speakers of the foreign language must complete the following requirements in lieu of completing a major in the language:

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - If English is not the native language, students must achieve a minimum score of 100 on the internet version of the exam (or comparable score on other versions of the exam.) TOEFL scores MUST be submitted with the application, even if a degree was earned from a U.S. institution.
Achieve a rating of no less than Advanced Low on the ACTFL scale on both the Written Proficiency Test (WPT) and the Oral Proficiency Test (OPT). This test can be taken after admission to the program.
Provide evidence of post-secondary courses in the foreign language that include study of the language at advanced levels, linguistics, grammar/composition, culture (inclusive of history and geography), and literature.

Science

Dr. Meredith W. Kier

mwkier@wm.edu

Students at the College of William and Mary may satisfy Commonwealth of Virginia certification regulations to teach (1) Biology, (2) Chemistry, (3) Earth Science, or (4) Physics, by completing the following requirements:

Biology

An undergraduate major in biology (a minimum of 37 semester hours). In meeting the major requirements, students’ undergraduate programs must minimally include instruction in botany, zoology, ecology, physiology, evolution, genetics, cell biology, microbiology, biochemistry, and human biology.
One inorganic chemistry course with lab (4 credit hours); one organic chemistry course with lab (4 credit hours), and a course in physics (4 credit hours).
At least one calculus course.

Chemistry

An undergraduate major in chemistry (a minimum of 38 semester hours).
Preparation must have minimally included instruction in inorganic, organic, analytical and physical chemistry, and biochemistry.
A minimum of 16 hours in non-chemistry sciences including at least 1 biology course and 1 physics course.
At least one course in calculus.

Earth Science

An undergraduate major in geology, or environmental science (a minimum of 36 semester hours).
Preparation must have minimally included instruction in astronomy, meteorology, oceanography, and natural resources.
A minimum of 16 hours in non-geology sciences, including at least one biology, one chemistry, and one physics course.
At least one course in calculus.

Physics

1. An undergraduate major in physics (a minimum of 32 semester hours). In fulfilling the Physics major requirements, students must include the study of classical mechanics, electricity and magnetism, thermodynamics, waves, optics, atomic and nuclear physics, radiation and radioactivity, relativity and quantum mechanics.

2. A minimum of 16 hours in non-physics sciences, including at least a course in biology and a course in chemistry.

3. At least one course in calculus and introductory differential equations.

Social Studies

Dr. Jeremy Stoddard
jdstod@wm.edu; (757) 221-2348

Licensure in Social Studies allows students to teach History, Political Science (Government), and other subjects in the field of Secondary Social Sciences. The following subject area coursework is required for the social studies endorsement:

A major in History or Government (or equivalent 33 semester hours).
1. 12 hours in Government - needed for a History major (coursework must include at least 3 hours of American government or politics).
2. 18 hours in History - needed for a Government major (coursework must include at least 6 hours of American or US History).
3 hours in Economics (micro or macro).
3 hours in Human Geography.
3 hours in Non-Western History/Culture.
3 hours in Sociology.
3 hours in Anthropology.