About The Program
If a perfect afternoon means getting lost in the plot of a well-written book, you might consider teaching a love of literature and great storytelling as an English educator in grades 6-12. Our program builds on your undergraduate English program, and it extends beyond introducing students to a wealth of literature to helping them master the art of effective thinking, writing and speaking. Your program includes practical in-classroom experience.
Career Paths
- English Teacher (Middle or High School)
- Adult Education Teacher
- Literacy Program Coordinator
- Curriculum Developer (specializing in English)
- Educational Consultant (specializing in English)
- Instructional Coach (focusing on English)
- Reading Specialist
- Private English Tutor
- Educational Program Director
- Online English Instructor
- Teacher Trainer (focusing on English)
- Content Developer for Educational Publishing
- English Department Chair
- Education Policy Analyst (focusing on English education)
At a Glance
Degree Earned
Master of Teaching (M.T.)
Credits: 33
Application Semesters and Deadlines
Fall and Summer: February 1
Spring: October 1
Late applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Program Modality
In-person
Estimated Completion Time
Full-time (9-15 credits): average completion in 3 semesters
Part-time (1-8 credits): average completion in 5 semesters
*Note: Student Teaching for secondary teachers is Spring only
Our program meets both initial teacher licensure requirements in Virginia, as well as for early intervention certification.
Admission requirements
| Degree: | Semester(s) of entry: | Deadline dates: | Test requirements: |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.T. | Fall | Feb 1 | |
| Spring | Oct 1 | ||
| Summer | Feb 1 |
In addition to the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School, the following requirements represent the minimum acceptable standards for admission:
- Minimum GPA of 3.0
- Bachelor’s degree with a major, or equivalent, in English
- Three letters of recommendation addressing the student’s potential for graduate study in education
- Statement of intent
- Transcripts of all previous college work
Additionally, there are several tests that students must pass for admission to teacher preparation, admission to student teaching and licensure in Virginia. Admission to clinical experiences in schools requires a background check and fingerprinting.
Please visit the School of Education website for further information.
Degree requirements
In addition to general VCU Graduate School graduation requirements, students are required to complete course work in core and elective courses.
- Credit hour requirements: Students are required to complete a minimum of 34 credit hours.
- Grade requirements: Receipt of a grade of C or below in two courses constitutes automatic dismissal from the program. Courses with a grade below C cannot be used to satisfy degree requirements.
- Initial licensure milestone requirements: Students must successfully complete all initial licensure milestone requirements. Those not able to complete these requirements may pursue a non-licensure option.
Curriculum requirements
Undergraduate course
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying course | ||
| EDUS 301 EDUS 301. Human Development and Learning. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. A study of human development through the life span with special emphasis on child and adolescent psychology, the nature of learning and basic concepts of learning theories. | Human Development and Learning | 3 |
Graduate courses
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core courses | ||
| EDUS 673 EDUS 673. Democracy, Equity and Ethics in Education. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. This course is designed to engage participants in a critical exploration of education issues and inequities within sociocultural, historical and philosophical contexts. Students will examine the relationship between an increasingly diverse society and democracy in education. The course will also develop strategies for participants to understand the ethical obligations of educational professionals and to become active agents for democratic, equity-oriented schools. | Democracy, Equity and Ethics in Education | 3 |
| TEDU 588 TEDU 588. Classroom Management. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Designed to assist teachers in becoming effective classroom managers. Emphasis on application of classroom management, motivational and instructional theories. Models of classroom management explored; personal management plans developed. | Classroom Management | 3 |
| TEDU 672 TEDU 672. Internship I: ____. 4 Hours.
Semester course; 4 practicum hours. 4 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Prerequisites: Passing scores on Praxis II examination and Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment. Enrollment is restricted by permission of the adviser. For early and elementary education, secondary education and art education. Study and integration of theory with practice in clinical or off-campus settings supervised by an approved professional and university faculty. May include seminars, selected readings, projects and other activities designed and evaluated by supervising faculty. Students must consult with their adviser to determine the correct section. | Internship I: ____ | 4 |
| TEDU 674 TEDU 674. Internship II: ____. 1-6 Hours.
Semester course; 1-6 practicum hours. 1-6 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of four credits. Prerequisite: Passing scores on Praxis examination. Enrollment is restricted by permission of the adviser. For early and elementary education, secondary education and art education. Study and integration of theory with practice in clinical or off-campus settings supervised by an approved professional and university faculty member. May include seminars, selected readings, projects and other activities designed and evaluated by supervising faculty. | Internship II: ____ | 4 |
| TEDU 681 TEDU 681. Instruction, Assessment and the Teaching Profession: ____. 1-3 Hours.
Semester course; 1-3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid. May be repeated for a maximum of nine credits. Enrollment is restricted by permission of the adviser. For curriculum and instruction, secondary social studies, secondary science, secondary English, secondary mathematics and elementary education. A course designed to familiarize educational professionals with strategies for organizing learning experiences and creating, selecting and implementing valid and reliable classroom-based formative and summative assessments of student learning. The class provides opportunities for interpreting valid assessments across diverse formats to gauge students' mastery of essential skills, and analyzing assessment data to enhance instructional strategies and student outcomes. The course also focuses on professionalism, ethical standards, personal integrity and the legal status of teachers and students, including federal and state laws and regulations. Special note: Despite the connection to student teaching and the demands of such being acknowledged, the lecture is a course with requirements that cannot be waived or abridged. | Instruction, Assessment and the Teaching Profession: ____ (must be taken concurrently with TEDU 672 TEDU 672. Internship I: ____. 4 Hours.
Semester course; 4 practicum hours. 4 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credits. Prerequisites: Passing scores on Praxis II examination and Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment. Enrollment is restricted by permission of the adviser. For early and elementary education, secondary education and art education. Study and integration of theory with practice in clinical or off-campus settings supervised by an approved professional and university faculty. May include seminars, selected readings, projects and other activities designed and evaluated by supervising faculty. Students must consult with their adviser to determine the correct section. TEDU 674. Internship II: ____. 1-6 Hours.
Semester course; 1-6 practicum hours. 1-6 credits. May be repeated for a maximum of four credits. Prerequisite: Passing scores on Praxis examination. Enrollment is restricted by permission of the adviser. For early and elementary education, secondary education and art education. Study and integration of theory with practice in clinical or off-campus settings supervised by an approved professional and university faculty member. May include seminars, selected readings, projects and other activities designed and evaluated by supervising faculty. | 3 |
| Secondary concentration courses | ||
| TEDU 537 TEDU 537. Inclusive Curriculum in Secondary Schools. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Studies the background and objectives of the contemporary secondary school; basic issues, current trends and practices in curriculum construction and instructional planning are examined with an emphasis on the inclusion of students with different abilities and disabilities. | Inclusive Curriculum in Secondary Schools | 3 |
| TEDU 510 TEDU 510. Instructional Technology in PK-12 Environments. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 2 lecture hours (delivered online). 2 credits. Prerequisite: EDUS 301, PSYC 301 or PSYC 304 with a minimum grade of C. An introduction to effectively integrating technology into pK-12 instruction to improve student learning outcomes. Students will have hands-on experiences with a variety of current instructional technologies and learn how to integrate these technologies into their practice using research-driven theoretical frameworks. This online course models effective virtual teaching methods that can be utilized in hybrid and fully online environments. Students will design technology-rich instructional modules that can be utilized to improve student learning in their content areas, as well as develop personal learning networks that will continue to provide them with informal and independent learning opportunities well after the conclusion of the course. | Instructional Technology in PK-12 Environments | 2 |
| TEDU 562 TEDU 562. Reading Instruction in the Content Areas. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prepares teachers to apply skills and methods of reading instruction to content areas in elementary, middle and secondary school curricula. Includes theoretical bases and methodology for incorporating reading skills and strategies within content areas of instruction. | Reading Instruction in the Content Areas | 3 |
| or ENGL 601 ENGL 601. Young Adult Literature. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Examination of literature written for young adults, literature appropriate for young people in middle schools and high schools. Focuses on the content, characteristics and teaching of such literature. Crosslisted as: ENED 601. | Young Adult Literature | |
| TEDU 548 TEDU 548. Teaching Secondary School English. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Prerequisites: EDUS 301 and admission to teacher preparation or permission of instructor. Studies teaching strategies, materials and objectives for literature, language and composition; developing and organizing English instruction; applying learning theory; examining evaluation strategies; questioning techniques; and classroom management. | Teaching Secondary School English | 3 |
| TEDU 612 TEDU 612. Middle School Practicum. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 2 practicum hours (delivered online or face-to-face). 2 credits. Corequisite: TEDU 537. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to a teacher preparation program. A field placement that precedes student teaching/internship. Includes planned observations, tutorials and small-group involvement. Graded as pass/fail. | Middle School Practicum | 2 |
| TEDU 613 TEDU 613. High School Practicum. 1 Hour.
Semester course; 1 practicum hour (delivered online or face-to-face) 1 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students admitted to the Master of Teaching with a concentration in secondary education program. A field placement that precedes student teaching/internship. Includes planned observations, tutorials and small-group involvement. Graded as pass/fail. | High School Practicum | 1 |
| TEDU 652 TEDU 652. Methods for Teaching Multilingual Learners. 3 Hours.
Semester course; 3 lecture hours (delivered online, face-to-face or hybrid). 3 credits. Provides students who plan to teach people whose native language is not English with a variety of instructional/learning strategies. Presents and explores current approaches and methodology, as these relate to linguistic features and pedagogy. | Methods for Teaching Multilingual Learners | 3 |
| Total Hours | 34 | |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this degree is 34.
The VCU Bulletin is the official source for academic course and program information.
The School of Education (SOE) degree programs that lead to professional licensure are designed to prepare students to meet the requirements for professional licensure in the Commonwealth of Virginia as outlined by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). The SOE has determined that the curriculum includes applicable educational prerequisites for the following professional licensure(s) and/or certification(s) as outlined on this page of our website.