Secondary Education Bachelors Degree - Communications

Teach middle and high school students skills that will last a lifetime.

Gain real-word experience and launch a rewarding teaching career with a bachelor's degree in communications education from PennWest California. This comprehensive program combines core education courses with communications classes, hands-on fieldwork and student teaching.

Program graduates meet all state education requirements necessary for Pennsylvania teaching certification and are prepared to teach grades 7-12 public and private schools.

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PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS - COMMUNICATIONS CONCENTRATION

Personal Attention
Work closely with secondary education professors who have experience as middle and high school teachers and can relate theory to real-life experiences. Our faculty members are available and approachable, provide personal assistance, and give you the resources you need for career success.

Competitive Edge
Enter student teaching with confidence. PennWest California students stand out in the secondary education job market because they complete three fieldwork experiences in local school districts before starting the student teaching component of this program.

Top Accreditation: This degree program is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. In addition, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accredits PennWest California. CAEP promotes excellence in educator preparation through quality assurance and continuous improvement. See CAEP reporting measures of program impact and outcomes.

$64^K

Average annual salary for secondary education teachers in Pennsylvania Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

165 ^years

PennWest California was founded as a teachers college. We have over 165 years of experience preparing top teachers.

Degree Benefits

Program degree courses will give you mastery of the latest practices and theories in communications and education.

Study communications curriculum development techniques.
Learn top strategies in classroom management.
Master classroom technology for teaching communications and learn how to connect to STEM.
Take video production, debate, acting, language arts and theater production classes.
Gain real-world teaching experience in Pennsylvania schools.

Graduate Outcomes

Graduate ready to teach secondary education communications and theater at public, private and charter schools. You'll also thrive in master's degree programs in education and teaching. PennWest California secondary education alumni have rewarding careers in teaching positions at dozens of schools in Pennsylvania and across the country.

Curriculum and Related Programs

Curriculum

Course	Credits
General Education Courses	40
Building a Sense of Community UNI 100 First-Year Seminar	1
Composition ENG 101 English Composition I	3
Public Speaking EDU 350 Supporting English Language Learners	3
Mathematics and Quantitative Literacy MAT Course	3
Health and Wellness Any Health and Wellness Course	3
Technological Literacy EDU 333 Technology in Teaching and Learning	3
Humanities ESP 210 Special Education Foundation and Collaboration	3
Fine Arts THE 150 Intro to Theatrical Design	3
Natural Sciences Any Natural Sciences Course with Lab	3
Social Sciences PSY 100 General Psychology	3
Ethics and Multicultural Awareness Emphasis EDU 310 Teaching in a Multicultural Society	3
General Education Options PSY 206 Adolescent Psychology MAT Course ENG 102 English Composition II	9

Required Concentration Courses	39
SEC 210 Intro to Secondary Ed	3
SEC 220 Standards-based Instruction	3
SEC 310 Instructional Strategies	3
SEC 350 Content Area Literacy	3
SEC 360 Technology Integration	3
SEC 392 Teaching of English	3
SEC 400 Classroom Management	3
SEC 420 Assessment and Interventions	3
SEC 460 Professional Practices	3
SEC 461 Student Teaching	12

Required Education Foundation Courses*	6
ESP 311 Assessment and Positive Interventions	3
ESP 413 Evidence-Based Practices	3

Related Content Courses	36
ENG 308 Research for Writers OR ENG 352 Studies in Writing	3
ENG 345 English Grammar and Usage OR ENG 347 Introduction to Linguistics	3
ENG 425 Shakespeare	3
ENG Literature Elective	3
CDC 101 Public Speaking	3
COM 230 Argumentation	3
COM 142 Video Production	3
COM 490 Communication Theory	3
THE 131 Fundamentals of Acting	3
THE 141 Stagecraft	3
THE 320 Fundamentals of Directing	3
THE 302, 304 OR 306	3

Total	121

Additional requirements not counted toward the General Education requirements and included in this program are:

Special Experience Course (1 course required): SEC 461 Student Teaching
Writing-Intensive Component Courses (2 courses required): SEC 420 Assessment and Interventions AND SEC 460 Professional Practices
Laboratory Course (1 course required): Natural Sciences Course with Lab

* EDU 333, 310, 350; PSY 206; and ESP 210 fulfill general education requirements but are also considered "Required Education Foundation Courses."

Program Notes: This is a professional program. All courses listed as program requirements must be passed with a grade of C or higher. Math and English courses must also be passed with a grade of C or higher. Many SEC courses are linked to include field experiences and must be taken together as co-requisites. LiveText software is a requirement of this program.

Related Programs

Student Success Story

Meet program alumni Jonathan Rohlf '16 and Jon Difilippo '16. Rohlf is teaching communications in a long-term substitute position and performing with the Pittsburgh CLO musical theater. Difilippo is teaching communications and English at Mapleton High School.

Course Spotlight: Assessment in English/Communication

Gain insight into the design, implementation and analysis of assessment instruments used in communications education. Study the trends and results of English/communications standards according to recent research.

Relationships with Pennsylvania Schools

Gain experience real-world settings. PennWest California maintains a network of Professional Development Schools (PDS) where you'll work directly with middle and high school teachers and students to gain applicable on-the-job experience

Secondary Education - Communications Concentration Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.)

About Secondary Education Communications Concentration