Secondary Education (B.A.)

ABOUT

Educate and guide children who are exploring challenging academic years by majoring in secondary education. This program prepares you to teach English, mathematics or history to students in grades 9-12. In addition, Clemson's secondary education degree is designed for you to earn a second major in your content area, all within four years. From the moment you step foot into our classrooms, you’ll be a part of diversified field experiences that will sharpen your skills. Our top-level faculty are recognized for their excellence in teaching, and we focus on engaging and thought-provoking inquiry-based teaching and learning, intensive preparation in the content disciplines, ongoing interdisciplinary collaboration and community outreach. 

FAST FACTS

  • We have the largest secondary education program in South Carolina.
  • The program is accredited by the National Council of Teachers of English, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, National Council for the Social Studies and Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, formerly NCATE.
  • Our students exceed more than 100 field hours prior to student teaching.
  • Our 72-day student teaching internship exceeds the state's certification requirements for student teaching by 12 days.

WHAT YOU'LL STUDY

Field experiences and clinical practice are critical components that allow you to apply your knowledge, skills and dispositions in a variety of settings. All field experiences are monitored to ensure that you have a chance to work with exceptional students and students from different ethnic, racial, gender and socioeconomic groups. The experiences represent a variety of early and ongoing school-based opportunities in which you may observe, assist, tutor, instruct or conduct applied research. These experiences extend the South Carolina Assisting, Developing and Evaluating Professional Teaching (ADEPT) performance standards into practice in school settings. Our focus is on meeting the needs of all the children you will teach.

The secondary education degree is designed for you to obtain a double major in secondary education and your chosen content area — English, history or mathematical sciences.

English Teaching Area: Students who select this area will typically teach high school English, but depending on the school offerings, you may also be able to teach electives involving literature and comp topics. An additional course is required to be qualified to teach advanced placement (AP) English.

Mathematics Teaching Area: Students who select this area will typically teach algebra, geometry, probability and statistics, or pre-calculus, but depending on the school offerings, you may also be able to teach electives in mathematics. An additional course is required to be qualified to teach AP calculus.

Social Studies (History) Teaching Area: Students who select this area will typically teach history, but depending on the school offerings, you may also be able to teach economics, psychology or sociology. An additional course is required to be qualified to teach AP history.

Popular Minors

  • Modern Languages (Spanish)

EXPERIENCES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

The College of Education is committed to providing all students with purposeful, challenging and diverse experiences. It is through a range of carefully constructed, challenging and classroom-based instruction and field-based experiences that students recognize the inherent dignity and value of all individuals, promote equity in education and advocate on behalf of children, families and communities.

The Inquiry in Motion Institute seeks to improve the motivation, potential and achievement of students and teachers using rigorous learning experiences. This research gives Clemson students strategies for improving student performance.
Maymester in Italy provides a cross-cultural experience for education majors. You'll be exposed to Italian culture and approach to education, while living with an Italian family and working with local teachers and students.
Casio America Inc. has named Clemson as its Center of Academic Training. Casio's programs enrich the mathematics classroom and use graphing calculator technology to foster investigations and deeper understanding of mathematical concepts.
The Emerging Scholars program provides outreach to disadvantaged students. Clemson students participate as program advisers who lead discussions, assist with registration and share personal experiences to encourage these students.
Madison Sandway talks about her impression of Clemson education faculty.

AFTER GRADUATION

Your college decision isn't really about the next four years. We get it. It's about what doors are opened by your degree and whether those opportunities are what you had envisioned for yourself. Here's a snapshot of what life after graduation looks like for some of our most recent students.

RECENT EMPLOYERS

  • History Teacher

    Richland School District 2, S.C.

  • Mathematics Teacher

    Berkeley County School District, S.C.

  • English Teacher

    Greenville County Schools, S.C.

  • English Teacher

    School District of Oconee County, S.C.

  • Social Studies Teacher

    Anderson School District Five, S.C.

RECENT POSTGRADUATE STUDIES

  • M.Ed. Teaching and Learning

    Clemson University

  • J.D.

    Vanderbilt University

  • M.S.Ed. Education Policy

    University of Pennsylvania

COMMON CAREER AREAS

    • Most graduates go on to teach in the state and region, while some continue with graduate education.
    • High School (ninth through 12 grades)

FIND OUT MORE

Have more questions or want more information? Fill out the form below, which goes directly to the following department contact. If you’d also like to receive general University information from Clemson’s admissions office, please follow the link to the right and sign up to join our mailing list.

Jamie Garland

Academic Adviser
864-656-3180
jgarlan@clemson.edu

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