Major Requirements (50 credits + 29 credits for STEP)
Minimum GPA for Graduation: 2.75 within major courses; 2.0 USU cumulative (3.0 USU cumulative required for admission to STEP); 2.75 career total (for licensure)
Minimum Grade Accepted: C (no pass/fail) in major courses; C in STEP courses
Credits in Residence: Students must complete 21 credits of major-applicable coursework at Utah State University.
Other Requirements: STEP (typically requires three semesters; see TEAL website and advisors for STEP advising) required for licensure, and ENGL 1410 .
Licensure Notification
This program typically leads to licensure and was designed to meet licensing qualifications in the state of Utah. If students wish to work in another state within the United States, they should review the qualifications for that state and the Education Licensure Compliance Table provided by School of Teacher Education and Leadership.
For more information, please contact the School of Teacher Education and Leadership at https://cehs.usu.edu/teal/
Additional Information
In addition to the required Exploratory courses, students take 18 credits in literature courses in order to acquire an understanding of the traditional literary canon, literary diversity, and current theoretical approaches to understanding literature. Students take 16 credits in pedagogy to learn about curriculum, planning, instructional delivery, assessment, and related topics. ENGL 3500 and ENGL 4520 require admission to the STEP program. Students also take three credits of linguistics coursework.
Students are urged to complete the required Exploratory courses and an additional six credits of English before taking ENGL 4500 and ENGL 4510 . When possible, students should complete all of their required 3000-level courses before taking 4000-level courses.
To obtain professional licensure at graduation, students must fulfill the requirements of the Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP) prescribed by the Secondary Education Program of the School of Teacher Education and Leadership (TEAL).
This is for the English teaching emphasis only. To obtain a secondary teaching license for grades 6-12, students must complete the 35-credit Secondary Teacher Education Program (STEP), which includes one semester of student teaching in a public school. This program is administered by USU’s School of Teacher Education and Leadership (TEAL) within the Emma Eccles Jones College of Education and Human Services. Students must apply to the School of TEAL the semester before taking STEP courses. This is usually the fall of their junior year. Students learn subject content through the English Department and spend the last year or two studying education techniques through the STEP program.
Students in the English teaching program are required to select an approved teaching minor to expand their career options.
Open Electives
Total elective credit is determined by General Education courses taken, degree type selected, additional credits earned, and any additional math or other prerequisite courses needed. Please consult your Academic Advisor for details.