Language Arts Education
Description
Students who are passionate about written and spoken language and desire to teach others will find OU's nationally recognized Language Arts Education program a good mixture of literature and communication courses and hands-on classroom experiences. Beginning with the first course taken in the Education curriculum, students complete 100 hours in middle and high school classrooms tutoring and observing before they begin student teaching.
These field experiences prepare students for student-teaching internships during either the certification or graduate portion of their education. During these internships, students observe, prepare lesson plans and teach. The student teaching programs typically last 16 weeks. Students are allowed to request a school and even a specific teacher.
The Language Arts Education curriculum is designed so that students will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in four years. If students wish to be certified to teach, they can choose to complete a semester-long certification process or they can continue their education and receive a master's degree in education. Students receive certification to become English/language arts teachers in middle or junior highs and high schools.
Degree Options
A Language Arts Education student graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Education. A student could also pursue a Master of Education, a Doctor of Philosophy or a Doctor of Education degree. Students who pursue a master's degree may be certified as reading specialists.
Accreditation and Rankings
The Language Arts Education program is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education and the National Council of Teachers of English, a specialty organization.
In 2007, U.S. News and World Report ranked the College of Education 40th among the best graduate programs in the nation.
Notable Achievements
Language Arts Education faculty members serve in numerous professional organizations. Many of them are also published authors. In addition, several Education faculty members serve on editorial boards for prestigious academic publications
Education students can participate in organizations including Kappa Delta Pi, an honor society that recognizes outstanding contributions to education, and the Student Council for Exceptional Children, which provides professional growth opportunities through field experiences
Interests and Skills
Language Arts Education students typically have interests in spoken and written language. They usually enjoy writing and reading. Education students also enjoy working with middle and high school students. High school preparation should include working to strengthen writing skills through personal and literary work and tutoring or working with middle and high school students.
This page last updated: Oct 27, 2009