Overview
Narrative
The Secondary Education major is designed for students who intend to teach English, a foreign language, history, social studies, or social science, at the high school level.
Students interested in becoming an art teacher should refer to the Individualized Transfer Studies major which is the pathway from NCC to Kutztown University for art education.
The need for dedicated, caring, and highly skilled teachers in our nation's schools is greater than ever before. Northampton is committed to providing an excellent foundation for students preparing to major in secondary education when they transfer to a four-year college or university.
The College offers the first two years of the baccalaureate degree program. Completion of the Associate in Arts Degree with a major in Secondary Education allows for a smooth transition to a four-year institution. At the transfer institution students will take advanced courses leading to a degree and certification for grades 7 through 12.
Features
The Secondary Education major provides students with a strong foundation in mathematics, science, language arts, and social sciences. Students start their professional courses with EDUC115 Education for All Students, EDUC260G Adolescent Development and Cognition, and SPED160 Introduction to Special Education. All teachers need to be able to work with special education students, and with students who have limited English proficiency. Northampton's program integrates content related to special education and English language learners (ELL).
Students should determine which subject area they intend to teach in high school, and work with their college advisor to select courses based upon the area of specialization and the institution to which they will transfer to complete the junior and senior years of the bachelor's degree. Students will take a significant number of courses at NCC related to the subject they will teach.
We encourage secondary education majors to start thinking about their transfer institution as soon as possible so courses can be selected that provide a smooth transition from one college to the next.
The Secondary Education major is offered on both the Bethlehem and Monroe campuses. All of the courses for this degree are available in the day time, and many of them are offered through evening courses.