Western Carolina University’s degree program in English education is for students who love language and literature and want to make a difference by teaching. These teachers-in-training acquire their skills and hands-on experience under the guidance of dedicated professors and full-time mentors. Best of all, graduates earn two degrees, which gives them plenty of job choices after graduation. Graduates’ placement rate is high. In fact, those with outstanding records who actively seek work tend to find jobs in areas of need fairly quickly--often in the first summer after they graduate. In some cases, they even have jobs before they graduate.
The program allows students to combine a firm foundation in the classics and grammar with the flexibility to study what they love. The curriculum features courses in literature, composition, grammar, TESOL and Shakespeare. Following intensive, guided preparation, all students complete a required year-long teaching internship that readies them for the final student-teaching semester. Students who seek the Bachelor of Science in Education must have a coordinating major in English. The English studies pedagogy concentration aligns best with the degree’s curriculum and requirements, which is why most English education majors choose it. However, majors may choose a different concentration such as literature, professional writing or motion picture studies.
The program’s dual degrees in English education lead graduates to teach the English language arts in grades 9-12 at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Graduates can also teach in community colleges and private schools. In addition to schools and colleges, graduates may find employment with county or city boards of education, employment agencies, private learning centers, and other businesses related to education such as publishing, sales or computer programming. They may also choose to pursue graduate-level study in order to deepen their knowledge and further expand their career possibilities.