Quick Facts
- Delivery: On Campus
- Credits: 90
- Experience: Hands-on learning in area of teaching interest and courses that provide pedagogical knowledge and fulfill other professional requirements of the teacher education program
Are you interested in becoming not just a teacher, but an English teacher? Are you interested in revolutionizing what it means to be a teacher?
Ball State’s major in teaching English language arts will prepare you for a career in secondary school teaching. As a student, you will take content courses both in English and communications as well as courses focusing on the methods and strategies for the classroom, all under the guidance of our dedicated, experienced faculty who have extensive backgrounds as public school and education scholars.
Students who successfully complete the program, which includes a semester of student teaching, are licensed to teach secondary English/Language Arts and Communications in Indiana schools.
What’s It Like to Major in Teaching English Language Arts
You’ll take classes that are specific for learning to teach English.
Our program delivers its curriculum two-fold:
- general education courses from our nationally ranked Teachers College
- content and content-specific education courses from the Department of English
See major requirements to learn more about the courses we offer.
The extracurricular English Education Club offers both:
- professional activities—mock interviews, reading clubs, and tutoring
- social activities—bowling, barbecues, book exchanges
Club members also can travel to the annual conference for the National Council for Teachers of English. In past years, students have visited Boston, Washington DC, San Antonio, and Atlanta to attend the conference.
Find more details about the club.
Our department offers many amazing experiences to all English majors, and you’ll have all those same opportunities in this program.
Students regularly:
- attend professional readings from visiting writers
- participate in writing communities and immersive learning projects
- attend career-focused events such as the Stars-to-Steer by series
Explore all of our activities and opportunities.
You’ll dive into this major from the very beginning through field experiences built into the first-year curriculum. You’ll spend time in middle and high schools, making lasting connections with students and teachers while learning what it feels like to have an impact on schools and the community.
See major requirements to learn more about the courses we offer.
You’ll enjoy close interaction and mentorship directly from our faculty, who teach all the major’s methods, reading, and young adult literature courses.
Also, as a student in the program, you’ll have the privilege of working with English/Language arts faculty who supervise their own students during the student-teaching experience.
Read profiles of our faculty:
As a student in our secondary education program, you’ll benefit from experiences and expertise of your home department, taking courses in content and content pedagogy—the methods and practices for teaching specific content—and learning from experts in the field of your chosen teaching major. In Teachers College, you’ll explore other important aspects of teaching and interact with teaching majors in other disciplines. Learn more about the Teachers College.
Student Teaching
As the culmination of the program, you will have the opportunity to complete your required student teaching experience in a variety of diverse settings. These include teaching in schools around the states of Indiana, and Texas, as well as in Germany or on a Native American reservation. Learn more.
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Take the Next Step
If you’d like to learn more about our English degree, complete our online form. Or one of the best ways to get a true feel for Ball State is to see it for yourself, so schedule a visit today! And if you’re ready to apply, review our admission requirements and complete our online application.