Major in Middle School Education
This is a screened program. Please see the admission requirements for additional information.
Students interested in teaching Middle School students (Grades 4-9) should contact the Department of Secondary & Middle School Education. Middle School Education majors must select two content areas from the following: English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies/History, which leads to Maryland State Teacher Certification in Middle School in both of the content areas selected. The Pass (PS) grading option may not be used for any of the courses listed below.
Minimum requirements for admission into teacher education programs, maintaining candidate status and formal entry into the capstone internship are outlined on the Standards for Teacher Education page in the Undergraduate Catalog.
Mathematics Content Required Courses
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| MATH 215 | RATIONAL NUMBERS AND PROPORTIONAL REASONING FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHERS | 4 |
| MATH 225 | ALGEBRA AND NUMBER CONCEPTS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS | 4 |
| MATH 231 | BASIC STATISTICS | 3 |
| MATH 236 | PROBABILITY AND STATISTICS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER PREPARATION | 1 |
| MATH 255 | GEOMETRY FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS | 4 |
| MATH 273 | CALCULUS I | 4 |
| MATH 325 | MATHEMATICAL PROBLEM SOLVING FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS | 3 |
| Content Methods | ||
| MATH 424 | SCHOOL-BASED METHODS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHING | 2 |
| MATH 425 | MATHEMATICS TEACHING IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 3 |
| Total Units | 28 | |
Science Content Required Courses
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 120 & 120L | PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY [LECTURE] and PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGY [LAB] | 4 |
| BIOL 301 | FIELD AND NATURAL SCIENCE | 3 |
| CHEM 121 & 121L | ALLIED HEALTH CHEMISTRY I LECTURE and ALLIED HEALTH CHEMISTRY I LABORATORY | 4 |
| GEOG 101 | PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY | 3 |
| PHYS 205 | PHYSICS FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS | 3 |
| PHSC 206 | EARTH-SPACE SCIENCE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS | 3 |
| SCIE 355 | TEACHING ENGINEERING DESIGN IN SCIENCE EDUCATION | 2 |
| Content Methods | ||
| SCIE 381 | TEACHING SCIENCE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL | 3 |
| Total Units | 25 | |
Social Studies Content Required Courses
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ANTH 207 | CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY | 3 |
| or ANTH 209 | ANTHROPOLOGY OF AMERICAN CULTURE | |
| ECON 201 | MICROECONOMIC PRINCIPLES | 3 |
| GEOG 102 | WORLD REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY | 3 |
| or GEOG 105 | GEOGRAPHY OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS | |
| GEOG 109 | INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN GEOGRAPHY | 3 |
| HIST 145 | HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE CIVIL WAR | 3 |
| HIST 146 | HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES SINCE THE CIVIL WAR | 3 |
| or HIST 102 | EUROPE: FROM THE AGE OF CAESAR TO THE AGE OF CALVIN, FIRST TO SEVENTEENTH CENTURY | |
| HIST 160 | WORLD HISTORY BEFORE 1300 | 3 |
| HIST 161 | WORLD HISTORY SINCE 1300 | 3 |
| POSC 103 | AMERICAN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT | 3 |
| SOCI 101 | INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY | 3 |
| SOSC 401 | TOPICS IN SOCIAL SCIENCE | 3 |
| Content Methods | ||
| MSED 365 | TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 3 |
| Total Units | 36 | |
English Content Required Courses
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| American Literature | ||
| ENGL 238 | SURVEY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE | 3 |
| British Literature | ||
| ENGL 221 | BRITISH LITERATURE TO 1798 | 3 |
| or ENGL 222 | BRITISH LITERATURE SINCE 1798 | |
| Diversity in American Literature | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| SURVEY OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE | ||
| MAJOR WRITERS IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE | ||
| ETHNIC-AMERICAN LITERATURE | ||
| AMERICAN INDIAN LITERATURE, 1772-PRESENT | ||
| MODERN JEWISH LITERATURE | ||
| Linguistics and Grammar | ||
| ENGL 251 | APPLIED GRAMMAR | 3 |
| World Literature/Non-Western Literature | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO CLASSICAL MYTHOLOGY | ||
| WORLD FOLKLORE | ||
| LITERATURE OF GLOBAL EXPERIENCE | ||
| HISTORY AND LITERATURE OF THE OLD TESTAMENT | ||
| FOLKLORE AND LITERATURE | ||
| MYTH AND LITERATURE | ||
| WORLD LITERATURE WRITTEN IN ENGLISH | ||
| Advanced Writing | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| WRITING ARGUMENT | ||
| ACADEMIC ESSAY | ||
| WRITING ABOUT LITERATURE | ||
| WOMEN'S WORDS, WOMEN'S LIVES | ||
| Adolescent Literature | ||
| SCED 419 | YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE | 3 |
| Content Methods | ||
| MSED 367 | TEACHING LANGUAGE ARTS IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 3 |
| Total Units | 24 | |
Required Professional Education Courses for Middle School Education
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| EDUC 202 | HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES: AMERICA'S URBAN SCHOOLS | 3 |
| EDUC 203 | TEACHING AND LEARNING IN A DIVERSE SOCIETY | 3 |
| SCED 304 | EDUCATION, ETHICS AND CHANGE | 3 |
| SCED 305 | ADOLESCENT LEARNING, DEVELOPMENT, AND DIVERSITY (Prerequisite: PSYC 101) | 3 |
| ISTC 301 | INTEGRATING INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY | 3 |
| SPED 301 | INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL EDUCATION | 3 |
| MSED 342 | PRINCIPLES OF MIDDLE LEVEL EDUCATION | 4 |
| SCED 460 | USING READING AND WRITING IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS 1 | 4 |
| SCED 461 | TEACHING READING IN THE SECONDARY CONTENT AREAS (taken concurrently with SCED 499) | 3 |
| SCED 499 | INTERNSHIP IN EDUCATION 2 | 6 |
| Internship (Taken in 2 Content Areas for 6 units each) | 12 | |
| INTERNSHIP IN MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION IN ENGLISH | ||
| INTERNSHIP IN MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION IN HISTORY | ||
| INTERNSHIP IN MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION IN SCIENCE | ||
| INTERNSHIP IN MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION IN MATH | ||
| SCED 401 | ANALYZING THE INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE (taken concurrently with Student Teaching or the Full-Time Internship) | 3 |
| Total Units | 50 | |
| 1 | Taken concurrently with MSED 342 and shares a required field experience |
| 2 | Taken at a professional development school in the fall term. Taken concurrently with Methods of Teaching in the content areas. (See Content Areas in the above listings.) |
The Professional Year and Full Time Internship
All teacher candidates conduct their internship in Professional Development Schools (PDS). These are schools in which there is a partnership between the schools and the Department of Secondary and Middle School Education (SMED) in the College of Education (COE). All students wishing to enroll in their internship courses must meet with their Middle School advisor to receive permission to register. Students will not be admitted to the internship without prior approval of an advisor.
English / Science Content Suggested Four-Year Plan
Based on course availability and student needs and preferences, the selected sequences will probably vary from those presented below. Students should consult with their adviser to make the most appropriate elective choices.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| ENGL 221 or 222 (Core 5) | 3 | BIOL 120 & 120L (Core 7) | 4 |
| Core 1 (or Core 2) | 3 | EDUC 202 (Core 10) | 3 |
| Core 3 | 3 | GEOG 101 (Core 8) | 3 |
| Core 4 | 3 | Core 1 (or Core 2) | 3 |
| Core 6 (PSYC 101 Recommended) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 13 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| CHEM 121 & 121L | 4 | ENGL 233, 234, 235, 236, or 239 | 3 |
| EDUC 203 (Core 13) | 3 | ENGL 251 | 3 |
| ENGL 238 (Core 11) | 3 | ISTC 301 | 3 |
| ENGL 310, 313, 316, or WMST 333 (Core 9) | 3 | SPED 301 | 3 |
| Core 12 | 3 | SCED 305 | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| BIOL 301 | 3 | MSED 342 | 4 |
| ENGL 243, 244, 248, 341, 342, 343, or 347 | 3 | PHYS 205 | 3 |
| SCED 304 (Core 14) | 3 | PHSC 206 | 3 |
| SCIE 355 | 2 | SCED 419 | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | SCED 460 | 4 |
| 14 | 17 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| MSED 367 | 3 | MSED Student Teaching | 12 |
| SCED 461 | 3 | SCED 401 | 3 |
| SCED 499 | 6 | ||
| SCIE 381 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Units 120 | |||
English / Math Content Suggested Four-Year Plan
Based on course availability and student needs and preferences, the selected sequences will probably vary from those presented below. Students should consult with their adviser to make the most appropriate elective choices.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| ENGL 221 or 222 (Core 5) | 3 | EDUC 202 (Core 10) | 3 |
| MATH 273 (Core 3) | 4 | MATH 215 | 4 |
| Core 1 (or Core 2) | 3 | Core 2 (or Core 1) | 3 |
| Core 4 | 3 | Core 7 | 3 |
| Core 6 (PSYC 101 Recommended) | 3 | Core 12 | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| EDUC 203 (Core 13) | 3 | ENGL 233, 234, 235, 236, or 239 | 3 |
| ENGL 238 (Core 11) | 3 | ENGL 251 | 3 |
| MATH 225 | 4 | ISTC 301 | 3 |
| Core 8 | 3 | MATH 231 | 3 |
| MATH 236 | 1 | ||
| SPED 301 | 3 | ||
| 13 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| ENGL 243, 244, 248, 341, 342, 343, or 347 | 3 | MATH 325 | 3 |
| ENGL 310, 313, 316, or WMST 333 (Core 9) | 3 | MSED 342 | 4 |
| MATH 255 | 4 | SCED 305 | 3 |
| SCED 304 (Core 14) | 3 | SCED 419 | 3 |
| SCED 460 | 4 | ||
| 13 | 17 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| MATH 424 | 2 | MSED Student Teaching | 12 |
| MATH 425 | 3 | SCED 401 | 3 |
| MSED 367 | 3 | ||
| SCED 461 | 3 | ||
| SCED 499 | 6 | ||
| 17 | 15 | ||
| Total Units 123 | |||
English / Social Studies Content Suggested Four-Year Plan
Based on course availability and student needs and preferences, the selected sequences will probably vary from those presented below. Students should consult with their adviser to make the most appropriate elective choices.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| ENGL 221 or 222 (Core 5) | 3 | GEOG 102 or 105 (Core 12) | 3 |
| ENGL 238 (Core 11) | 3 | HIST 145 | 3 |
| Core 1 (or Core 2) | 3 | SOCI 101 (Core 6) | 3 |
| Core 3 | 3 | Core 2 (or Core 1) | 3 |
| Core 4 | 3 | Core 8 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| ANTH 207 | 3 | EDUC 202 (Core 10) | 3 |
| ECON 201 | 3 | ENGL 233, 234, 235, 236, or 239 | 3 |
| EDUC 203 (Core 13) | 3 | ENGL 310, 313, 316, or WMST 333 (Core 9) | 3 |
| HIST 146 or 102 | 3 | GEOG 109 | 3 |
| POSC 103 | 3 | ISTC 301 | 3 |
| HIST 160 | 3 | ||
| 15 | 18 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| ENGL 243, 244, 248, 341, 342, 343, or 347 | 3 | MSED 342 | 4 |
| ENGL 251 | 3 | SCED 304 (Core 14) | 3 |
| HIST 161 | 3 | SCED 419 | 3 |
| SCED 305 | 3 | SCED 460 | 4 |
| SPED 301 | 3 | SOSC 401 | 3 |
| Core 7 | 4 | ||
| 19 | 17 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| MSED 365 | 3 | MSED Student Teaching | 12 |
| MSED 367 | 3 | SCED 401 | 3 |
| SCED 461 | 3 | ||
| SCED 499 | 6 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Units 129 | |||
Science / Math Content Suggested Four-Year Plan
Based on course availability and student needs and preferences, the selected sequences will probably vary from those presented below. Students should consult with their adviser to make the most appropriate elective choices.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| MATH 273 (Core 3) | 4 | BIOL 120 & 120L (Core 7) | 4 |
| Core 1 (or Core 2) | 3 | EDUC 202 (Core 10) | 3 |
| Core 4 | 3 | MATH 215 | 4 |
| Core 5 | 3 | Core 2 (or Core 1) | 3 |
| Core 6 (PSYC 101 Recommended) | 3 | Core 11 | 3 |
| 16 | 17 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| CHEM 121 or 121L | 3 | ISTC 301 | 3 |
| EDUC 203 (Core 13) | 3 | MATH 231 | 3 |
| GEOG 101 (Core 8) | 3 | MATH 236 | 1 |
| MATH 225 | 4 | SCED 305 | 3 |
| Core 12 | 3 | SPED 301 | 3 |
| 16 | 13 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| BIOL 301 | 3 | MATH 325 | 3 |
| MATH 255 | 4 | MSED 342 | 4 |
| SCED 304 (Core 14) | 3 | PHSC 206 | 3 |
| SCIE 355 | 2 | PHYS 205 | 3 |
| Core 9 | 3 | SCED 460 | 4 |
| 15 | 17 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| MATH 424 | 2 | MSED Student Teaching | 12 |
| MATH 425 | 3 | SCED 401 | 3 |
| SCED 461 | 3 | ||
| SCED 499 | 6 | ||
| SCIE 381 | 3 | ||
| 17 | 15 | ||
| Total Units 126 | |||
Science / Social Studies Content Suggested Four-Year Plan
Based on course availability and student needs and preferences, the selected sequences will probably vary from those presented below. Students should consult with their adviser to make the most appropriate elective choices.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| GEOG 101 (Core 8) | 3 | BIOL 120 & 120L (Core 7) | 4 |
| HIST 145 | 3 | GEOG 102 or 105 (Core 12) | 3 |
| POSC 103 (Core 11) | 3 | GEOG 109 | 3 |
| SOCI 101 (Core 6) | 3 | HIST 146 or 102 | 3 |
| Core 1 (or Core 2) | 3 | Core 2 (or Core 1) | 3 |
| Core 3 | 3 | ||
| 18 | 16 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| ANTH 207 | 3 | ECON 201 | 3 |
| CHEM 121 & 121L | 4 | EDUC 203 (Core 13) | 3 |
| EDUC 202 (Core 10) | 3 | HIST 161 | 3 |
| HIST 160 | 3 | ISTC 301 | 3 |
| Core 4 | 3 | SCED 305 | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| BIOL 301 | 3 | MSED 342 | 4 |
| SCED 304 (Core 14) | 3 | PHSC 206 | 3 |
| SCIE 355 | 2 | PHYS 205 | 3 |
| SPED 301 | 3 | SCED 460 | 4 |
| SOSC 401 | 3 | Core 9 | 3 |
| Core 5 | 3 | ||
| 17 | 17 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| MSED 365 | 3 | MSED Student Teaching | 12 |
| SCIE 381 | 3 | SCED 401 | 3 |
| SCED 461 | 3 | ||
| SCED 499 | 6 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Units 129 | |||
Social Studies / Math Content Suggested Four-Year Plan
Based on course availability and student needs and preferences, the selected sequences will probably vary from those presented below. Students should consult with their adviser to make the most appropriate elective choices.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| HIST 145 | 3 | GEOG 102 or 105 (Core 12) | 3 |
| MATH 273 (Core 3) | 4 | GEOG 109 | 3 |
| POSC 103 (Core 11) | 3 | HIST 102 (Core 5) | 3 |
| SOCI 101 (Core 6) | 3 | MATH 215 | 4 |
| Core 1 (or Core 2) | 3 | Core 2 (or Core 1) | 3 |
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| ANTH 207 | 3 | ECON 201 | 3 |
| EDUC 202 (Core 10) | 3 | EDUC 203 (Core 13) | 3 |
| HIST 160 | 3 | HIST 161 | 3 |
| MATH 225 | 4 | ISTC 301 | 3 |
| Core 4 | 3 | MATH 231 | 3 |
| MATH 236 | 1 | ||
| SCED 305 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 19 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| MATH 255 | 4 | MATH 325 | 3 |
| SCED 304 (Core 14) | 3 | MSED 342 | 4 |
| SOSC 401 | 3 | SCED 460 | 4 |
| SPED 301 | 3 | Core 7 | 4 |
| Core 8 | 3-4 | Core 9 | 3 |
| 16-17 | 18 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| MATH 424 | 2 | MSED Student Teaching | 12 |
| MATH 425 | 3 | SCED 401 | 3 |
| MSED 365 | 3 | ||
| SCED 461 | 3 | ||
| SCED 499 | 6 | ||
| 17 | 15 | ||
| Total Units 133-134 | |||
- Young Adolescent Development. Do our SCED courses include activities and assignments that provide opportunities for students to:
- Understand the major concepts, principles, and theories of young adolescent development intellectual, physical, social, emotional and moral;
- Understand the range of individual differences of all young adolescents and the implications of these differences for teaching and learning;
- Know a variety of teaching/learning strategies that take into consideration and capitalize upon the developmental characteristics of all young adolescents;
- Understand the implications of young adolescent development for school organization and components of successful middle level programs and schools;
- Understand issues of young adolescent health and sexuality;
- Understand the interrelationships among the characteristics and needs of all young adolescents;
- Understand that the development of all young adolescents occurs in the context of classrooms, families, peer groups, communities and society;
- Know about how the media portrays young adolescents and comprehend the implications of these portraits; and(i) Understand the philosophical foundations of developmentally responsive middle level programs and schools.
- Middle Level Philosophy and School Organization. Do our SCED courses include activities and assignments that provide opportunities for students to:
- Know about historical and contemporary models of schooling for young adolescents and the advantages and disadvantages of these models;
- Understand the rationale and characteristic components of developmentally responsive middle level schools;
- Know best practices for the education of young adolescents in a variety of school organizational settings (e.g., K-8, 5-8, 7-12 organizational plans);
- Understand the team process as a structure for school improvement and student learning;
- Understand that flexible scheduling provides the context for teachers to meet the needs of all young adolescents.
- Middle Level Curriculum and Assessment. Do our SCED courses include activities and assignments that provide opportunities for students to:
- Understand that middle level curriculum should be relevant, challenging, integrative, and exploratory;
- Understand the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge and how to make connections among subject areas when planning curriculum;
- Know about local, state, and national middle level curriculum standards and of ways to assess the student knowledge reflected in those standards;
- Know how to integrate technology in curriculum planning;
- Know how to incorporate all young adolescents ideas, interests, and experiences into curriculum;
- Understand the integrated role that technology plays in a variety of student assessment measures;
- Understand their roles in the total school curriculum (e.g., advisory program, co-curricular activities and other programs;
- Know how to assess and select curriculum materials that are academically challenging and personally motivating for young adolescents; and
- Understand how to develop, implement, and assess advisory and other student advocacy programs that attend to the social and emotional needs of young adolescents (e.g. mentoring, conflict resolution).
- Middle Level Teaching Fields. Do our SCED courses include activities and assignments that provide opportunities for students to:
- Know how to use content knowledge to make interdisciplinary connections; and
- Understand how to integrate state-of-the-art technologies and literacy skills into their teaching fields.
- Middle Level Instruction and Assessment. Do our SCED courses include activities and assignments that provide opportunities for students to:
- Understand how to motivate all young adolescents and facilitate their learning through the use of a wide variety of developmentally responsive materials and resources (e.g., technological resources, manipulative materials); and
- Know effective, developmentally responsive classroom management techniques.
- Family and Community Involvement. Do our SCED courses include activities and assignments that provide opportunities for students to:
- Understand the variety of family structures;
- Understand how prior learning, differing experiences, and family and cultural backgrounds influence young adolescent learning
- Understand the challenges that families may encounter in contemporary society and are knowledgeable about support services and other resources that are available to assist them;
- Know how to communicate effectively with family and community members;
- Understand that middle level schools are organizations within a larger community context;
- Understand the relationships between schools and community organizations;
- Know about the resources available within communities that can support students, teachers, and schools;
- Understand the importance of following school district policies and protocol regarding interagency partnerships and collaborative; and
- Understand the roles of family and community members in improving the education of all young adolescents.
- Middle Level Professional Roles. Do our SCED courses include activities and assignments that provide opportunities for students to:
- Understand their evolving role as middle level education professionals;
- Understand the importance of their influence on all young adolescents;
- Understand the interrelationships and interdependencies among various professionals that serve young adolescents (e.g., school counselors, social service workers, home-school coordinators);
- Know advisory/advocate theories, skills, and curriculum;
- Understand teaming/collaborative theories and processes;
- Understand their service responsibilities to school reform and the greater community;
- Understand the need for continual reflection on young adolescent development, the instructional process, and professional relationships; and
- Become fluent in the integration of a range of technologies (e.g., film, computers) in their professional roles with curriculum, instruction, and assessment.