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Ignite Your Passion for Teaching with Benedictine’s Education Minor!

Ignite your passion for teaching and become a Licensed Professional Educator (PEL) in just one year with Benedictine University’s Education Minor! Master your subject area while gaining essential teaching skills in our in-depth education courses. Conquer licensure tests with confidence thanks to our proven methods, and shine in real-world student teaching experiences. Graduate with a prestigious PEL, ready to make a difference in young lives and land rewarding jobs across Illinois. Don’t just teach, become the extraordinary educator you were meant to be! Contact us today and unlock your teaching potential!

Program Requirements

Students seeking the Professional Educator License (PEL) in Secondary Education for grades 9-12 with the Education minor must complete the following requirements. These align with the University’s Basic Skills and Distribution Requirements for an undergraduate degree at Benedictine University with specific course requirements for licensure.

1. The Basic Skills core with at least a “C” in each course. This core includes WRIT 1101 Writing Colloquium, WRIT 1102 Research Writing, COMM 1110 Speech Communication, and MATH as required by the major department (i.e., MATH 1105 Finite Mathematics, MATH 1108 Quantitative Reasoning, or MATH 1110 College Algebra).
2. The Arts and Humanities distribution area requires 15 semester credit hours, must include HIST 1111 American History to 1865 or HIST 1112 American History since 1865 for the Historical (QHT).
3. The Natural Sciences distribution area requires 9 semester credit hours, must include a Life-Scientific (QLS) course and a Physical-Scientific (QPS) course, one of which must be a lab course; and a Computational, Math and Analytical (QCM) course. 4. The Social Sciences I and II distributions require 6 semester credit hours, which must include American Government PLSC 1102 American Government for QPE.

Students must also complete an academic major in an approved area for secondary licensure outside the School of Education. The approved majors are Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, English Language and Literature, Spanish, and History/Social Science. The major must include a minimum of 36 semester credit hours. (Note: The program in Spanish provides for licensure in grades K-12).

The professional education requirements are:

Course List

Code – Title – Hours

EDUC 2200 Preclinical Experience Level 1 with Seminar – 1

EDUC 2205 Educational Foundations – 3

EDUC 2207 Introduction to Education Seminar – 1

EDUC 2210 Educational Psychology – 3

EDUC 2215 Technology for Teachers – 3

EDUC 3234 Preclinical Experience Level 2 with Seminar – 1

EDUC 4236 Preclinical Experience Level 3 with Seminar – 1

EDUC 2260 Educating Students with Exceptionalities – 3

EDUC 4308 Creating An Inclusive Learning Environment – 3

Course List

Code – Title – Hours

EDUC 3310 Assessment in Action – 3

EDUC 4364 Methods of Reading & Reading/Writing in the Content Area for Middle and Secondary Schools – 3

EDUC 2100 Physical Dev & Health for Educators – 3

Select one of the following:

EDUC 3330 Methods of Teaching Physical Science – Middle/Jr. and High School

EDUC 3331 Methods of Teaching Chemical Science – Middle/Jr. and High School

EDUC 3332 Methods of Teaching Biological Science – Middle/Jr. High School

EDUC 3335 Methods of Teaching Mathematics – Middle/Jr. and High School

EDUC 3338 Methods of Teaching English – Middle/Jr. and High School

EDUC 3340 Methods of Teaching Spanish-Elementary, Middle/Junior, and High

School

EDUC 3342 Methods of Teaching History, Political Science and Economics-

Middle/Jr. and High School

Select one of the following: 3

EDUC 4371 Student Teaching (w/ Seminar) Education Minor

EDUC 4375 Student Teaching 6-12 Secondary Music Education (w/ Seminar)

EDUC 4378 Student Teaching, Physical Education-Elementary, Middle and High School (w/ Seminar) 12

Total Hours 42

All coursework for licensure must be completed with grades of “C” or better. Grades of C minus (C-) are considered to be below a “C”. “C-“ grades for equivalent courses received from another institution will need to be retaken at Benedictine and passed with a grade of “C” or better. Students need a 2.75 GPA Overall and a 3.0 in the Major to be eligible for licensure.

The majority of the licensure requirements are mandated by the Illinois State Board of Education. Any changes in licensure requirements must be met at the time they go into effect. This could change program requirements. Students must successfully pass any state test or evaluation before student teaching. If a student has not completed all license requirements at the time the degree is awarded, the transcript will show that the degree/program was completed “Without License.”

Completion of the subject area major and the Education minor with licensure test requirements entitles the candidate to the Professional Educator License (PEL) with the endorsement for grades 9-12 (Spanish K-12) in the teaching field of the major.

Students in the Education programs will achieve the following student learning outcomes (SLO):

Student Learning Outcome 1: Teacher candidates in the Education Program will pass student teaching.

• University SLO: 1; Disciplinary Competence and Skills

Student Learning Outcome 2: Teacher Candidates will pass the content area test in their major

• University SLO: 9; Personal Development

Student Learning Outcome 3: Teacher Candidates will successfully demonstrate proficiency in all areas of the Professional Dispositions/Standards for Teachers

• University SLO: 2; Critical and Creative Thinking Skills

Diverse Career Opportunities for Special Education Graduates

While an education minor can open doors to many career paths, it’s important to remember that it doesn’t automatically qualify you for teaching positions. It often serves as a valuable complement to another major, enhancing your skills and knowledge in areas like communication, critical thinking, and curriculum development.

Here are five promising careers where an education minor can be an asset, considering various factors like job outlook, salary potential, and transferable skills:

• Instructional Designer
• Corporate Trainer
• Educational Technology Specialist
• Museum Educator/Intrepreter
• Youth Program Coordinator

This is not an exhaustive list, and your ideal career path will depend on your personal interests, skills, and qualifications. Explore additional options, research specific job requirements, and network with professionals in your desired field for a more personalized career roadmap.

Here is an example of some courses you may take in the Education minor program:

• Educational Foundations
• Educational Psychology
• Technology for Teachers
• Educating Students with Exceptionalities
• Methods of Reading & Reading/Writing in the Content Area for Middle and Secondary Schools

Education courses (EDUC)