School of Humanities
English Licensure
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English BA with Licensure
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English with licensure prepares students with both the critical tools of an English degree and a theoretical frame and practice for teaching. Students completing the program gain invaluable experience in area schools with practicing teachers while being mentored by department faculty. At the conclusion of the program, students are eligible to apply for a Mississippi license to teach middle and high school English.
The English BA with licensure combines a focus on pedagogy with the development of reading, writing, and thinking skills through the study of literature, writing, and language. Students follow a degree plan that begins with an introduction to critical approaches to literary studies, surveys in British and American literature, and racially and ethnically diverse writers. Coursework then proceeds to more specialized classes of a student鈥檚 choosing on topics such as adolescent literature, Shakespeare, history of the English language, and creative writing. At the same time, students will take a sequence of courses in methods of teaching, where they gain experience in area schools, culminating in the immersive apprenticeship of student teaching.
Faculty teaching in the program are active in the National Council of Teachers of English, the National Writing Project, and local school districts.
English Licensure Placement
The English with Licensure Program boasts a superlative placement rate for its graduates: for those seeking immediate employment, our placement rate for the past eight semesters is at 100%. Our students complete the traditional English major and receive secondary teaching certificates, which prepares them for successful careers at both middle schools and high schools. Recent graduates have secured teaching positions at Biloxi High School, Ocean Springs High School, West Harrison High School, Hancock High School, Hattiesburg High School, N.R. Burger Middle School, Petal High School, Perry Central High School, Oak Grove High School, Oak Grove Middle School, Forrest County Agricultural High School, Purvis High School, West Lauderdale High School, Brookhaven High School, and Jefferson Middle School; others have become 7-12 teachers in Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida. Some English with Licensure majors prefer to enter graduate programs after completing the B.A., which include master鈥檚 programs in English, library science, and education.
English Licensure Program
Phase 1 |
Phase 2 |
Phase 3 |
| GEC and Teacher Education Program Preparation | English Content Coursework and Methods with a C or above in all courses | Fieldwork and Testing |
*See Teacher Education Preparation Requirements for more information. |
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Professional Licensure Disclosure
Programs at the University of Southern Mississippi that prepare students for licensure in English are designed to meet the licensure standards set by the Mississippi Department of Education.
Students seeking licensure in another state are advised to contact the appropriate licensing board in that state to determine specific requirements of guidelines for reciprocity. For information about professional licensure determinations made to comply with federal regulations requiring disclosures as to whether a program that is marketed or designed to lead to licensure or state certification leads to professional licensure or state certification, see the following:
General professional licensure/state certification information
/professional-licensure-certification-disclosures/index.php
For questions regarding professional licensure, contact the program coordinator for your specific program. Program coordinators are grouped by college. To access the list click the 'Professional Licensure and Certification Boards by USM College' button at the top of the main Professional Licensure and Certification web page (/professional-licensure-certification-disclosures/index.php).
QUESTIONS?
Please contact the School of Humanities main office at 601.266.4320 or by email at usmhumanitiesFREEMississippi and we will direct you to a Licensure advisor.