2026-2027
Secondary Education and Teaching
School of Education
Concentration(s):
English Education, History Education, Math Education
Program description
The purpose of the B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education and Teaching with a concentration in engineering education is to prepare students to serve as initially licensed teachers in grades 6-12, as well as to serve as educators and leaders in schools and community-based settings. The program will focus on providing students with a solid foundation in secondary education, engineering, mathematics and sciences to meet the requirements for licensure. Through the core education curriculum, students will become knowledgeable about professional roles and workplace responsibilities while learning basic abilities in the planning and implementation of engineering lessons for students in grades 6-12. The core curriculum instills fundamental knowledge and skills, with opportunities for observation and application in a variety of engineering settings. Through the core engineering, science and mathematics curriculum, students will develop the content knowledge and skills of those fields in order to deliver relevant and rigorous lessons in engineering and integration of other content areas with engineering.
Graduates will be prepared to work in public and private middle and high schools across Virginia, with particular focus in urban and other high-need areas. Graduates will be capable of working with diverse learners and adapting instructional programs based on the needs of their students and clients. Successful completion of the program will result in licensure in secondary engineering education (6-12).
Career opportunities
Graduates typically work in public or private school systems, child care centers, and youth service organizations. Teaching in public schools requires licensure. Be sure to explore the certification requirements in the state you want to teach in as they can differ across states. Graduates can also find work with programs such as Richmond Teacher Residency, Americorps, PeaceCorps, Fulbright Student Program, City Year, America Reads or The Literacy Lab. Learn more and explore potential career pathways at https://www.teach.org/.
Change of major requirements
Submit the change of major form and email SOEAdvising@vcu.edu to schedule a change of major appointment to discuss your degree plan and requirements. Students must have a 2.5 GPA in order to declare a teaching-licensure granting major.
Bachelor-level job titles
- Career/Technical Education Teacher
- Middle/High School Teacher
- Teacher Assistant
Graduate and professional level job titles
- Principal
- School Administrator
- Teacher
Professional associations and resources
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
- MATH 201 or higher
Science required
- 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
- No
Additional tuition/fees
- Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
- Advancement to Teacher Preparation requires 2.8+ cumulative GPA and acceptance to Clinical Internship (Student Teaching) requires 3.0+ cumulative GPA.
Contact information
Department name:
Department of Teaching and Learning
Building/room location:
Oliver Hall Education
Phone:
(804) 828-8160
Email:
soeadvising@vcu.edu
Campus (where 75% of courses are taken):
Monroe Park
Major map
Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Enroll in a student success course to connect with campus advisors and build community around your interests and goals.
- Map out a 4-year course plan in DegreeWorks' Student Educational Planner.
- Meet with a writing consultant to hone your writing skills.
- Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor to start goal planning, and choose electives.
- Sharpen your study skills in Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) at the Campus Learning Center.
- Take a virtual library tour to learn about library spaces, services, and research help.
- Become familiar with the School of Education’s teacher preparation and initial licensure milestones so you can plan ahead for required coursework, assessments and clinical experiences.
- Work with your academic advisor to map a four-year plan that coordinates requirements for the Secondary Education and Teaching major and your required second major.
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
- Apply to live in a program-in-residence or a living-learning community.
- Consider applying to the Honors College.
- Create a profile on RamsConnect to explore student organizations and get involved, meet people, and develop your interests.
- Get involved and meet new friends through the Student Government Association or one of over 450 student clubs and organizations (BSPS Student club, Chemistry, etc.)
- Register to vote in Virginia and explore Richmond’s many museums and parks.
- Join the Student Virginia Education Association to connect with other future educators and participate in professional development, service and networking opportunities.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Review your Career Works 4 year career planning tool and start working on your milestones.
- Apply to be a Division of Student Affairs peer leader.
- Attend one career event sponsored by Career Services.
- Complete and activate your Handshake profile and opt-in to industry email lists.
- Consider applying for a federal work-study job on- or off-campus in Handshake.
- Learn more about potential careers by using Forage in the Navigate 360 app.
- Seek research opportunities by checking out the Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry webpage.
- Explore secondary education through tutoring, mentoring, volunteering or other experiences working with middle and high school students.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Access your free credit report and begin making responsible credit choices to prepare for your future.
- Build a resume and LinkedIn profile with help from VCU Career Services, make at least 10 connections, and check out the VCU alumni career programs page.
- Connect with the Student Alumni Council to connect to VCU alumni.
- Explore What Can I Do With This Major? to learn about career paths, employers, and strategies for building experience related to your field of study.
- Make a 4-year affordability plan with your financial counselor.
- Learn about Virginia’s teacher licensure process and explore the range of career opportunities available to secondary English and history/social studies educators.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Get familiar with the research process with the VCU Libraries Research Basics Guide.
- Schedule an appointment with your major advisor to explore minors, certificates, and plan your required REAL experience.
- Apply to the School of Education Teacher Preparation Program and continue monitoring your progress toward all program and licensure milestones.
- Meet with both your education and content-area advisors to make sure you remain on track to complete both majors within your planned graduation timeline.
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
- Discuss personal and professional interests with faculty.
- Take a service-learning class to get involved with local organizations while earning credit.
- Volunteer to address a social issue and check out Hands on Greater Richmond for opportunities.
- Build connections with educators and youth-serving organizations by volunteering, tutoring or working with middle and high school students in the Richmond community.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Attend career and internship fairs and other professional development events.
- Build a professional resume and upload it to Handshake.
- Complete a gap analysis with your career advisor to identify key skills required for your professional field.
- Pursue a digital badge to highlight the knowledge, skills, and experiences employers and graduate schools value.
- Seek out practical experience through independent skill-building, internships, shadowing, or part-time work.
- Seek a student-facing job, volunteer role or leadership experience that helps you practice communication, organization, mentoring and group-management skills.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Ask a faculty or staff member to be your academic and professional mentor and to provide future letters of recommendation.
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of professional interest.
- Connect with alumni on VCULink for career advice, industry contacts, and meaningful professional relationships.
- Meet with a coach at the Financial Success Center to set financial goals, understand student loans, and create spending plans.
- Explore local and regional school divisions to learn how schools differ in their communities, student populations, instructional priorities and employment opportunities.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Enhance your business, software, technology, and creative skills using LinkedIn Learning.
- Meet with your academic and career advisors to discuss graduation progress and career planning.
- Complete your middle school practicum and prepare for the high school practicum and culminating secondary internship experiences.
- Review your remaining teacher preparation and licensure requirements, including required assessments, well before applying for your clinical internship.
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
- Attend civic meetings, such as school board, neighborhood association, city council, or state legislative sessions.
- Design a community-engaged research project.
- Explore new cultures at one of Richmond’s wide array of festivals.
- Make an appointment with the National Scholarship Office to explore post-graduate scholarship and fellowship opportunities.
- Motivate your peers by presenting at Leaders Unleashed: Student Leadership Conference or at TEDxVCU.
- Develop professional relationships with teachers, school staff and fellow educators during your practicum experiences, and begin identifying mentors who can support your transition into the profession.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Apply for the Graduate School Mentorship Program to learn more about graduate school and the graduate student experience.
- Take advantage of mock interview opportunities through Big Interview or meeting with a career advisor.
- Update your ePortfolio.
- Begin building a professional teaching portfolio with lesson plans, assessments, instructional materials and reflections from your practicum and education coursework.
- Use feedback from faculty and mentor teachers to identify specific areas of teaching practice you want to strengthen before your final internship.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Have a personal statement or cover letter reviewed by Career Services or the Writing Center.
- Make a plan with your academic, career, and faculty advisors for applying to graduate school or land a micro-internship.
- Prepare for job offer negotiation by researching salaries, benefits, and other opportunities for flexibility.
- Study for and complete any standardized exams required for graduate school the summer before senior year.
- Research school divisions and teaching environments that interest you, and attend educator career events, information sessions or professional conferences to learn about the hiring process.
Excel
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Apply to graduate for your undergraduate degree.
- Choose REAL electives to diversify your skillset and round out your degree.
- Schedule an appointment with your academic advisor the semester before you graduate to ensure that all graduation requirements will be met.
- Complete your high school practicum and culminating secondary internship experiences, and confirm that all degree, teacher preparation and licensure requirements are complete.
EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY
- Attend professional association conferences that offer student rates or scholarships.
- Carry out globally-oriented research projects with multilingual faculty and international partners. Consider Peace Corps Prep, or scholarship opportunities through the National Scholarship Office.
- Read scholarly articles about internationalization in your field.
- Serve in a leadership role on campus in a local community organization.
- Use your internship to build relationships with cooperating teachers, administrators and other education professionals who can become part of your professional network.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Apply for post-graduation programs like Peace Corps, Literacy Lab, or AmeriCorps.
- Meet with your academic or professional mentor and identify examples of your experiential learning to share with employers.
- Publish your original research in Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creativity.
- Update your resume and teaching portfolio with evidence from your internship, identify professional references and practice interviewing for middle and high school teaching positions.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Connect with the Office of VCU Alumni Relations at Grad Fair, Grad Bash, and the VCULink Industry Network or alumni chapter.
- Fill out VCU’s First Destination Survey.
- Prepare for graduation by making a plan to complete licensing exams, applications, and self-marketing activities.
- Single out prospective employers and create a job or graduate school search strategy at least 8 months before graduation.
- Apply for teaching positions and prepare for the transition from student teacher to professional educator, including reviewing employment contracts, salary schedules, benefits and new-teacher induction programs.
- Work with the School of Education’s Office of Licensure and Clinical Experiences to complete your Virginia teaching licensure application and any remaining requirements.
2026-2027
Secondary Education and Teaching
School of Education
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | EXPAND YOUR COMMUNITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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| Excel | Year 4 |
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