How To's & FAQ

Find answers to common questions Secondary Education students have.

• To Add/Change a Major/Minor:

  If students want to make a change to their curriculum (i.e. their major or minor), they need to go to the office of the program to get the change made. 

  Students within the College of Education who want to change their major to a different education program can simply contact the program's office and ask to fill out a change of curriculum form.

  Students enrolled in a program outside the College of Education who want to change their major to an education program must meet the following requirements before the change can be made:

  • 3.0 minimum GPA
  • Background checks/clearances
• To Enroll in Courses:

  Course enrollment is a basic, but sometimes tricky process that all students must do. Before you can enroll in courses, be sure that you have met with your advisors. Secondary Education majors must meet with both their Education advisor and their LAS advisor. Be sure to look out for emails from your advisors to sign up for advisement times.

  Students enroll in courses on MyKU. You can find a walkthrough for course enrollment here.

  Please note that courses added to your shopping cart will not be automatically added to your schedule. You must manually enroll in the courses for them to be added to your schedule.

  TIP: Sec Ed's checksheets include an 8-semester plan to give students an idea of the most efficient way to schedule classes for each program.

  If you need help, ask your advisor or the department office at secondaryeducation@kutztown.edu. 

• Advisement Meetings:

  Advisement meetings are required meetings with your program advisor. Most students have one advisor per major or minor, but Secondary Education majors have two. Students must meet with their major advisors before they can enroll in courses!

  To find out who your advisors are, log into MyKU and check the "Current Instructors & Advisors" tile.

  What to bring to an advisement meeting:

  • A copy of your major's checksheet. You can find Sec Ed's checksheets here. 
  • A list of classes you want to enroll in. (Be sure the class times don't overlap.)
  • Write down any questions you may have about the program, classes or requirements.

  After you meet with your major advisors, you can enroll in courses when the enrollment period opens. 

• How to View Advising Notes in MyKU:

  When your advisor creates an advising note for you, you will receive an e-mail with the following instructions, alerting you to review your note:
  

  • Sign into MyKU and click on the "KU Academic Progress" tile.
  • Click on the "Advisors" option on the left.
  • Click on the note icon next to your advisor’s information.

   

  You can also view this walkthrough for further help.

• How long will it take to complete my undergraduate degree?

  Most programs can be completed within a four-year time span. Many students carry approximately 15 credits per semester and attend summer and/or winter classes. Many students take less credits per semester and finish comfortably in five years. Any significant change in major will result in more time to complete a certification program. An 8-semester plan can be found for each undergrad program on our Checksheets page (see the last page of checksheet PDF file). 

• What grades can I teach with this degree?

  Most certification areas available through the Secondary Education Department are for grades 7-12. All modern language certifications and Special Education dual certificates are for grades K-12. See our undergraduate program page for more information. 

• What is the best advice for getting a teaching position?

  We advise our teacher candidates to achieve a high GPA to make them stand out in a competitive job market. We also encourage our teacher candidates to be active in KU organizations, clubs, and additional activities such as volunteering. A multidimensional teacher candidate will be more marketable in obtaining a teaching job-- consider our ESL program to broaden your experience. Mobility is also a key in obtaining a position in academic areas with few job openings. KU's Career Development Center offers services and resources to help students and alumni achieve their career goals.

• What testing is required for certification?

  Teacher candidates must pass the Basic Skills Tests and pass the Praxis II Subject Assessment test for their certification area. Visit the Pennsylvania Department of Education's website for more information or visit our webpage on required testing here.