Department of English
Single Subject Credential Concentration Overview
This concentration prepares students who intend to enter a Teaching Credential Program after completing a B.A. in English. If you are considering becoming an English teacher at the secondary (middle or high school) level, this concentration starts you on that path.
General Information
This concentration follows a specific outline of courses, one which has been approved by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC), the credentialing agency of the state government. It is known as a "waiver program" because it waives the requirement to take the subject matter examination known as the CSET (California Subject Examination for Teachers).
If you do not follow an approved waiver program, you still have the option to pass the subject matter examination to be credentialed in English or any other subject. For more information on the content of the examinations and a list of study resources, consult the CSET Website (http://www.cset.nesinc.com).
The preparation for secondary school teaching is quite different from preparation for teaching at the community college or university level. Public school teaching requires a credential which is obtained in a year of study and practice teaching in a credential program after the completion of a B.A. Teaching at the community college requires an M.A. in your subject matter, while teaching at the college level typically requires a PhD. in English. The literature concentration is the best preparation for this type of study.
If you are not sure whether you will enter a credential program or go to another type of postgraduate program, don't panic. Take courses which fulfill requirements in both concentrations until you have made your decision. See an advisor early on to be sure that you are taking the appropriate courses for both. If not, you may unnecessarily prolong your course of study.
IMPORTANT! Once you have successfully completed the waiver program, you must request a waiver approval letter from the English Department. This is done once you have received your final transcripts and certifies that you do not need to take the CSET exam or further courses. This letter will serve to clear you for any credential program you should choose to attend, not just Sonoma State's program.
If you plan to apply to SSU's credential program, you should be aware that there are three Education courses (ED 417, EDSS 418, and EDSP 433) which are pre-requisites. They must be completed before you begin Phase I of the credential program. If you plan on entering other credential programs, please check their pre-requisites, which may differ. Education 417 counts as one of the collateral requirements in the English Dept. program.
Transfer Students
You may wonder which courses taken elsewhere fulfill the SSU English requirements. For an equivalency check, you can submit your request through the English Department office. Official transcripts are necessary, and any syllabi, course descriptions or work you completed can also help us evaluate the courses in question. There is a drop-off box in the English Department office for such requests. A single subject advisor will contact you with the evaluation report (allow one week). As of Spring 2004, there will be a waiver transcript evaluation fee charged for this service if you are not currently enrolled at Sonoma State ($60). There is no charge for current SSU students.
Single Subject Advisors (Fall 2005-Spring 2006):
Mira-Lisa Katz
Greta Vollmer