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Secondary Education Major

Because we seek to prepare teachers who are effective from their first day, Grand View's accredited program has an exceptionally rich set of field experiences that provides students who are seeking certification with the skills and knowledge they need to begin their professional lives. 

Students interested in secondary education who are not seeking certification benefit equally from these powerful experiences, as they use our field experiences as a means to understand the applications of theoretical knowledge about learning, teaching, and development that can be applied in a variety of contexts.

Grand View University offers college credit for students who have earned the Iowa Seal of Biliteracy.

Discover Student Success Stories

Why Grand View?

  • Faculty members nurture individual students while holding them accountable on their path to becoming a professional educator.
  • We are uniquely positioned in Des Moines, Iowa, which allows students to experience urban, suburban and rural classrooms in practicum and student teaching.
  • Committed to developing teachers who are empowered to meet the diverse needs of today's students.
  • You have the opportunity to participate in a one-of-a-kind, research-based grant from the U.S. Department of Education. This five-year grant will prepare teachers with ESL endorsements. You will gain cutting edge skills, marketability and other incentives.
  • The Grand View teacher education program is accredited by the Iowa Department of Education.
  • Earn graduate credit: eligible undergrads can dual-enroll in up to six hours of graduate coursework to count toward both their undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Choose Your Path

The secondary education major offers an even more enhanced and customizable experience in the following areas:

Biology Endorsement
The Secondary Education major with a biology endorsement option helps students prepare to become science teachers for grades 5-12. There are multiple option areas to choose from in this program:

  • Biology
  • Earth & Space Science
  • Environmental Education
  • General Science
  • Physics

Chemistry Endorsement
The Secondary Education major with a chemistry endorsement option helps students prepare to become science teachers for grades 5-12. There are multiple option areas to choose from in this program:

  • Chemistry
  • Earth & Space Science
  • Environmental Education
  • General Science
  • Physics

English Endorsement
The English endorsement option in Secondary Education helps students meet all of the academic requirements for the certificate for teaching at the secondary-school level. Students can focus on the following areas:

  • English Education
  • Language Arts
  • Humanities
  • Communications
  • Reading

Mathematics Endorsement
The Mathematics endorsement teaching option in the Secondary Education major helps students prepare to be middle- and high-school teachers qualified to teach mathematics in grades 5-12, including:

  • Middle grades mathematics
  • Pre-Algebra
  • Algebra
  • Geometry
  • Trigonometry
  • Functions
  • Calculus

Social Science Endorsement
The Social Science endorsement teaching option in the Secondary Education major helps students prepare to be middle- and high-school teachers who are qualified to teach all of the following subjects, grades 5-12:

  • History
  • Geography
  • Civics & Government (Political Science)
  • Economics
  • Psychology
  • Anthropology
  • Sociology
Career Options

You will be doing more than just teaching with a degree from Grand View. You will be changing lives through education when you work as a:

  • Biology Teacher
  • Chemistry Teacher
  • English Teacher
  • Math Teacher
  • Social Science Teacher

What Can I Do With This Major?

Vision Statement

Grand View’s Teacher Education Program EMPOWERS teachers, through vibrant learning communities and self-reflection, to be INNOVATIVE, CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE, and RESOURCEFUL LEADERS who are empowered to respond to the dynamic needs of learners for a global society.

Bilingual Education Student Organization (BESO)

The purpose of the Grand View Bilingual Education Student Organization (BESO) is to promote and advocate for bilingual/bicultural/ELL education. BESO provides opportunities for students to network, fellowship, support one another and grow through professional development. BESO also seeks to serve/mentor/recruit future bilingual educators and engage with underrepresented populations in the community. Attending and participating in conferences related to bilingual/bicultural/ELL, enhancing leadership skills and connecting with resources are other main purposes of BESO.

In affiliation with the National Association of Bilingual Educators, BESO is the first such group in Iowa.

Course Requirements
Download Degree Checklist
Student Testimonials

Dr. Jaclyn Easter

“Dr. Easter has gone above and beyond for me on too many occasions to mention. She has encouraged me to present with her at a statewide teacher's conference, encouraged me to take multiple education practicum opportunities, and has overall pushed me to be the strong, confident student teacher I am today. She is truly an amazing woman. My Grand View experience simply would not have been nearly as remarkable without her. That is why Dr. Easter is absolutely deserving of the mentor appreciation award.” - Madison Green

GV Degree Combinations

You may also be interested in one or more of the following:

Accreditation & Licensure

Grand View’s baccalaureate teacher preparation programs are accredited by the Iowa Department of Education. The Bachelor of Arts degree majors in Elementary and Secondary Education were approved in 1985, and first accredited by the Iowa Department of Education in 1987. In May, 2011, the state again approved all programs, including elementary, secondary, art, music and physical education. The Teacher Education Program maintains membership in the Iowa Association of College for Teacher Education and the Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education.

Graduates of the Education majors are required by the State of Iowa to pass two national PRAXIS II exams, one on Principals of Learning and Teaching and one on content knowledge. Of the 58 graduating Education majors for the 2014-15 academic year, 88% passed the Principles of Learning and Teaching test, and 90% passed the Content Knowledge test for their teaching area.

Is Secondary Education Right for Me?

Teachers continue to be important role models and support mechanisms in the lives of their students. They facilitate students' educational needs as well as act as mentors, guides, helpers, and advocates.

The Secondary Education major is designed to help students prepare to become middle- and high-school teachers. It also helps support their understanding of teaching and student learning in grades 7-12. Students are trained for initial (level I) teacher certification in a specific content field.

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Faculty

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Alida Acosta

Lecturer of Education

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Dinah Afriyie

Lecturer of Education

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Marsha Aldridge

Lecturer of Business Administration

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Travis Averett

Jacobson Institute Visiting Scholar

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Kerrie Baish

Lecturer of Education

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Kenneth Beane

Lecturer of Education

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Dr. Michelle Bradford

Jacobson Institute Visiting Scholar

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Teri Breck

Lecturer of Education

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Katlyn Clark

Lecturer of Education

Leah Cole
Leah Cole

Field Experience Coordinator

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Amanda Crecelius

Lecturer of Education

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Lindsay Curtis

Lecturer of Education

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Gretta Cutler

Lecturer of Education

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Amanda Dunphy

Lecturer of Education

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Jill Dykstra

Lecturer of Education

Jaclyn Easter
Dr. Jaclyn Easter

Associate Professor of Education

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Hallie Edgerly

Lecturer of Education

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Valerie Foster

Administrative Coordinator for the Education Department

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Katie Gisler

Structured Literacy Tutor Coordinator

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Cheryl Greiman Henkenius

Lecturer of Education

Dr. Lindsay Grow
Dr. Lindsay Grow

Associate Prof of Education & Dept Chair

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Kim Gutterman

Lecturer of Education

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Jennifer Haidar

Lecturer of Education

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Mary Harris

Lecturer of Education

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Thomas Hoffman

Lecturer of Education

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Elizabeth Hoksbergen

Lecturer of Education

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Scott Holt

Curriculum Dev Coord & Program Oversight

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Tabitha Hornby

Lecturer of Education

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Rebecca Humke

Lecturer of Education

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Chad Jamison

Lecturer of Education

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Betsy Jayne

Lecturer of Education

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Ed Jennings

Lecturer

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Laura Katch

Lecturer

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Alex Kitchen

Lecturer of Education

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Jessica Kite

Lecturer of Education

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Sheryl Knuth

Lecturer of Education

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Emily Koson

Supervisor of Education

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Casey Lewsader

Lecturer of Education

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Cara Lichty

Lecturer of Education

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Krista Lumbard

Supervisor in Education Department

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Noemi Mendez

Lecturer of Education

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Andy Nelson

Lecturer of Education

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Dr. Diana O'Leary

Assistant Professor of Education

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Kristen Payne

Lecturer of Education

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Ellen Phelan

Lecturer of Education

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Emily Rademacher

Lecturer of Education

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Chelsea Robinson

Professor of Practice Level I of Education

Michelle Schulze
Dr. Michelle Schulze

Lecturer

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Katy Severe

Lecturer of Education

Simone Sorteberg
Dr. Simone Sorteberg

Associate Professor of Education

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Paige Strawn

Lecturer of Education

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Kristen VanDyke

Lecturer of Education

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Brietta Voss

Lecturer of Education

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Lindsay Warren

Lecturer of Education

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Lisa Williams

Lecturer of Education

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Miriam Woods

Lecturer of Education

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Emily Zirkle

Lecturer of Education

Rasmussen Center

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