Grow as a Christ-centered educator as you learn to serve Middle and High school students with disabilities.

As an Inclusive Adolescence Education major at Houghton, you'll be prepared to teach students with disabilities at the secondary level (grades 7-12). This can be a single certification or together with a Grade 7-12 content area—math, science, English or social studies. In your first year, you’ll have diverse field experience and coursework. Those experiences paired with inclusive practices, will prepare you for today’s classrooms. With the ongoing support from faculty mentors, you'll build a spiritual foundation that you can bring to any classroom.

Degree Snapshot

Undergraduate - Bachelor's

Degree Types: BA, BS

Optional Content Area Certifications: Biology, Chemistry, English, Math, Physics or Social Studies

Program Credits: 124

Explore Courses & Degree Requirements Teaching Certification Meet the Faculty

What will I learn?

Through Houghton’s degree in Inclusive Adolescence Education program, you will:

Pursue coursework in theories of teaching and learning, literacy, special education, classroom management, curriculum, assessment, and content-specific teaching methods
Immerse yourself in diverse field experience and coursework starting in your first year
Observe, learn, and teach in a spectrum of schools. Including opportunities in rural and urban schools, or a half semester abroad
Collaborate on research with education faculty members. Present your findings at international, national and regional conferences
Dedicate your senior year to a full semester of student teaching either locally or beyond Houghton; urban, rural or international locations
Work towards an additional teaching certificate in one of six areas (Augmented history (social studies), Biology, Chemistry, English, Mathematics, Physics)

Why study Inclusive Adolescence Education at Houghton?

Experiential Learning

At Houghton, you’ll have at least 100 hours of field experience prior to student teaching. Some of these opportunities may include:

Assisting with Math, Division, Literacy Days where groups of students come to campus
Summer AmeriCorps opportunities in Buffalo where you work with English Language Learners
Connecting with a teacher(s) for an entire year as part of your Junior Practicum
Service learning opportunities at organizations like Journey’s End Tutoring in Buffalo, Reading Club at King Center Charter School in Buffalo, or Allegany County Outreach

Inner City Immersion Experience

Experience teaching in an inner-city setting. Teaching in Urban America, is a two-week site experience in Buffalo, NY.

Observe and engage in a more diverse classroom setting
Discuss culture, poverty, privilege and race and their relationships with education
Engage in a service-learning project in the community
Explore the city of Buffalo

Intentional Mentoring by Faculty

At Houghton, your education professors serve as mentors throughout your coursework and fieldwork. They are committed to integrating theory, practice and Christian faith in their teaching

You will receive careful placement and personal oversight by full-time education faculty who know you well. All faculty have earned graduate degrees in specific areas of specialization and all have served as classroom teachers.

Courses & Degree Requirements

Popular Courses

EDUC 235 Educating Exceptional Learners

Examine the historical and legal contexts for providing services to diverse learners. Explore the scope of exceptionalities and the processes used to identify and address special needs. Take a close look at evidence-based practices and collaborative role of the general educator.

EDUC 313 Language, Literacy & Curriculum Integration for Diverse Learners

How does language play a role in secondary education curriculum? Explore this question from a variety of angles, philosophical, technical, cultural, and political. Discover ways of integrating literacy across the curriculum for diverse secondary learners.

EDUC 338 Inclusive Curriculum & Assessment in Secondary Classrooms

Learn what it means to develop a learning environment that nurtures language learning for all children. Explore children’s diverse language and literacy learning. Also explore the assessment and instruction of English language arts in inclusive classrooms. You'll work to articulate a philosophy of teaching English language arts.

Degree Options

BA - 124 credits

69 credits
Required Courses

55 credits
Elective courses + general education

BA Degree Requirements

BS - 124 credits

69 credits
Required Courses

55 credits
Elective courses + general education

BS Degree Requirements

Second Major in Content Area

To receive an additional certification in one of the following content areas, you can pursue a double major or a minimum of 30 credit hours in that content area.

Biology
Chemistry
English
Math
Physics
Social Studies

How do I get my New York State teaching certification?

New York State Initial Teacher Certification

Upon completion of this program, you may apply for an Initial Teaching Certificate from New York State. In addition, you must complete the required New York State Teacher Certification Examinations appropriate to your desired teaching certificate(s).

More about NYS Teaching Certification

Steps to Professional NYS Certification

After completing your degree at Houghton and the required certification exams, you can begin working towards your professional teaching certification.

Pursue a Master's Degree
Gain Classroom Teaching Experience - 3 years or 540 days

Are there jobs in teaching?

Beginning in late 2017, job openings began to exceed hires in public education. Educators are needed in all areas of public education. For more details on the educator shortage and historical graphs, visit nea.org.

Chart Source: National Education Association
Data source: NEA analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, Seasonally Adjusted Data