The Speech Education program prepares students to gain licensure for teaching grades 7-12 in private or public schools. In the program, students will complete courses in communication, journalism, theatre, and secondary education. These required courses establish the foundations that allow students to serve as interns (student teachers) during the final semester of the program.
To prepare students to teach drama, speech, or theatre, students complete the following required courses: Introduction to Communication, Public Speaking, Voice and Diction, Interpersonal Communication, Oral Interpretation, Group Communication, Argumentation, Acting Theories and Techniques, Stagecraft Techniques, Directing Theories and Techniques, Theatre History I, Theatre History II and Introduction to Mass Communication. Upon completion of these core courses, students possess the knowledge to teach communication, debate, drama and theatre classes at the middle or high school level.
Students also complete courses in secondary education: Education as a Profession; Introduction to Educational Technology; and Educating Developing, Diverse and Exceptional Learners. In the final year of the program, students complete Classroom Application of Educational Psychology and observe in a middle school or high school communication, debate, drama and/or theatre class. Students complete the program with the Seminar in Secondary Education course and the Teaching in the Secondary School course and a teaching internship in a middle school or high school communication, debate, drama and/or theatre class with a sponsoring middle school or high school teacher.
Students living in states bordering Arkansas receive in-state tuition.
Financial Aid is available for those who qualify. The Arkansas Tech University school code to use on the FAFSA is 001089.
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View the links below to better understand the courses, the course timeline, and who your faculty will be when you enroll as an ATU student.
Credentials that stack with this degree:
Speech Education students have a 100% pass rate on the Praxis examinations.
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