Combined Undergraduate/Graduate Degree Programs

Current DePaul undergraduate students in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences or the College of Science and Health can become high school or middle school teachers through the five-year, dual degree Secondary Education TEACH program.

Students take a special experiential learning course and four education courses while completing an undergraduate degree in their major, and then they enter the College of Education and earn a master’s degree in education and a secondary teaching license from the State of Illinois.

The TEACH program is designed for those who are invested in the generation of tomorrow and who want to inspire them to explore ideas, solve problems and make decisions about their future. Today’s teachers are subject matter experts, but they offer students much more than knowledge of the subjects they teach: They are teacher-leaders and transformational educators, as well as advocates for young people.

Secondary educators not only work as teachers in middle schools, junior high schools and high schools, but also as adult education teachers, community educators and tutors. In addition, they also work in education consulting firms, non-profit agencies and textbook publishing houses.

Interested in enrolling in this program? Learn more about its admissions requirements, and find out how to apply.

Degree Program

After completing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences or College of Science and Health, candidates earn a Master of Education (MEd) through one year of coursework in the College of Education.

Licensure

The TEACH program leads to a Secondary Education (5–12) teaching license with the State of Illinois. DePaul University offers Illinois State Board of Education approved Secondary education programs in:

Biology | Chemistry | English | Environmental Science | History | Mathematics | Physics | Social Sciences

Program Requirements

The TEACH program includes all requirements for the undergraduate major, five education courses taken as an undergraduate student and a fifth year of graduate study in education (nine courses); however, teaching licensure requires more than a series of courses—there are special requirements such as completing field experiences, applying for advanced standing, passing state-mandated tests, and completing a full-time, intensive student teaching internship.

Students may apply to the Program during the spring of their junior year. They must complete the Junior Year Experiential Course TCH 320, Exploring Teaching in an Urban High School, and meet other application criteria prior to applying.