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Teacher Education Content Area Requirements

If you are interested in earning a content area certification in English or an Elementary Education certification, the Literature Program offers excellent preparation. Many English & Literary Studies Majors (as well as Literature and Creative Writing Minors) also pursue Teacher Certification. Literature students planning careers as Elementary, Middle School, or High School English teachers fulfill many of the certification subject area requirements with Literature Courses.
The Literature faculty recognizes the active relationship between its majors and the Teacher Education Program. Contact the Literature Convener (Vassiliki Flenga, office B-133, vlenga@ramapo.edu, 201-684-7417) if you have questions. Those seeking certification should also contact the Education Program directly. Contact Assistant Dean of Teacher Education Dr. Rexton Lynn (rlynn@ramapo.edu, office E 231, [201] 684-7627).
Students need to have and maintain a 3.0 GPA. Students must pass the Praxis Core exam and clear an approved background check to be admitted.
Certification requirements differ depending on your career goal. Click on the link below based on your interests:

Elementary / Middle School Certification

The following requirements apply to students seeking certification as Elementary and Middle School Teachers.
Currently, no additional Literature courses are required for English & Literary Studies Majors seeking certification as elementary or middle school teachers. However, the Literature faculty strongly encourage students to consider the following.

  1. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER CANDIDATES should strongly consider taking LITR 302 GRAMMAR: THEORY AND PEDAGOGY and LITR 308 CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE. These courses cover content essential to elemntaryand middle school teachers. Additionally, prospective employers will appreciate seeing these courses on your transcripts.
  2. MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER CANDIDATES school candidates should strongly consider taking all of the courses required for Content English Certification at High School Level.(Should a Middle School teacher choose later in her/his career to teach High School, these courses will all be required at that time.) At the least, middle school candidates should strongly consider taking LITR 302 GRAMMAR: THEORY AND PEDAGOGY and LITR 308 CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE.
  3. English & Literary Studies Majors seeking Elementary / Middle School Certification may use EDUC 346 Literacy Theory & Practice as an elective toward completion of their English & Literary Studies Major.
High School Certification
The following table should help you determine which Literature Courses Fulfill your Teacher Education Categories.

  • Double Counting: Courses cannot double count within the Teacher Education Program.
  • That is, while a course like LITR 272 MODERN EUROPEAN DRAMA (Formerly LITR 212) covers the work of European playwrights, it can fulfill EITHER Drama or International Literature, not both categories.
  • However, courses will double count between the English & Literary Studies Major and the Teacher Education program. So LITR 272 can fulfill both the Teacher Education and English & Literary Studies Major “Drama” requirement simultaneously.
  • These certification course requirements are designed to provide a diverse combination of survey and more specifically focused courses. Students completing this program will be ready to begin careers as well-prepared English and English Language Arts teachers.
  • Students obtaining a Content English Certification at High School Level are REQUIRED to complete these courses.
  • Students obtaining a Content English Certification at Middle School Level are STRONGLY ENCOURAGED to complete these courses. (Should a Middle School teacher choose later in her/his career to teach High School, these courses may all be required at that time.)

Students obtaining an Elementary Certification are NOT required to take these courses.

Two Courses in Drama/Shakespeare:

Students take 2 drama courses, one of which must be LITR 244 – SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS (Formerly LITR 208). (NOTE: LITR 246 SHAKESPEARE ON FILM (Formerly LITR 207) does not fulfill this requirement). For the second drama section, choose one of the following:

  • LITR 272 MODERN EUROPEAN DRAMA (Formerly LITR 212)
  • LITR 268 SURVEY OF GREEK DRAMA (Formerly LITR 254)
  • LITR 224 AMERICAN DRAMA (Formerly LITR 287)

(or a section of Major Authors or Literature Seminar dealing a playwright/drama; also, LITR 244 SHAKESPEARE PLAYS [Formerly LITR 208] counts as one of the Drama courses)

One Poetry Course:

  • LITR 201 READINGS IN POETRY(Formerly LITR 215)
  • LITR 223 SURVEY OF AMERICAN POETRY (Formerly LITR 221)
  • LITR 314 TRANSATLANTIC 19th C. POETRY (Formerly LITR 305)

(or a section of Major Authors dealing with a poet)

Two British Literature Courses

(the literature faculty recommends one course cover British Literature pre-1750 & one cover British Literature post-1750. However, at this time, any two British Literature courses will fulfill the requirement.) British Literature Pre-1750

  • LITR 240 BRITISH LITERATURE I (Formerly LITR 203)
  • LITR 246 SHAKESPEARE ON FILM (Formerly LITR 207)
  • LITR 342 AGE OF CHAUCER (Formerly LITR 337)
  • LITR 340 BRITISH MEDIEVAL LITERATURE (Formerly LITR 340)

British Literature Post-1750

  • LITR 250 THE ENGLISH NOVEL (Formerly LITR 205)
  • LITR 242 SURVEY OF BRITISH LITERATURE II (Formerly LITR 209)
  • LITR 248 LITERATURE OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT (Formerly LITR 213)
  • LITR 314 TRANSATLANTIC 19th C. POETRY (Formerly LITR 305)
  • LITR 348 VICTORIAN SECRETS: POETRY AND PROSE (Formerly LITR 342THE VICTORIANS)
  • LITR 354 THE MEDIEVAL AND MODERN IN TOLKIEN’S MIDDLE EARTH

(or a section of Major Authors or Literature Seminar dealing with a British Author or a course that covers both British and American Literature, like LITR 314 TRANSATLANTIC 19th C. POETRY [Formerly LITR 305])

Two American Literature Courses:

  • LITR 220 SURVEY AMERICAN LITERATURE I (Formerly LITR 202)
  • LITR 223 SURVEY OF AMERICAN POETRY (Formerly LITR 221)
  • LITR 226 AMERICAN SHORT STORY (Formerly LITR 204)
  • LITR 234 CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN LITERATURE (Formerly LITR 217)
  • LITR 221 SURVEY OF AMERICAN LITERATURE II (Formerly LITR 218)
  • LITR 230 19TH CENTURY AMERICAN LITERATURE (Formerly LITR 227)
  • LITR 231 19TH CENTURY AMERICAN WOMEN AUTHORS
  • LITR 232 20TH CENTURY AMERICAN NOVEL (Formerly LITR 240)
  • LITR 276 LITERATURE OF THE AMERICAS (Formerly LITR 255)
  • LITR 235 AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE (Formerly LITR 230)
  • LITR 212 DETECTIVE FICTION AND FILM (Formerly LITR 243)
  • LITR 233 HARLEM RENAISSANCE (Formerly LITR 280)
  • LITR 237 IRISH AMERICAN LITERATURE
  • LITR 314 TRANSATLANTIC 19th C. POETRY (Formerly LITR 305)
  • LITR 320 COMIC AMERICAN NOVEL (Formerly LITR 308)
  • LITR 326 AMERICAN ROMANTICISM (Formerly LITR 331)
  • LITR 332 SOUTHERN AMERICAN WRITERS (Formerly LITR 333)
  • LITR 334 AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN WRITERS (no change)
  • LITR 338 LATINO LITERATURE OF USA (Formerly LITR 341)

(or a section of Major Authors or Literature Seminar dealing with a dealing with an American author or a course that covers both American and British Literature, like Transatlantic 19th C. Poetry )

Two International or Multicultural Literature Courses:

International Courses:

  • LITR 272 MODERN EUROPEAN DRAMA (Formerly LITR 212)
  • LITR 210 LITERATURE AND FILM
  • LITR 270 SURVEY OF EUROPEAN LITERATURE (Formerly LITR 223)
  • LITR 277 SURVEY OF AFRICAN LITERATURE (Formerly LITR 228)
  • LITR 273 MODERN NOVEL IN FRANCE (Formerly LITR 253)
  • LITR 268 SURVEY OF GREEK DRAMA (Formerly LITR 254)
  • LITR 274 RUSSIAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE (Formerly LITR 258)
  • LITR 252 MODERN IRELAND: THE LITERARY EXPERIENCE (Formerly LITR 281)
  • LITR 275 SURVEY OF LATIN AMERICAN LITERATURE (Formerly LITR 268)
  • LITR 310 EXISTENTIALISM (Formerly LITR 315)
  • LITR 378 BLACK ODYSSEY (Formerly LITR 320)
  • LITR 372 SPANISH RENAISSANCE (Formerly LITR 328)
  • LITR 376 BRAZILIAN LITERATURE AND CULTURE (Formerly LITR 330)
  • LITR 362 INTERNATIONAL 19TH CENTURY NOVEL (Formerly LITR 338)
  • LITR 363 INTERNATIONAL 20TH AND 21ST CENTURY NOVEL
  • LITR 366 LITERATURE OF HOLOCAUST (Formerly LITR 348)
  • LITR 370 CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN LITERATURE (Formerly LITR 357)
  • LITR 368 ITALIAN RENAISSANCE STUDY (Formerly LITR 363)

Multicultural Courses:

  • LITR 234 CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN LITERATURE (Formerly LITR 217)
  • LITR 210 LITERATURE AND FILM
  • LITR 236 MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE (Formerly LITR 252)
  • LITR 235 AFRICAN-AMERICAN LITERATURE (Formerly LITR 230)
  • LITR 212 DETECTIVE FICTION AND FILM (Formerly LITR 243)
  • LITR 276 LITERATURE OF THE AMERICAS (Formerly LITR 255)
  • LITR 233 HARLEM RENAISSANCE (Formerly LITR 280)
  • LITR 237 IRISH-AMERICAN LITERATURE
  • LITR 332 SOUTHERN AMERICAN WRITERS (Formerly LITR 333)
  • LITR 334 AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN WRITERS (no change)

(or a section of Major Authors or Literature Seminar dealing with International or Multicultural subject matter)

One course in Structure and Criticism (formerly “Language Theory”)

  • LITR 306 LITERATURE: THEORY AND CRITICISM (Formerly LITR 301)
  • LITR 302 GRAMMAR: THEORY AND PEDAGOGY(Formerly LITR 314)
  • LITR 304 HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE (Formerly LITR 344)