Secondary Education Major: What It Includes, Classes and Careers

A Secondary Education major prepares you to teach a subject such as math, science, English or history in middle and high school. Secondary education majors pair a teaching subject with education courses in adolescent development, teaching methods and classroom management, plus student teaching.

A Secondary Education major includes coursework in adolescent development, subject-area teaching methods, classroom management, assessment, and educational technology and more. You build skills such as lesson planning, subject expertise, classroom management, and mentoring. Programs often include student teaching. Typical degrees: bachelor's and master's degrees.

Typical courses include adolescent development, subject-area teaching methods, classroom management, assessment, educational technology, and student teaching. Exact course names and requirements vary by college, and most degrees also include general education courses.

It depends on the level. Secondary Education is offered as certificate, associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral awards at U.S. colleges; certificates take from a few months to about two years, an associate degree usually takes about two years of full-time study, a bachelor’s degree usually takes about four years of full-time study, a master’s degree usually takes one to two years after a bachelor’s, and a doctoral or professional degree takes several more years beyond that. Part-time study takes longer.

Bachelor's and master's degrees. In the latest federal data, 299 colleges reported certificate awards, 139 colleges reported associate awards, 891 colleges reported bachelor’s awards, 648 colleges reported master’s awards, and 82 colleges reported doctoral awards.

Career paths connected to secondary education include high school teacher, middle school teacher, career and technical education teacher, substitute teacher, tutor, and instructional coordinator. Some roles need additional training, experience, certification or a license.

Examples include high school teacher (typical training: 4 years plus licensing), middle school teacher (typical training: 4 years plus licensing), career and technical education teacher (typical training: Industry experience plus licensing), substitute teacher (typical training: Days to weeks for a substitute permit), tutor (typical training: Weeks to months), and instructional coordinator (typical training: Master’s plus 5+ years of teaching).

Secondary Education majors build skills such as lesson planning, subject expertise, classroom management, mentoring, and communication.

Good pairings include Special Education (helps you support every learner in your classes), Psychology (explains teen development and motivation), and Mathematics (math teachers are in high demand in many states).

Often, yes. Programs commonly include student teaching. Ask each college how its program arranges hands-on work.

It can be a good fit if you are interested in the work it leads to, such as high school teacher, middle school teacher, and career and technical education teacher, and enjoy subjects like adolescent development and subject-area teaching methods. No major guarantees a job, so compare the coursework, the careers and the education each career requires before deciding.

How hard it feels depends on your strengths. Core coursework includes adolescent development, subject-area teaching methods, and classroom management; if those subjects interest you, the major is likely to feel more manageable. Reviewing a college’s course list and talking to current students helps you judge.

1,256 U.S. colleges reported awarding degrees or certificates in this field in the latest federal (IPEDS) data. Programs can have different names at different schools.

New York (86), Pennsylvania (75), Texas (72), Ohio (51), and California (49), based on the colleges that reported awards in this field.

1,141 of the colleges that offer secondary education also report offering at least one program entirely online, though not necessarily this one. Use the college search with this major and “Offers fully online programs”, then confirm with the school.

Secondary Education prepares you to teach a subject such as math, science, English or history in middle and high school. Elementary Education prepares you to teach children in kindergarten through the elementary grades. Secondary Education leads to careers such as high school teacher and middle school teacher, while Elementary Education leads to careers such as elementary school teacher and kindergarten teacher.

Secondary Education prepares you to teach a subject such as math, science, English or history in middle and high school. Early Childhood Education focuses on the learning and care of children from birth to about age eight. Secondary Education leads to careers such as high school teacher and middle school teacher, while Early Childhood Education leads to careers such as preschool teacher and childcare worker.

Yes. Short online career training can help you understand a specific job and build practical knowledge alongside your classes. It does not replace your degree or any required license.

No. Career Education Institute is not a college and does not award degrees. It offers short, non-credit online trainings about jobs connected to secondary education, such as High School Teacher Training.