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The Certificate in Teaching College-Level Writing

The Department of English offers a post-baccalaureate certificate program in Teaching College-Level Writing. To prepare students to teach college-level writing in a variety of contexts, this certificate engages students in the study of composition, pedagogical rhetoric, literacy, and writing program design.

Prerequisites:

  1. An acceptable BA or BS from an accredited institution.
  2. Admission to the Graduate School

Course Requirements for the Certificate: 22-23 units

The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required of all candidates for this certificate.

5 courses required:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
ENGL 431 Theory and Practice in Tutoring Composition   4.0 FS  
Prerequisites: ENGL 333W and ENGL 335W are strongly recommended.
Training and experience in the tutoring of students in composition. With permission of instructor, course may be repeated once for credit, but credit will not count toward major. 3 hours seminar, 3 hours laboratory. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 8.0 units. (003539)
ENGL 632 Theories of Literacy   3.0 SP  
Intensive study of contemporary literacy theory and practice; the cultural and individual bases of the development of literacy. 3 hours seminar. (003657)
ENGL 634 Teaching Composition   3.0 SP  
Weekly seminar in the theory and practice of teaching composition. Required of all prospective teaching associates. 3 hours seminar. (003660)
ENGL 636 Composition Program Design and Development   3.0 F1  
Intensive study of the current theories and administrative practices which structure composition program development. 3 hours seminar. (003662)
ENGL 637 Rhetoric for Writing Teachers   3.0 FA  
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. ENGL 335 recommended.
This graduate-level course in pedagogical rhetoric introduces students to rhetorical theory as a lens on the history and practice of teaching writing. Topics might include rhetoric and multilingualism, rhetoric and argumentation, feminist rhetorics and writing instruction, and the pedagogical roles of visual/digital/sonic rhetorics. 3 hours lecture. (021625)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
ENGL 470 Theory and Practice of Second Language Acquisition   3.0 FS  
Prerequisites: ENGL 371.
Introduction to major issues in second language acquisition and teaching. 3 hours seminar. (003540)
EDSL 610 Second/Foreign Language Teaching Methodology for Beginning Learners   3.0 FA  
Survey of innovative approaches to foreign/second language teaching. An overview of theory and practice in the field, highlighting methods for the development of comprehension and communication skills. Humanistic techniques, teaching the cultural context of language use, and language testing are also included. 3 hours seminar. (002891)
ENGL 689T Internship in Teaching College English   3.0 FS  
Prerequisites: ENGL 431 or ENGL 470 for ESL; faculty permission.
Supervised classroom experience in teaching ESL, literature, and creative writing. Students must be in MA program in English and have permission of program coordinator and instructor of record. 9 hours supervision. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 15.0 units. Credit/no credit grading. (015976)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM Title Sustainable Units Semester Offered Course Flags
ENGL 415 Editing Literary Magazines   4.0 FS  
Prerequisite: ENGL 220W (may be taken concurrently).
Study of and workshop in the editing of literary magazines, manuscripts, and other literary materials. Practice in selection, evaluation, copy editing, and production. Class publishes Watershed Review literary magazine. 3 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 8.0 units. (003581)
ENGL 420 Advanced Poetry Writing   4.0 SP  
Prerequisite: ENGL 320W or instructor permission.
Instruction in the writing of poetry at an advanced level. 3 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 8.0 units. (003519)
ENGL 421 Advanced Fiction and Nonfiction Writing   4.0 SP  
Prerequisite: ENGL 321W or 327W or faculty permission.
Instruction in the writing of fiction and/or creative nonfiction at an advanced level. 3 hours discussion, 2 hours activity. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 8.0 units. (003521)
ENGL 478 Approaches to Reading   3.0 FA  
An examination of recent theory and research in the field of reading as a language process, with practical experience in reading instruction. 3 hours seminar. (003535)
ENGL 635 Topics in Rhetorical Theory and History   3.0 SP  
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. ENGL 335 recommended.
This graduate-level course in rhetoric introduces students to theories and histories of rhetorical practice in writing and other inscription systems. Specific topics vary from semester to semester. 3 hours lecture. (021624)

Additional Requirement:

A maximum of 3 units of transfer credit may be allowed in the certificate program. A grade-point average of 3.0 must be earned for courses required for the certificate program. At least a B- must be earned in each course in the certificate program before the certificate is awarded.

Students accepted into the MA program in English or in Teaching International Languages may also complete the certificate if they so desire. In this case, courses counted toward the MA may also be counted toward the certificate.

Teachers who have completed ENGL 530 (Northern California Writing Project, invitational) for six units may substitute these units for ENGL 431 in the core and one additional elective course.

Catalog Cycle:21