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English Education

The MA Program in English Education offers a two-year pathway to the Professional Educator's License for those interested in becoming high school English Language Arts teachers, with optional endorsements available.

The PhD program in English with a specialization in English Education prepares graduates for careers as teacher educators, scholars, and teacher leaders.

Why teach English?

We believe that language arts teachers can make a real difference in their students' lives; that helping young people grow as literate persons can help them live more thoughtfully, act effectively as citizens, and make meaningful, positive connections with diverse groups of people.

Our vision for English teacher education is informed by our long-term experience as secondary school teachers, by our regular presence in Chicago-area schools, and by observing and listening to our graduates about what is needed to develop successful English teachers in secondary classrooms.

English Education at a glance

Don’t just take it from us, though: see what our alums have to say about the English Education graduate program.

A selfie of a smiling woman. She has brown, short wavy hair with lilac tips, and brown eyes.

“When I decided to pursue a Masters in English Education, there was no better institution than UIC. As a former undergraduate, returning felt like coming home to the place that prepared me for the classroom. Now, after 17 years in the field, I can attest to how supportive this program continues to be as I further develop as an educator.”

– Melissa Godinez, Class of 2026

A man in a white baseball cap and yellow sunglasses is standing on a pier. He has a full, white beard and moustache, and appears to be smirking. The waters are clear and the day is bright.

“My time at UIC was both transformative and inspiring, shaping me as a scholar and as a human being. Working with faculty [here] whom encouraged creativity, risk-taking, and authentic community engagement, I learned to find my voice as an educator and a scholar. Their openness to my ideas about community-based learning continues to guide everything that I do today. At the University of Redlands, where I work today, I lead the Inside-Out Prison Exchange course, where university and incarcerated students learn side by side across profound social boundaries, and I co-founded the Born to Run Club at Norco Prison. I’ve led three study-away courses to Cuba and will soon take students to the Freire Institute in Brazil. My belief that education should connect classrooms to communities and inspire social change traces directly back to the mentorship I received at UIC. I’m so grateful for the time I spend working with David and Todd, as it’s made me a better person and a stronger teacher and scholar.”

 

– Brian Charest (PhD, University of Illinois Chicago)