Temple University's Graduate Certificates in Secondary Education prepare individuals with strong content backgrounds to become certified teachers in Pennsylvania. Choose one subject area and complete a flexible, focused sequence of coursework and field experiences tailored to that discipline.

Available Certification Areas

• English Education
• Mathematics Education
• Science Education
• Social Studies Education
• World/Foreign Languages Education (K–12)

English Education

Temple University's Graduate Certificate in Secondary Education English prepares individuals with a background in English, literature or writing to become certified teachers for grades 7 through 12. Designed for career changers and aspiring educators with bachelor's degrees, the program offers a streamlined path to initial teacher certification in English language arts.

Students develop the skills and knowledge necessary to teach reading, writing, and language through diverse literary genres and multimodal texts. The curriculum emphasizes inclusive, standards-aligned instruction and explores literature and language's social, historical and cultural contexts. The program is ideal for those who want to inspire adolescents to think critically, write clearly, and engage deeply with texts and ideas.

English Education Focus

In this program, you will:

• Teach students to read and analyze literature, nonfiction and media through critical and cultural lenses.

• Support writing development across multiple genres and for diverse purposes.

• Explore language structure, usage and rhetoric, including issues of identity and power in language.

• Foster inclusive classrooms that empower student voice and interpretation.

Graduates are well-prepared to teach English language arts in upper middle and high school settings, and to foster inclusive classroom environments that promote critical reading, expressive writing, and appreciation for diverse voices and perspectives.

Mathematics Education

Temple University's Graduate Certificate in Secondary Education Mathematics prepares individuals with strong mathematics backgrounds to become certified teachers in grades 7 through 12. Designed for college graduates and professionals seeking a career change, this certificate provides a streamlined, practice-oriented route to initial teacher certification in secondary mathematics.

Participants develop deep pedagogical knowledge and practical instructional skills aligned to the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s academic standards. The curriculum includes coursework in adolescent development, inclusive and equitable teaching strategies, and content-specific methods for teaching middle and high school mathematics.

Mathematics Education Focus

In this program, you'll explore how to meet the diverse needs of students at various levels of mathematical proficiency. Emphasis is placed on:

• Fostering mathematical reasoning and conceptual understanding

• Building students’ confidence and critical thinking through problem-solving

• Engaging adolescents in active, inquiry-based mathematics learning

Graduates are well-prepared to teach Algebra I and II, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, and foundational data and statistics content in secondary school environments.

Science Education

Temple University's Graduate Certificate in Secondary Education Science provides a focused, non-degree pathway to initial teacher certification in grades 7 through 12 for individuals with a strong background in science. Designed for college graduates and working professionals—especially those with degrees in biology, chemistry, physics, earth science or related fields—this program prepares future educators to bring their subject matter expertise to diverse, secondary-level classrooms.

This certificate program equips you with the knowledge, tools and hands-on experience to effectively teach science content aligned with Pennsylvania academic standards. Through coursework in adolescent development, instructional methods and inclusive practices, you’ll learn how to design engaging science lessons that foster inquiry, critical thinking and equity in the classroom.

Science Education Focus

In this program, you will:

• Learn to plan and deliver inquiry-based science instruction that fosters critical thinking and problem-solving.

• Engage students in the scientific process through hands-on labs, experimentation and data analysis.

• Build foundational knowledge in biology, chemistry, earth and space, general science or physics, aligned with academic standards.

• Develop inclusive teaching strategies that support diverse learners in understanding complex scientific concepts.

Graduates are well-prepared to teach science in middle and high school settings, and to create learning environments that promote exploration, evidence-based reasoning and scientific curiosity.

Secondary Education Social Studies

Temple University's Graduate Certificate in Secondary Education Social Studies provides a focused pathway to initial teacher certification for individuals who want to teach history, civics, geography, economics or related disciplines in grades 7 through 12. This program is designed for career changers or recent graduates with strong backgrounds in the social sciences.

Students develop the knowledge and skills needed to engage adolescents in meaningful social studies learning through pedagogy courses, inclusive teaching strategies and subject-specific methods. The program emphasizes curriculum development for diverse classrooms, culturally responsive teaching and critical thinking about democracy, equity and global interdependence.

Social Studies Education Focus

In this program, you will:

• Explore how to teach for civic responsibility, historical thinking and social awareness.
• Learn to navigate sensitive topics such as race, gender, conflict, economic inequality and global interdependence.
• Design engaging and equitable curriculum aligned with Pennsylvania academic standards.

Graduates are well-prepared to teach social studies content in middle and high school settings, and to foster inclusive classroom dialogue that supports democracy, diversity and critical inquiry.

Secondary Education World/Foreign Languages

Temple University's Graduate Certificate in Secondary Education World/Foreign Languages offers a non-degree, certification-focused pathway for individuals who want to teach languages such as Spanish, French, Italian, German, Chinese or Latin in grades 7 through 12. Designed for career changers and multilingual professionals with strong content backgrounds, the program prepares you to become a certified language educator in Pennsylvania.

Through a blend of pedagogy, language acquisition theory and culturally responsive teaching practices, you will develop the skills to engage diverse learners in meaningful communication and intercultural exploration. The program fosters both instructional proficiency and a deeper understanding of global perspectives and language diversity.

World Language Education Focus

In this program, you will:

• Learn strategies to support second language acquisition in adolescent learners.

• Promote communication, cultural competency and global citizenship.

• Prepare for Pennsylvania certification in your specific target language: Chinese, French, German, Italian, Latin or Spanish

Graduates are well-prepared to teach world languages in middle and high school settings, and to foster inclusive classrooms that promote communication, cultural understanding and global perspectives.