About Secondary Education

The Secondary Education program at NNU is an exciting program filled with many options for teaching fields and multiple hands-on experiences in local middle and high schools. NNU’s education programs are viewed by educators around the state and the region as producing quality teachers. NNU graduates are greatly sought by principals seeking to hire highly qualified teachers. The Secondary Education program leads to certification in grades 6-12 (or K-12 in art, music, and physical education).

The traditional undergraduate Secondary Education program is geared to college students who begin their coursework soon after completing high school, but it is also popular among non-traditional students.

Certification in Idaho requires that candidates complete either a teaching area in a single subject (45 semester credits required) or a first (30 semester credits required) and second (20 semester credits required) teaching field in two different areas.

Teaching areas offered at NNU include art, biology, chemistry, English, mathematics, music, and physical education.

First teaching fields offered at NNU include art, biology, chemistry, English, history, mathematics, physical education, psychology, and Spanish.

Second teaching fields offered at NNU include American government/political science, art, biology, chemistry, communication, computer science, English, health, history, mathematics, music, physical education, physics, psychology, and Spanish.

The program culminates in a semester-long student teaching experience that allows NNU student teachers to gain expertise in managing a classroom and applying best practices in their teaching. They develop and teach a unit, plan and teach daily lessons in their subject area, and use various forms of assessment to monitor student learning. NNU faculty supervisors are readily available in the schools to provide ongoing coaching and support.