The field of world language education will face and, in some regions, is already facing a dire need for teachers. With PSU's certificate in World Language Pedagogy, you can explore teaching as a future career choice by gaining the basic knowledge, skills, and initial experience of teaching in a world language of your choice.
The certificate is available in eight languages: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Persian, Russian, and Spanish.
In our program, you will learn the basic skills necessary to teach a world language, including instructional strategies, curriculum planning, and assessment, as well as the structure and culture of a world language. Paired with a practicum that offers you hands-on experience, you'll be well-prepared to apply to PSU's Graduate Teacher Education Program or a teacher licensure program in Oregon or other states.
Take the first step toward a rewarding career in teaching a world language in K-16 schools.
Our certificate familiarizes students who are proficient in a world language — majors, minors, and heritage speakers — with the instructional methodology of teaching world languages. You'll take courses in methods, linguistics, and a content area, including literature, language, and culture.
Our faculty have in-depth teaching experience and bring that to your classes.
We strongly believe that teaching is the best way to learn. That's why our certificate provides you with the opportunity to teach at PSU, at a language immersion program or private school in the community, or during an internship abroad. Teaching is a rewarding career, and you'll experience firsthand that sense of accomplishment and reward.
This certificate helps meet the demand for world language teachers, as businesses and governments increasingly need graduates who are proficient in a world language in addition to English.
You'll be able to shorten your path to a teacher licensure program. By equipping you with the basic knowledge and initial hands-on experience, you'll be readily eligible for the Graduate Teacher Education Program.
You can also prepare for jobs in a variety of fields, including leadership, translation and interpretation, international business and relations, policymaking in the education field, and nonprofit organizations that serve immigrants and multi-ethnic needs.