Graduate Certificate in the Teaching of Composition
The Certificate in the Teaching of Composition is designed to provide theoretical and pedagogical preparation for students who plan to teach writing and/or reading in post-secondary classrooms.
Admission to Program
For matriculated students, admission to either or both of the certificate programs requires completion of the internal English Department application, which should be submitted to the department.
This internal application is available in the main department office, or at english.sfsu.edu. Those seeking the Certificates in Teaching Composition or Post-secondary Reading must submit the application prior to their first semester of certificate coursework.
Anyone who wishes to earn a certificate but is not currently a matriculated graduate student will need to apply to the University, using the published admissions process, before being considered for admission to the composition or reading certificate programs. For information about how to complete this application, students should consult the appropriate graduate coordinator of the Division of Graduate Studies.
Students interested in admission to the certificate programs need not have completed undergraduate degree programs in English literature or language studies, nor need they be enrolled in master's programs offered in the Department of English. Graduate students from master's programs offered in this department should contact their advisors to find out how many of the courses taken for the composition or reading certificates may be used to meet degree requirements in their M.A. program. Graduate students from master's programs offered in other departments should contact their advisor to find out how many of the courses taken for composition or reading certificates they may use to meet degree requirements in their M.A. program.
Upon completion of all the certificate courses, for the final award of the degree, students must fill out a CAP form (Certificate Approved Program) available on the Graduate Studies website, pay the $7.00 application fee at the Cashier's Office, and submit the form to the Composition Office in HUM 480 for the Certificates in the Teaching of Composition and Post-Secondary Reading, and to the English Department in HUM 484 for the Certificate in Immigrant Literacies. Contact the English department in HUM 484 with any questions.
All certificate candidates should familiarize themselves with the general guidelines for earning a certificate on this campus. A student planning to earn an undergraduate or graduate certificate must meet the requirements listed in the Certificate Programs section of this Bulletin. Any student who wishes to apply for the Master of Arts in English with Concentration in Composition must consult their advisor immediately to find out how best to proceed.
Written English Proficiency Requirement
Level One
Matriculated Students in a graduate program on campus will have satisfied Level One via their home department’s criteria. Students who are matriculated in the certificate program only must submit a writing sample with their application.
Level Two
Students must earn a grade of B or better in ENG 700 ENG 700 .
Program Learning Outcomes
- Develop a critical understanding of scholarship in the field of Composition in order to contribute to disciplinary discussions about theory, policy and practice.
- Develop and articulate a teaching philosophy/approach that is informed by scholarship in the fields of Composition and Rhetoric, principles of ethics and social justice, and critical self-reflection.
- Design integrated reading/writing courses, units, prompts, activities, and materials that are grounded in research, theory, praxis, and critical reflection.
- Develop a thoughtful and well-grounded approach for analyzing, assessing, and responding to students’ texts to foster students’ growth as readers, writers, and thinkers.
Suggested Plan of Study
Applicants admitted for the fall semester should take the following courses in order to complete the certificate in one academic year:
Applicants admitted for the spring semester will receive advising based on the availability of spring courses. Because of the rotation of course offerings, spring admission entails a minimum of three semesters to complete the Certificate in Teaching Composition.