About This Project

In 2017, out of a love for storytelling and teaching, and from a desire to have gainful employment, I began the process of obtaining a master’s degree in English education to teach at the secondary grade level.

This page contains a history of this years-long endeavor.

Blog Posts

The following are blog posts discussing my progress towards this degree.

2024

Certification Update – April 27th

Certification Update – April 30th

Certification Update – May 3rd

Certification Update – May 6th

Certification Update – June 14th

Certification Update – July 18th

2025

Certification Update – January 1st

Certification Update – February 22nd

Overall Progress

The following is a checklist of all of the steps necessary to undertake to earn the certificate.

Prerequisites

Bachelor’s Degree

A teaching certificate requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.

Degree	Credits	Completed
Bachelor’s of Fine Arts: Illustration	120+	✅

English Language Prerequisite Courses

Because my bachelor’s degree was not specifically in the English Language Arts, Western Governor’s University required that I complete a number of prerequisite courses.

Requirement	Institution	Course	Credits	Complete
Linguistics	RSC	SLC201	3	✅
Writing (1 of 2)	BYU	ENGL115	3	✅
Writing (2 of 2)	BYU	ENGL311	3	✅
Presentation	Straighter L.	COM101	3	✅
Cultural Studies	BYU	MUS195	3	✅
Literature (1 of 3)	BYU	REL121	2	✅
Literature (2 of 3)	BYU	REL122	2	✅
Literature (3 of 3)	BYU	REL211	2	✅
Additional Engl.	BYU	ENGL218	3	✅
Additional Engl.	BYU	ENGL291	3	✅
Additional Engl.	BYU	ENGL292	3	✅

WGU Night Courses

The WGU Master of Arts: Teaching English (Secondary) requires the following courses. Courses are administered online and can be completed on an asynchronous pace.

Course Name	Credits	Completed
Orientation	0	✅
Foundations of Education	2	✅
Educational Psychology and Human Development of Children and Adolescents	4	✅
Schools as Communities of Care	2	✅
Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment	2	✅
Assessing Student Learning	2	✅
Essential Practices for Supporting Diverse Learners	3	✅
Creating and Managing Engaging Learning Environments	2	✅
Using Educational Technology for Teaching and Learning	2	✅
Secondary Reading Instruction and Interventions	2	✅
Secondary Disciplinary Literacy	2	✅
English Pedagogy	3	✅
Professional Portfolio	1	✅
Cohort Seminar	1	✅

On-the-job Coursework

As a part of the WGU master’s degree program, I am required to complete on-the-job clinical hours.

Course Name	Credits	Completed
Preclinical Experiences in English	2	✅
Student Teaching I in Secondary Education	4	✅
Student Teaching II in Secondary Education	4	✅
Teacher Performance Assessment in English	1	✅

State-Required Coursework

While the above courses are required by my master’s degree program, there are two other courses that the State of Alaska requires. A person can get an initial teaching certificate before completing these courses, but the courses must be completed within two years.

Course	Credits	Completed
Alaska Studies Coursework	3
Alaska Multicultural Coursework	3	✅

List of Exams

Here is a checklist of Praxis Exam requirements.

Exam Name	Passed
Praxis – Core Academic Skills for Educators: Writing	✅
Praxis – Core Academic Skills for Educators: Mathematics	✅
Praxis – Core Academic Skills for Educators: Reading	✅
Praxis II English Language Arts: Content and Analysis 5039	✅