Bachelor of Arts in Bilingual Education (Secondary)

About

The Bachelor of Arts in Bilingual Education (Secondary) will prepare you to teach content in two languages at a secondary school level. In addition to taking required general education classes, you’ll study topics like:

  • Language structure and use
  • Principles of bilingual education
  • Diversity in the classroom

You’ll also get hands-on experience in the classroom and complete a capstone project.

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Bilingual Education - Secondary Education Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The Bilingual Education Program offers a major for students preparing to teach dual language learners who wish to demonstrate their own commitment to learning an additional language.

This major satisfies the endorsement for preschool through grade 12.

World Language Requirement

Acceptance to the program is contingent upon scoring Advanced-Low or higher on both the oral and written ACTFL tests. The State of Washington, Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB), requires bilingual education candidates to pass the ACTFL oral and written tests with a score of Advanced-Low or higher to obtain certification. Candidates who score less than Advanced-Low on any of the ACTFL tests will be asked to prepare a plan to pass the ACTFL oral and written tests at the end of the certification. This plan will require them to take some upper-division world language courses.

Secondary Education Program Prerequisites
All prerequisite courses must have been completed within the last 6 years.
A grade ≥B- in all prerequisite courses is required for admission to the Education program.
CMST 201PUBLIC SPEAKING5
or CMST 340 INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
EDUC 201INTRODUCTION TO EDUCATION3
ENGL 201COLLEGE COMPOSITION: ANALYSIS, RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION (or approved equivalent)5
SOST 300PEOPLES AND GOVERNANCE OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST5
SPED 363INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL EDUCATION4
PSYC 204EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY5
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning proficiency*5
Total Credits32

Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning courses

Grade Requirements: The minimum cumulative GPA for this program is ≥2.7 for the Spanish courses and required supporting courses, and ≥B- in each required education course.

This Program requires admission into the School of Education. 

Required English Course
ENGL 360LANGUAGE STRUCTURE AND USE5
Required English as a Second Language Courses
ESLG 380INTRODUCTION TO TEACHING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE5
ESLG 471TEACHING ENGLISH ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES3
ESLG 480SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION4
ESLG 481METHODS AND MATERIALS IN ENGLISH AS A SECOND OR FOREIGN LANGUAGE4
ESLG 488SECOND LANGUAGE PRINT LITERACY THEORIES3
ESLG 489CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY IN THE CLASSROOM4
ESLG 492SECOND LANGUAGE LITERACY PLACEMENT AND ASSESSMENT3
Required General Modern Languages Courses
GNML 391PRINCIPLES OF BILINGUAL EDUCATION5
GNML 392PRACTICES AND ASSESSMENT FOR BILINGUAL EDUCATION5
GNML 393PRACTICUM: BILINGUAL EDUCATION (variable credit course; must be repeated )6
GNML 303LANGUAGE ACQUISITION ASSESSMENT1
Required Capstone
SPAN 491SPANISH SENIOR THESIS4
or ESLG 490 ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CAPSTONE
Required Education Courses
EDUC 303FOUNDATIONS OF ASSESSMENT3
EDUC 309FOUNDATIONS OF SECONDARY CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT3
EDUC 341SECONDARY STRATEGIES, MANAGEMENT, ASSESSMENT3
EDUC 386AFIELD EXPERIENCE AND PRACTICUM3
EDUC 386BFIELD EXPERIENCE AND PRACTICUM3
EDUC 413CONTENT AREA LITERACY: MANAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT FOR SECONDARY EDUCATION CANDIDATES3
EDUC 426SECONDARY STUDENT TEACHING 5-1212
EDUC 427GENERAL STUDENT TEACHING K-123-15
Total Credits85-97

University Competencies and Proficiencies

English 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB


General Education Requirements (GER)

  • Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours 
    • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences


University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List


Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term expected to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.

  1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Core Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
  2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Students who earn a BA in Bilingual Education - Secondary Education from EWU should be able to:​​

  • identify the effects of the interrelationship between language and culture on the bilingual classroom;
  • explain how pedagogical strategies support elementary and middle school students’ literacy;
  • deliver an oral presentation to inform families of the benefits of a K-8 bilingual dual-language program;
  • identify the optimal elements in a WA standards-based lesson plan for bilingual education;
  • create developmentally appropriate bilingual lesson plans grounded in language acquisition research;
  • teach a lesson that supports the linguistic development of bilingual speakers.

Sample Courses

ESLG 471. TEACHING ENGLISH ACROSS THE DISCIPLINES. 3 Credits.

Pre-requisites: junior standing.
Prepares students to teach English Language Learners in U.S. P-12 classrooms with the theory, tools, and strategies needed to plan and implement effective instruction that takes into account the language of the discipline area. Students focus on two areas (Language Arts, Social Studies, Sciences, and Math) exploring with educational linguistics.

Catalog Listing

GNML 392. PRACTICES AND ASSESSMENT FOR BILINGUAL EDUCATION. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: GNML 391; concurrent enrollment with GNML 393.
Designed to outline some of the foundational elements of effective and successful bilingual schools. Covers related to assessment and the measurement of bilingualism. The final goal is to be able to develop lessons and teaching practices. On becoming a teacher, learn ways of keeping knowledge of research and practices current and up-to-date throughout a teaching career.

Catalog Listing

ESLG 488. SECOND LANGUAGE PRINT LITERACY THEORIES. 3 Credits.

Pre-requisites: ESLG 480 and ESLG 481.
Examines current and seminal research that provides insight into the factors affecting the development of literacy by second language learners. Topics covered include prior literacy backgrounds, home-school connections, orthographies, and vocabulary development.

Catalog Listing

ESLG 489. CULTURAL AND LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY IN THE CLASSROOM. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: ENGL 201.
Provides an introduction to the various cultural and linguistic backgrounds in the region. Covers the impact of background cultures on the interactions that occur and expectations that exist in school environments. Provides an understanding of the role of culture in developing theories about what it means 'to read'.

Catalog Listing

Career Possibilities

  • Bilingual Classroom Teacher (K-12)
  • ESL (English as a Second Language) Teacher
  • Bilingual Special Education Teacher
  • Dual Language Program Coordinator

  • Bilingual Curriculum Developer
  • Educational Consultant
  • Language Program Coordinator
  • Instructional Coach

  • Bilingual Education Director
  • Principal of a Bilingual School
  • Education Administrator for Multilingual Programs
  • English Language Learner (ELL) Coordinator

  • Family Engagement Coordinator for ELL Families
  • Bilingual Parent Educator
  • Outreach Coordinator for Multilingual Communities
  • Community Liaison for ELL Students

  • Bilingual Education Professor
  • Educational Researcher on Language Acquisition
  • Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Instructor
  • Research Assistant for Multilingual Education Projects

  • Language Access Coordinator
  • Advocacy Specialist for Immigrant Education
  • Grant Writer for Bilingual Education Programs
  • Program Manager for Multicultural Education Nonprofits

  • Educational Interpreter
  • Bilingual Educational Content Developer
  • Translator for Multilingual Educational Materials
  • Bilingual Testing Specialist

A Bilingual Education degree prepares you to teach in classrooms where students learn in two languages, most often English and Spanish. The program at EWU combines classroom learning with real-world teaching experience.

You’ll learn teaching strategies that help students succeed in both their native language and in a second language. Upon graduation, you’ll be ready to support students from diverse backgrounds.

Many graduates pursue careers as bilingual teachers, program coordinators, and community leaders who advocate for language equity and promote cross-cultural understanding in schools and beyond.

Explore your career possibilities in the following areas: