The emphasis of this major is to prepare candidates with the coursework and clinical field experience required to earn an Illinois Professional Educator License to teach History and Government in grades 9-12.
Teaching:
A highly sophisticated intellectual activity that requires a centered presence in the classroom, good negotiation skills, understanding of pedagogy and psychology that inform one another, and sensitivity to sociological factors in learning. (Jackie Grennon Brooks)
Clinical Experience:
Teacher candidates complete pre-student teaching clinical experiences the semester prior to student teaching at the same site as their semester of student teaching, thereby providing candidates one full academic year under the guidance of a mentor teacher in cooperating school districts.
Beginning their Freshman year at Blackburn College, teacher candidates complete on average 200 hours of clinical field experience prior to their student teaching semester.
Career Placement Rates:
Exceptional number of teacher candidates prepared in the prior academic year have found teaching jobs in area schools.
Learning Behavior Specialist:
A substantial majority of program completers across the entire Blackburn College Education Unit were hired in diverse schools for the next academic year.
Required Exams:
The 3 tests required for teacher candidates are:
- Test of Academic Proficiency
- Content Area Test
- edTPA
Faculty Members


