Online MEd in Secondary Education: Humanities Emphasis

Q: What does a humanities educator teach in high school?

In high school or middle school settings, humanities educators cover a diverse range of subjects. This includes human culture, history, literature, philosophy and the arts.Some of the subjects that a humanities educator might teach can include:Creative writingCultural studiesArt and music appreciationPhilosophyWorld languagesSocial studies

Q: What can I do with an MEd in Secondary Education: humanities emphasis?

After completing a humanities-focused graduate program that leads to initial teacher licensure and obtaining your teaching license, you may apply to roles as a middle or high school teacher. Alternatively, consider looking for opportunities as a postsecondary education teacher. In any of these roles, you can inspire your future students to embrace critical thinking and lifelong learning.

Overview

Teach and Inspire Through Humanities Education

The Master of Education in Secondary Education with an Emphasis in Humanities program can prepare you to become a licensed secondary education teacher (grades 6–12) with a specialty in teaching humanities. This online^{(See disclaimer 1)} program is offered by the College of Education — a teacher’s college for over 70 years that prepares learners to enrich lives through quality education.

Help broaden students’ worldview through exposure to history, cultures, literature and languages. Dive into the foundations of teaching, curriculum development and assessment methods for secondary education.

Master of Education in Secondary Education with an Emphasis in Humanities (Leads to Initial Teacher Licensure)

Initial Program – Leads to Initial Teacher Licensure

Offered By

College of Education

Class Settings

Online

Tuition Rate

Online: $615 per credit [More Info]

Cost of Attendance

Course Information

Credits: 41

Online: 6 weeks

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Transfer Credits

Up to 12 credits or 1/3 of the total program requirements in transfer (whichever is less)

Credits: Fill out the Lopes Eval to find out what will transfer

Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements (Master's)

Undergraduate Degree*
2.8+ GPA

OR 2.5+ Unweighted GPA and

GMAT: 500
GRE: 300 combined**

Admission requirements may differ based on degree level, program and modality, or transfer status. Some programs of study may require a higher GPA and/or other qualifying criteria for admission. Please review full admission and program requirements in the University Policy Handbook.
* Degree must be from an accredited college or program that has been approved by GCU.
** Combined verbal/quantitative, after August 2011 (1,000 combined verbal and quantitative, prior to August 2011).

Why GCU

Grow as an Educator Through Purpose-Driven Learning

Humanities education is critically important for all of life’s experiences, as it explores fundamental questions about who we are, where we are in life (theoretically speaking) and how we got there.^{(See disclaimer 2)} GCU can prepare you to become a teacher who guides your students in engaging in critical reflection, developing empathy and recognizing the value of diversity.

As a Christian university, GCU offers a faith-integrated curriculum that embraces the Christian worldview and encourages learners to approach teaching humanities with a mindset of ethical servant leadership.

Advance Your Humanities Education Online

You can earn this MEd via online^{(See disclaimer 2)} coursework, allowing for more flexibility in your education. Access online courses via our e-learning platform, which connects learners to qualified instructors who encourage interactive learning. The program will conclude with a full-time, in-person student teaching practicum.

Online Learning

Affordable, Quality Education

GCU is committed to making quality education more accessible to all learners. You can advance your education in an affordable way without sacrificing academic quality.

Online Tuition

The Difference Between Initial Licensure and Non-Licensure Programs

Initial licensure vs. non-licensure programs differ in their intended outcomes. Initial licensure programs prepare individuals to obtain professional licensure, whereas non-licensure programs are for learners who are already licensed teachers or who are pursuing an education job that doesn’t require licensure.

Individuals may opt for the non-licensure version of this MS in a teaching humanities program to enrich their practice without the commitment to licensure requirements. This non-licensure degree focuses on advanced scholarly research and can be a good fit for licensed teachers interested in advanced career qualifications. The non-licensure degree omits the student teaching component.

Careers

Prepare To Teach Humanities With Your MEd Degree

This master’s in secondary education: humanities emphasis is designed to prepare you to pursue licensure as a secondary teacher and apply to teaching jobs in middle and high school settings. As a humanities teacher at the secondary level, you can expect to teach one or more specific subject areas, with the opportunity to develop deep expertise within your specialty area. Alternatively, you may decide to pursue a career as a postsecondary education teacher — a role in which you would help prepare future educators to make a positive impact on their students.

As a humanities education teacher, you may help students:

Ask questions about the world

Understand diversity and the human experience

Explore society through a historical lens

Refine writing and reading skills

Learn to think creatively

Become informed and critical citizens

$64,580

Median annual salary of high school teachers as of May 2024^{(See disclaimer 3)}

66,200

Openings expected for high school teachers, each year, from 2024 through 2034^{(See disclaimer 4)}

Accreditation

Earn Your MEd at an Accredited University

This Arizona State Board of Education-approved program may be ideal for those who would like to pursue teacher licensure at an accredited university. It has received programmatic accreditation from the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a national accrediting organization that evaluates education degree programs for quality and effectiveness.

In addition, this MEd benefits from GCU’s institutional accreditation. GCU has been continuously accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1968.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Whether you’re already teaching or just beginning a career in teaching, you may have questions about this career path. Use the following answers to frequently asked questions to guide your decision-making process.

What do you study in an MEd in Secondary Education with a humanities focus?

This master’s program will typically cover education topics such as curriculum design, student assessment and learning environment management. It will focus on instructional methods for teaching which range from literacy and English to history and beyond. At GCU, our MEd in Secondary Education with an Emphasis in Humanities covers a comprehensive foundation of teaching competencies, such as instructional methods, and subjects such as constitutional law.

What does a humanities educator teach in high school?

What can I do with an MEd in Secondary Education: humanities emphasis?

Is a master's in secondary education: humanities emphasis worth it?

You may find that an MEd is worth it for you if you are passionate about humanities education and would like to make a career transition to the education field. If you’re already an unlicensed teacher, you may decide to earn an MEd that leads to licensure in order to pursue job opportunities requiring licensure. Either way, an MEd can strengthen your qualifications while also helping you develop competencies in humanities subjects and teaching skills.

Courses

Program Curriculum

Credit Summary

Major41 credits

Degree Requirements41 credits

Core Courses

SEC-502

3 Total Credits

Course Description

Teacher candidates will survey the philosophical, historical, and sociological influences upon which secondary educational theories and practices are constructed and explore a variety of the common issues, trends, and opportunities that professional educators encounter in the field. Emphasis is placed on deepening understanding of personal biases and accessing resources to promote ethical practice, build strong relationships, and uphold the expectations of the profession. Candidates will prepare for the graduate learning experience at Grand Canyon University by developing and strengthening the skills necessary to succeed as graduate students in the College of Education. Practicum/field experience hours: None. Fingerprint clearance not required.

POS-500

3 Total Credits

SEC-506

3 Total Credits

Course Description

Teacher candidates will survey how early adolescents and adolescents grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, social-emotional, and physical areas. This survey of the seminal concepts, principles, theories, and research related to the development of adolescents will allow candidates to build foundational knowledge for constructing learning opportunities that support individual students’ development, acquisition of knowledge, and motivation. Emphasis is placed on creating a collaborative environment to enhance student learning and well-being. Practicum/field experience hours: None. Fingerprint clearance not required. Prerequisite: SEC-502.

SPD-500

3 Total Credits

Course Description

Teacher candidates are introduced to the educational needs of students with mild to moderate disabilities and their families, including the definitions, characteristics, prevalence, causes and educational approaches to these disabilities and disorders. Teacher candidates will identify cognitive, linguistic, social and emotional patterns of learning and development for students with mild to moderate disabilities. Teacher candidates also survey the special education process involving the application of various laws and regulations. Practicum/field experience hours: 6. Fingerprint clearance not required.

SEC-510

3 Total Credits

Course Description

This course is designed to allow the teacher candidate the opportunity to learn techniques involved in the successful engagement and management of a learning environment. Major emphasis is placed to the establishment of a realistic discipline plan to manage student behavior, as well as engagement and management techniques and strategies to maximize instructional time, classroom procedures, and physical space. Practicum/field experience hours: 15. Fingerprint clearance required. Prerequisite: SEC-501 or SEC-502 or approved enrollment in the Graduate Certificate of Completion Canyon L.E.A.P. to Teach, Secondary Education.

SEC-581

3 Total Credits

Course Description

Various orientations to curriculum development and assessment are investigated and elements of model curricula are examined specific to the areas of Humanities. Emphasis is placed on understanding current structures and trends in middle and high schools, as well as critical issues, as these relate to curriculum and assessment. Course content is strategically planned to enable participants to make informed curriculum decisions in Humanities classrooms to meet the needs of a diverse student population. Also emphasized is the alignment of educational objectives to standards and building both formative and summative assessments, including rubrics to analyze student learning. This course focuses on the principles and practices involved in curriculum design for Humanities classrooms. Teacher candidates develop their own curriculum unit. Practicum/field experience hours: 10. Fingerprint clearance required.

SEC-516

3 Total Credits

Course Description

Teacher candidates will investigate multiple methods of assessment that support student engagement, monitor student progress, and guide decision-making, specifically to Humanities classrooms. Candidates will build foundational knowledge regarding formal and informal assessment strategies for planning, evaluating, and strengthening instruction to promote continuous intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of each student. Practicum/field experience hours: 10. Fingerprint clearance required.

SEC-545

3 Total Credits

Course Description

Teacher candidates explore research-based strategies for delivering differentiated reading instruction to promote reading proficiency. Language and literacy development is examined to inform assessment, remediation and intervention practices to support middle to high school readers and ability levels, including students with dyslexia and other reading disabilities. Using this foundational knowledge, teacher candidates will select, adapt, and use research-based instructional strategies and interventions with attention focused on reading in academic curricula to advance learning for adolescent students. Practicum/field experience hours: 15. Fingerprint clearance required.

SEC-525

3 Total Credits

Course Description

This course is designed to foster application of proven teaching and learning methodologies for both instructor and student in order to make appropriate and data-driven decisions about all aspects of teaching. Major emphasis is focused on planning instructional objectives and lessons, assessing objectives, and developing teaching methodology that encourages problem solving, active participation, and assessment. Practicum/field experience hours: 15. Fingerprint clearance required. Prerequisite: SEC-515 or SEC-516 or SEC-517.

ESL-545

3 Total Credits

Course Description

In this course, teacher candidates examine the fundamentals of the legal, historical, and educational foundations of Structured English Immersion (SEI) and other instructional programs and approaches for teaching English learners. Theoretical principles of language acquisition and the role of culture in learning are examined. Methods of assessment are identified and analyzed. Teacher candidates identify strategies to promote English language development and improve student achievement as they plan, deliver, and evaluate standards-based instruction for English learners. Practicum/field experience hours: 15. Fingerprint clearance required.

SEC-530

3 Total Credits

Course Description

Teacher candidates examine a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students to develop a deeper understanding of the major concepts contained within Social Studies, English Language Arts, and the Arts through modes of inquiry from the integrated study of history, geography, the social sciences, reading, writing, oral language, and their influences that build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways. Teacher candidates integrate instructional content, academic functions, formative and summative assessments, media and technology to engage learning. Teacher candidates apply their foundational knowledge of reading, language, and child development to teach reading, writing, speaking, viewing, listening, and comprehension skills to middle and high school students. Candidates also help these students successfully apply their developing skills to different situations, materials, and ideas. Practicum/field experience hours: 11. Fingerprint clearance required.

SEC-590

8 Total Credits

Course Description

Teacher candidates are engaged in the student teaching experience that includes practical classroom experiences, research, analysis, and teaching to develop a Student Teaching Evaluation of Performance (STEP). The teacher candidate will have a GCU course instructor, a GCU faculty supervisor, and be placed in an approved school with a certified cooperating teacher/mentor. Fingerprint clearance required.

GCU cannot and will not promise job placement, a job, graduate school placement, transfer of GCU program credits to another institution, promotion, salary, or salary increase. Please see the Career Services Policy in the University Policy Handbook.
Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change

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Learning Goals

Financial

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Tuition & Financing

Scholarships & Grants

Information

Admission

Inspire Learning Through the Humanities

Share your passion for humanities and inspire the rising generations of students. Apply to GCU’s master’s in secondary education: humanities emphasis.

Apply Now

If you are seeking licensure/certification, please refer to the "Accreditation and Compliance/State Disclosures” link for the specific program of interest’s website for your location and/or employment state’s licensure requirements, per 34 CFR 668.14(b)32 and 668.43(c).

Excluding observational and practice-based experiences and student teaching.
Mintz, S. (2021, Aug. 30). Why We Need the Humanities in Today’s Career-Focused World. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved December 2025.
The earnings referenced were reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), High School Teachers, as of May 2024, retrieved December 2025. Due to COVID-19, data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. BLS calculates the median using salaries of workers nationwide with varying levels of education and experience. It does not reflect the earnings of GCU graduates as high school teachers, nor does it reflect the earnings of workers in one city or region of the country or a typical entry-level salary. Median income is the statistical midpoint for the range of salaries in a specific occupation. It is very unlikely that a median salary will reflect an entry-level salary. It represents what you would earn if you were paid more money than half the workers in an occupation, and less than half the workers in an occupation. It may give you a basis to estimate what you might earn at some point if you enter this career. Grand Canyon University can make no guarantees on individual graduates’ salaries. Your employability will be determined by numerous factors over which GCU has no control, such as the employer the graduate chooses to apply to, the graduate’s experience level, individual characteristics, skills, etc. against a pool of candidates.
COVID-19 has adversely affected the global economy and data from 2020 to 2023 may be atypical compared to prior years. Accordingly, data shown is effective August 2025, which can be found here: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, High School Teachers, retrieved December 2025.

Online MEd in Secondary Education: Humanities Emphasis

Teach and Inspire Through Humanities Education

Grow as an Educator Through Purpose-Driven Learning

Explore Key Topics in Secondary Humanities Education

The Difference Between Initial Licensure and Non-Licensure Programs

Prepare To Teach Humanities With Your MEd Degree

Earn Your MEd at an Accredited University

Frequently Asked Questions

Program Curriculum

Core Courses