Bachelor of Arts with a major in Education
Bucknell Education Department
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Education
The field of education is best understood as an interdisciplinary social science that integrates multiple perspectives on human learning and development; processes that occur across the lifespan and in widely varied contexts. The bachelor of arts in education is designed for students who are interested in studying education as an academic field – the process and structure of education in both traditional schooling situations as well as other educational arenas of public life – but who are not necessarily interested in a career in public school teaching. Central to the bachelor of arts is the examination of the relationship between educational institutions (broadly conceived) and society, as well as deep exploration of the nature of learning and learners. The program is designed to prepare students to make original contributions to knowledge in the field, through research and creative applications of theory.
For the classes of 2012 and 2013
The bachelor of arts major in education requires eight (8) courses which fall into two categories. First, all students must complete a core set of four (4) requirements: EDUC 101, EDUC 201, EDUC 362, and one of EDUC 323, 334, 335, or 351. Second, students must complete a minimum of four (4) and not more than eight (8) additional courses selected in consultation with their advisers. Courses EDUC 349, 359, 439, 449, and 459 may not be included for the bachelor of arts in education.
For the class of 2014 and beyond
The bachelor of arts major in education requires eight (8) courses which fall into two categories. First, all students must complete a core set of four (4) requirements: EDUC 101, EDUC 201, EDUC 362 or EDUC 364, and one culminating experience course. Culminating experiences can be EDUC 315 (thesis), EDUC 425 (internship), or in selective cases, EDUC 316 (Teaching in Diverse Societies). The last of these options is a permission course. Second, all students must complete four (4) additional courses in one of five concentrations. Electives, where specified, may be taken abroad in consultation with the student’s adviser.
College Student Personnel
The college student personnel concentration is designed for those who have an interest in student affairs administration in higher education. Student affairs administration is a broad field that includes such areas of specialization as residence life, student activities, admissions, and career services, just to name a few. Bucknell is unique in offering an undergraduate course sequence that introduces students to the foundational literature of the field prior to enrollment in graduate school. This concentration prepares graduates for advanced coursework in the field and serves as a foundation for professional practice in graduate assistantships and other entry level positions. The recommended academic credential for those aspiring to long-term careers in the field is the master’s degree in college student personnel.
Contemporary Landscapes of Education
The contemporary landscapes of education concentration is designed for students who are interested in studying entrepreneurial innovations in education such as charter schools, after school programs, cyber-schools, and home schooling, and alternative teacher preparation programs (such as Teach for America and the like). This concentration aims to prepare students to think critically about the ways in which these alternative educational programs influence education in U.S. society, and supports those who may wish to work within these types of settings.
Educational Research
The educational research concentration is designed for those who have an interest in the empirical exploration of issues central to education. This concentration prepares graduates in quantitative, qualitative and mixed research methodologies in a range of contexts relevant to education within and outside of school. Graduates with this concentration may be interested in pursuing graduate study in educational psychology, cognitive psychology, or in a specialty area within education, or they may be interested in working for educational research organizations, public policy organizations, or organizations that are generally concerned with the improvement of education.
Human Diversity
The human diversity concentration is designed for students interested in examining the relationships between U.S. demographic change and learners in schools and in non-traditional educational settings. This study is both historically and sociologically grounded, with significant attention to identity development and interactions with social institutions across a range of human experience. Those pursuing this concentration may be interested in graduate school in social foundations of education, educational policy, or a related subject area, or may be interested in entering work environments that focus on children’s issues, children and the media, educational inequality, and educational reform.
Learning and Development Across the Lifespan
This concentration is designed for students who have an interest in examining the ways in which individuals change over the course of the lifespan. Attention is focused on implications for teaching and learning, taking into account cognitive, psychosocial, and physical changes that occur over time. Students also gain exposure to a variety of theoretical orientations toward teaching and learning, including cognitive, behavioral, social, constructivist, and humanistic perspectives. Graduates with this concentration may be interested in working within educational and social service organizations that target the needs of specific age groups or pursuing graduate education in corresponding areas of specialization.
Support Services for Children and Adolescents
The support services concentration is designed for those who seek to foster the academic, emotional, and behavioral development of children and adolescents. Emphasis is on theoretical knowledge and practical applications of this knowledge. Those pursuing this concentration will develop intervention skills, such as counseling, consultation, and collaboration. Graduates may be interested in entering work environments such as behavioral health or correctional facilities, social services agencies, and school support services. This concentration also prepares students to enter graduate school in the fields of school psychology and school counseling.
