Mission Statement

Education at Bucknell is a purposeful blend of social science and professional preparation designed to enhance students' understanding of theories of human development, learning, instruction, and behavior, and their ability to apply this understanding across a multitude of contexts. As such, coursework in education is intended to prepare students to contribute to the improvement and effectiveness of education in their roles as parents, citizens, or educated professionals. This broad conceptualization of education is thought to enhance the liberal education of all students while preparing the interested student for teaching in public and private schools.

We believe that the combination of liberal and professional experiences enhances the education of both our graduate and undergraduate students by developing their depth of understanding, resourcefulness, imagination, and leadership qualities that they will need to become effective teachers in a wide variety of contexts and environments.

The Education Department's primary goal is the development of our students' thinking and problem-solving abilities so that they will be able to help people maximize their opportunities for success in educational environments. We view the field of education as a social science, and programs within our Department reflect that perspective. In education, as in any other social or natural science, effectiveness is measured in terms of the ability of professionals to solve the problems of the discipline.

Graduates from our programs not only teach, but enter careers in business, industry, and government. Others enroll in graduate programs or go on to law or medical schools. Some of our students continue their education in graduate programs where they study in such fields as school psychology, counseling, educational psychology, and educational administration.

Want to know more about us? We invite you to use the information provided on these pages to explore specific aspects of our Department and programs.

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