Mission Statement

The Education Department works to prepare students for prominent roles as public intellectuals. We seek to cultivate citizens who are broadly educated, thoughtful, and committed to lifelong learning as a means to better themselves and society. Our blend of social sciences and professional preparation coursework is theoretically grounded and presents educational issues within social contexts that are diverse and evolving. Graduates will use their capacity for self-reflection and ethical reasoning to respond creatively to challenges encountered in their personal and professional lives.

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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