School of Education

School of Education
College of Professional Studies

Neff Hall 250 ~ 260-481-4146

Faculty and Staff Contacts

Dr. Jim Burg ~ Dean
Dr. Terri Swim ~ Associate Dean
Dr. Isabel Nunez ~ Chair
Mr. Jim Beard ~ Advisor
Mrs. Meg Underwood ~ Advisor
Mrs. Cheryl Wolever ~ Department Secretary
Mrs. Melinda Woods ~ Advisor Secretary

Conceptual Framework

Transformative scholar-practitioners are broadly defined as leaders in education and public policy who weave between research and practice, and theory and experience, constantly working within communities to foster learning and a just, democratic society. Graduates of our programs use their strong foundation of knowledge and content, methodologies, and exemplary practices as well as their habits of mind to critically reflect on those components. They advocate for public policies and practices that benefit the people they serve, the community, and their professions while striving to build a more just, inclusive, democratic community, and to expand and strengthen public voice and identity.

Specifically, the departments strive to prepare future leaders who thoroughly understand, consciously apply, and intentionally use democracy and community, habits of mind, and advocacy in their professional endeavors. We define those concepts as:

1. Democracy and Community

Transformative scholar-practitioners need to be a part of a dynamic, diverse professional community. They actively explore what it means to live and participate in a diverse, just, and global world. They use that knowledge to inform effective practice which demonstrates their respect for and valuing of our multicultural, multilingual, and multi-abled society. Through this they work towards developing communities that are cognizant of and compassionate toward democratic encounters over moral, cultural, social, political, and economic differences. Consequently, the departments support transformative scholar-practitioners who strive for and create democratic, just, inclusive communities.

2. Habits of Mind

Transformative scholar-practitioners develop more powerful cognition and action through their strong knowledge of content, methodologies, and exemplary practices. However, they realize that such knowledge alone is not sufficient. They practice critical thinking and reflection as they explore the reciprocal relationship between scholarship and practice. Within the context of a compassionate, caring community, transformative scholar-practitioners foster habits of mind such as investigating, inquiring, challenging, critiquing, questioning, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating. They view such habits of mind as necessary for engaging students, clients, community members, and the public in the process of teaching and learning. Consequently, the departments foster transformative scholar-practitioners who integrate critical habits of the mind in all aspects of their professional work.

3. Advocacy

Transformative scholar-practitioners develop and support the rights of students, clients, and community members as they advocate for the people they serve and the profession. They cultivate professional, public visions informed by historical and cultural perspectives. They strive to set the highest goals for themselves and the profession while inspiring their colleagues to do likewise. Transformative scholar-practitioners resolve professional and ethical challenges through the convergence of knowledge, theory, and practice. Consequently, the departments facilitate transformative scholar-practitioners’ development as professional and community advocates.

Procedures for Declaring or Changing Majors:

Current students wishing to declare or change majors to one of the following programs of study should contact the School of Education secretary at 260-481-4146 or stop by the office in Neff Hall 250 and inform the secretary of your intent to declare or change your major.  The secretary will then submit appropriate paperwork to the Registrar’s Office on your behalf.  The process usually takes one to two weeks before you will see the switch on your myBLUEprint.

The following content areas may also be added to any of the majors listed above

English as a New Language (certificate)  
Exceptional Needs-Mild Intervention (minor)  
French (minor)  

Special Academic Regulations for Students in the School of Education

Professional Education

Students are usually admitted to Professional Education (Block 1) courses beginning their junior year.

There are a number of academic regulations for students seeking admission to the Professional Education program. They include the following:

1. pass the Pearson CASA Basic Skills Assessment or alternative measure
2. for early childhood degree completion majors only, completion of an A.S. in early childhood
3. completion of all Pre-Professional Education classes
4. complete at least 45 credit hours with a minimum 2.70 cumulative GPA (3.00 GPA for Early Childhood Education - Degree Completion majors); 2.70 cumulative GPA in your major course work with at least 50% completed in major (secondary) “as defined below under the Graduation heading”
5. successfully complete all program assessments
6. pass a Criminal History Report
7. students may repeat a Pre-Professional Education course one time.

Student Teaching

Below are the requirements for entering into the student teaching semester:

1. complete an application for student teaching and meet with the Director of Student Teaching ONE YEAR before intended student teaching semester (Fall: meet Sep-Nov; Spring: meet Feb-April).
2. submit and pass a Safe Hiring Solutions Criminal History Report
3. must have no more than 6 credit hours of general education or specialty area/major courses remaining before student teaching
4. completion of each Block course with a grade of C- or higher.
5. successfully complete all program assessments
6. must have a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA and 3.00 major GPA (PFW)
7. take the Pearson content exam(s)
8. candidates may retake a Professional Education course one time

Graduation

Below are the requirements for graduation:

1. apply for graduation
2. successfully complete all program assessments
3. completion of student teaching and all course requirements
4. no grade lower than a C- in the 120 credits used to meet BSEd degree requirements
5. minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA
6. secondary students must also have a 3.00 major GPA (PFW) as defined below: 

• History major - HIST courses
• English major - ENGL (ENG), COM (JOUR), LING, CLCS, CMPL, FVS (FILM), FOLK courses
• Math major - MA 16500, 16600, 17500, 26100, 31400, 35100, 46000, 58000 and STAT 51100
• Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry and Physics major - BIOL, CHM, PHYS, ENTM and FNR courses
• Spanish major - SPAN courses and ILCS 30000

Licensure

Below are the additional requirements for obtaining an Indiana teaching license:

1. pass the Pearson pedagogy exam
2. pass the Pearson content exam(s)
3. provide evidence of CPR/AED certification
4. provide evidence of suicide prevention certification
5. apply for license

International Students

International students desiring to complete a program in the School of Education, or Public Policy must comply with all university requirements for international admissions, including demonstration of English language proficiency. International students seeking to obtain a license to teach, counsel, or administer in an Indiana school must obtain a social security number prior to application of the license.

Early Field Experiences

If you are pursuing a B.S. in a teacher education program, you are required to participate in the prescribed field-experiences. Field-experience courses are numbered EDU 10100, 20100, 30100, and 40100 and must be taken as shown in the degree-requirements listings.

This distinctive program provides an organized series of courses designed to integrate all professional education courses with field experiences. The program allows you repeated opportunities to participate with teachers/pupils in classrooms. In the early part of your field-experiences, you are introduced to teaching, educational concerns, goal setting, and professionalism. Beginning in your freshman or sophomore year and continuing up to your final semester, field experiences build upon one another so that you gain valuable classroom experiences designed to prepare you for your student teaching.

Pass/Not-Pass Option

Permission to elect this option must be requested on a form available from the College of Professional Studies. Permission will be granted only if the course will not be used to fulfill any degree requirements other than total credits for the degree.

Certification-Only Option

Students who already hold a bachelor’s degree and who seek to obtain a teaching license in early childhood education, elementary education, or secondary education may qualify for enrollment under a Certification-Only status. Students who complete our certification-only option will qualify for an Indiana teaching license, but will not receive a second baccalaureate degree. Students enrolled in this option will have to complete the same education (EDU) courses (51 credits in early childhood education, 62 credits in elementary education or 36 credits in secondary education) as those enrolled in a degree-seeking program, however, they may be waived from completing PFW general education requirements and PFW content (secondary major) course requirements provided that they pass the Pearson Basic Skills Assessment (or alternative) before admission to Block 1 and the Pearson Content Assessment exams before student teaching (must take prior to Block 1). For more information on this option, you may view these programs in the catalog under Program Descriptions - Certification or contact the advising office in the School of Education, Neff Hall 243, 260-481-6449.

Special Academic Regulations for Students in Education Policy Concentrations

1st Checkpoint for Admission to Education Policy courses requires:

1. Completion of 45 credits with a minimum 2.70 cum GPA (PFW), and enrolled to retake any course that has a grade of “C-” or below.
2. Submit and pass a Criminal History Report via Safe Hiring Solutions (criminal reports must be updated each year).

2nd Checkpoint for Admission to Senior Internship

1. Complete an application for internship by specified date.
2. Submit and pass a Criminal History Report via Safe Hiring Solutions.
3. Minimum 2.70 cum GPA (PFW); no grade lower than a “C-” in any required course.

3rd Checkpoint: Verification for Completion of Degree

1. Apply for graduation.
2. Completion of Internship and all course requirements.
3. Minimum 2.70 cum GPA (PFW) in courses required for the degree; no grade lower than a “C-” in any required course.

For an exception to any of the above requirements, a student should request permission for a waiver in writing from the School of Education Chair. All waiver requests must be submitted at least 10 days before classes begin.