School of Education

School of Education
260-481-6861 ~ Neff Hall 250

Graduate programs in the School of Education are designed to prepare candidates to be master teachers, administrative leaders, or professional counselors. These programs have earned professional accreditation from the Indiana Department of Education, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, and the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs.

The mission of the School of Education is to prepare professionals in teaching, counseling, and leadership who demonstrate the capacity and willingness to continuously improve schools and related entities so that they become more effective with their clients by:

• becoming more caring, humane, and functional citizens in a global, multicultural, democratic society;
• improving the human condition by creating positive learning environments;
• becoming change agents by demonstrating reflective professional practice;
• solving client problems through clear, creative analysis;
• assessing client performance, creating and executing effective learning experiences, providing guidance and counseling, and leading in educational context, by utilizing a variety of methodologies reflecting current related research; and
• utilizing interdisciplinary scholarship, demonstrating technological and critical literacies, and effectively communicating with all stakeholders.

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 programs 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 School of Education supports 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 School of Education fosters 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 School of Education facilitates transformative scholar-practitioners’ development as professional and community advocates.

Major Areas of Study

• Elementary Education (30 credits)
• Secondary Education (30 credits)
• Counselor Education (60 credits) (School Counseling track and Clinical Mental Health Counseling track)
• Educational Leadership (30 credits)
• Special Education (30 credits)
• Educational Leadership, Certificate (Post-Master’s) in School Administration (18 credits)
• Special Education, Certificate (Post-baccalaureate) in Mild Intervention (18 credits)

Admission

Applications are available online; each program may have a different set of admission requirements and deadlines. 

Temporary Graduate Admission

Students wishing to take graduate courses but not (initially) planning to complete degree or certification requirements may choose to enroll as a temporary graduate student. Temporary graduate students may complete no more than six credits every five years.

Master of Science in Education (M.S.Ed.)

Unconditional Admission You may be admitted unconditionally if you (1) have earned a bachelor’s degree, representing the equivalent of not less than four years of undergraduate work from an institution having regional or national accreditation, and (2) have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better (4.0=A) with all undergraduate courses taken before you received the bachelor’s degree.

Academic Regulations
The following academic regulations supplement those that apply to all Purdue University graduate students.

Second Master’s Degree Credits applied to one master’s degree may not be applied toward another master’s degree in any of the School of Education programs.

Transfer Credit
Different rules apply prior to and after admission to the program:

Before You Are Admitted to a Graduate Program The School of Education will determine whether credits earned at other institutions will apply toward your degree.
After You Have Been Admitted to a Graduate Program, pending their availability, it is expected that courses required for your degree will be completed at Purdue Fort Wayne. Applicability of credit for a course taken elsewhere should be confirmed by the school prior to your enrollment in that course. As a general rule, the School of Education may accept between six and fifteen transfer credits provided that such work is appropriate to the student’s degree objective. All transfer coursework must be taken for a letter grade of at least a B (3.0). Please refer to each individual program for detailed information.

International Students International students desiring to complete a program in the School of Education must comply with all university requirements for international admissions, including demonstration of English language proficiency. The course work in the Masters of Education program with a Major in Educational Leadership, Elementary Education, Secondary Education, or Special Education will not satisfy the United States Department of Homeland Security and Purdue University Graduate School requirement that you take six credit hours of face to face classes per semester.  As such, Purdue Fort Wayne is unable to issue a Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility, for these programs.

Retention You must maintain a GPA of 3.0 (4.0=A) or better for all work (including undergraduate courses) taken after completing your bachelor’s degree. If your GPA falls below 3.0, you must raise the GPA to at least 3.0 within the next nine credits of graduate course work. Failure to do so will result in your dismissal from the program.

Time Limit You must fulfill all degree requirements within six years and one semester from the date on which you receive a grade for the first credits (including transfer credits) that apply to your degree.  

Graduation Requirements You must have satisfied any conditions on your admission to the graduate education program before you will be considered as a candidate for graduation. In addition, you must have: (1) earned a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in courses applicable to the degree, and (2) fulfilled all additional degree requirements and complied with all academic regulations.

Application for Degree You must complete an online application for your degree.