The College of Education offers undergraduate and graduate programs of study, many of which include certification opportunities. Programs are offered through the departments of Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Secondary Education; Special Education; Educational Technology and Literacy; and Instructional Leadership and Professional Development.
The faculty members in the Department of Early Childhood Education prepare teachers to act as advocates for young children—from birth through eight years of age—and their families, and to create and facilitate diverse and technologically relevant developmentally appropriate environments for them.
The elementary education faculty believes that well prepared elementary school teachers are facilitators of active learning. As reflective practitioners, teachers engage students in the learning process by using research findings and experience-based strategies and practices to make sound educational decisions.
Teaching in secondary schools (middle and high schools) affords young professionals exciting opportunities to teach their subject, work closely with adolescents and share in the joy of learning, for their students and themselves.
The Department of Special Education is committed to meeting the critical shortage of special educators in the field. The faculty members focus their energy on the critical issues in special education teacher preparation.
The Department of Educational Technology and Literacy (EDTL) is responsible for courses that are not limited to a single teacher education program. The education course listings include core education courses that provide knowledge and skills for general application in teaching and training areas.
The faculty and students in this department are committed to facilitating active learning through effective and responsive school leadership. Focused primarily on graduate education, degree programs in this department are approved by the Maryland State Department of Education for Administrator I Certification for supervisors, assistant principals, and principals. The Center for Leadership in Education, the Maryland Writing Project, and the Professional Development School Network are found within this department.