School of Education

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School of Education Faculty

Interim Dean: Dr. John Groves

Professor: Dr. Christina L. Ager, Dr. Peter Appelbaum, Dr. Ellen Skilton, Dr. Graciela Slesaransky-Poe

Associate Professor: Dr. Kira Baker-Doyle, Dr. Foram Bhukhanwala, Dr. Jodi Bornstein (Co-Chair Teacher Education), Dr. Bruce Campbell, Dr. Peggy Hickman (Co-Chair Educational Leadership and Education Studies), Dr. Tanya Santangelo

Assistant Professor: Dr. Marc Brasof, Dr. Kimberly Dean, Dr. Augusto Macalalag, Dr. Kerri Mesner, Dr. Sonia M. Rosen, Dr. Lesley Siegel, Dr. Sarah Woldoff, Ph.D.

Instructor: Dr. Kathy A. Trainor, Dr. Kathy Wirth

About the Education Programs at Arcadia University

A great first-year teacher, starts with a passion for the ideas of teaching and learning as a pre-service teacher.  Our candidates are involved in the deep practice of the craft and science of teaching and are carefully coached and mentored in that practice.  Arcadia University’s School of Education programs are guided by this belief and the research that supports it. Our professors are dedicated to designing meaningful and rich courses that are connected to essential fieldwork which is mentored by classroom teachers, professors, and supervisors.

At the end of undergraduate studies, our candidates will have the skills needed to design meaningful and rich learning opportunities for prek-12 students and have a sophisticated understanding of 21st Century teaching and learning.

Our graduates have received regional and statewide recognition for the work they do after graduation. Graduates of Arcadia’s Education program are currently employed or have been employed across the nation and in international locations.

Degree and Certification Programs

Bachelor of Arts with major in PreK-4

Bachelor of Arts with major in PreK-4/Special Education PreK-8

Bachelor of Arts with major in Education Studies

5 year programs: M.Ed with concentrations in Literacy Studies: TESOL and Reading; Secondary Education; Special Education; and an Individualized concentration

Minors in Education:Secondary Education, Education Studies and Elementary Mathematics Education

PA Teacher Certification Preparation Programs: Art K-12, PreK-4, PreK-4 and Special Education PreK-8, Secondary Areas: Biology, Chemistry, English, General Science, Mathematics and Social Studies 

Requirements for All Undergraduate Teacher Certification Preparation Program Candidates

Admission 

The Pennsylvania Department of Education requires that all candidates interested in obtaining teacher certification must meet certain prerequisite requirements before they can enter a program leading to teacher certification. All Arcadia undergraduates seeking certification must apply during the spring semester of their sophomore year.

Transfer Students Admission:  All transfer students above the level of a first-semester sophomore must apply for admission to the teacher certification preparation program concurrently with admission to the university.

Undergraduate  Teacher Certification Preparation Program Entry Requirements:

• Recommended minimum overall GPA of 3.0 at the time of application.
• No grade of “C or below” in a required certification course.
• Completed and earned grades of C or better in 6 credits in Mathematics above the MA 100   level (recommended: MA 117   and MA 118  ).
• Completed and earned grades of C or better in 6 credits in English. One course in Composition (EN 101  ) and one course in American/English Literature (recommended EN 229  ).
• Completed 48 credits.

• Evidence demonstrating successfully meeting required Stage 1 and Stage 2 fieldwork competencies.
•  Meets Basic Skills testing requirements with qualifying scores
• Background Checks: Meets background check requirements for

•       Federal Criminal History Record Information (CHRI)
•       Pennsylvania State Police Request for Criminal Records Check
•       Department of Human Services Child Abuse History Clearance
•       Tuberculosis (TB) test result

Clearances Information

Arcadia University School of Education requires that all undergraduate students enrolled in School of Education courses and certification programs that require fieldwork (including student teaching) submit the following clearances annually.

Clearances required:

Federal Criminal History Record Information (CHRI)

Pennsylvania State Police Request for Criminal Records Check

Department of Human Services Child Abuse History Clearance

Tuberculosis (TB) test result.

Current clearances are defined as being within one year of the issue date and are renewed annually by July 1. The School of Education maintains current information about required clearances on the School of Education website. The School of Education Field Experience and Outreach office may share clearance documents with appropriate personnel at fieldwork placement sites for the purpose of securing field placements. Students must provide written consent form to disclose the information as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).  Consent forms are submitted at the time of clearance forms and are available on the School of Education website.. Students retain original clearance documents and must present them to fieldwork placement sites upon request.

Students are expected to inform the School of Education about any incidents they incur after they have submitted clearances for any given academic year. Any student enrolled in an Education course or program who commits a reportable offense listed in Section 111 (e) of PA Act 24, is required to complete and return PDE Form 6004, Arrest/Conviction Report and Certification form to the School of Education within 72 hours of any arrest or conviction.

For full information and forms for clearances See the School of Education website.

Students registering for Education courses

All students registering for undergraduate Education courses submit required clearances to the School of Education prior to the first day of class*. Students who do not are required to drop the course prior to the end of drop/add period.

Undergraduate courses exempt from clearance requirements are: ED 203  , ED 362  , ED 363  , ED 360   and ED 463  .

* Clearances are submitted by July 1 and renewed annually for those who are enrolled in the undergraduate majors PreK-4, PreK-4/Special Ed PreK-8, Art BFA; Secondary Education minors; or undergraduate certification program.

Undergraduate students seeking certification

All undergraduate freshmen and sophomore students in the majors Prek-4, Prek-4/Special Ed PreK-8, Art BFA and Secondary Education minors taking education courses (100 and 200 level) are required to submit current and valid clearances to the School of Education annually by July 1.

• Students seeking certification in undergraduate teacher certification preparation programs (Art Education K-12, Biology, Chemistry, English, General Science, Mathematics and Social Studies) must be admitted prior to course enrollment for junior level education courses (300 and above).
• Entry requirements to undergraduate teacher certification preparation programs include clearances.
• Applications to the undergraduate teacher certification preparation programs are submitted to the School of Education in the spring of sophomore year. 
• Once admitted to the preparation program, students are required to annually renew and submit clearances by July 1.

Undergraduate Teacher Certification Preparation Program Exit Requirements

1. Satisfactory completion of all required coursework for the bachelor’s degree and GPA requirement specified by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (3.0 GPA).
2. Satisfactory completion of student teaching (“B” or better) in the area of certification and the PDE 430 performance-based assessment rating form. 
3. Completion of a professional electronic portfolio.

Pathways to Study Abroad in Education

It is important that students plan ahead for study abroad, they should consult with their Education advisers as soon as possible. 

Programs and Courses

The School of Education offers the following programs and courses for undergraduate study.

Programs

• Education Studies, B.A.
• Education, B.A., Pre K-4 and Special Education Pre K-8 Dual Certification
• Education, B.A., Pre K-4 Certification

• Education, B.A./M.Ed. Five-Year Program

• Education Studies, Minor

• Raising Expectations for Academic Learning (REAL), Certificate

• Art K-12, Certification
• Secondary Education, Minor, Grades 7-12 Certification

Courses

All students registering for undergraduate Education courses must submit required clearances to the School of Education prior to the first day of class*.  Students who do not are required to drop the course prior to the end of drop/add period.

*Clearances are submitted by July 1 and renewed annually for those who are enrolled in any of the following programs: undergraduate majors PreK-4, PreK-4/Special Ed PreK-8, Art BFA, Secondary Education minors, and undergraduate certification programs.

Undergraduate courses exempt from clearance requirements are: ED 203  , ED 362  , ED 363  , ED 360  , and ED 463  .

• ED 110 Teaching for Learning
• ED 201 Teachers as Researchers and Writers
• ED 203 Power of Play: Improvisation and Learning
• ED 211 Assessment and Intervention in Infancy and Toddlerhood
• ED 212 Child and Youth Development
• ED 214 Introduction to Inclusive Education
• ED 216 Teaching Literacy in the 21st Century
• ED 220 Profession of Teaching
• ED 221 Critical Conversations and Fieldwork in Elementary Education
• ED 222 Instructional Techniques in Early Childhood
• ED 226 Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
• ED 282 Special Education: Professional Skills for Effective Services
• ED 299 Understanding Language Learning: Using Two Languages To Engage with the World
• ED 301 Contemporary Issues in Education
• ED 306 Strategies for Emergent and Content Literacy: K-12
• ED 306S Strategies for Emergent and Content Literacy
• ED 314 Assessment of Teaching and Learning
• ED 315 Differentiated Instruction
• ED 317 The Literacies of Social Studies, Science and Language Arts
• ED 318 Developing Mathematicians: Thinking Teaching and Learning in Elementary Mathematics
• ED 319 Social Studies Methods (K-6)
• ED 323 Early Intervention
• ED 324 Elementary Science Methods
• ED 337 Developmental Content Area Reading
• ED 360 Public History
• ED 362 Rethinking Gender & Sexuality Education in an Alterglobal World
• ED 363 Arts, Mathematics, Community & Learning
• ED 375 Managing an Inclusive Classroom
• ED 387 Pre-Student Teaching
• ED 389 Independent Study
• ED 394 Supporting Students with Low-Incidence Disabilities
• ED 411 Designing Learning Environments
• ED 412a Curriculum and Methodology for Grades 7-12: English
• ED 412b Curriculum and Methodology for Grades 7-12: Social Studies
• ED 412c Curriculum and Methodology for Grades 7-12: Mathematics
• ED 412d Curriculum and Methodology for Grades 7-12: Science
• ED 416 Student Teaching: Early Elementary/Special Education
• ED 417 Student Teaching: Secondary
• ED 418 Human Development: School Years K-12
• ED 419 Undergraduate Student Teaching Practicum, Art Ed, K-12
• ED 423 Multilingual and Multicultural Assessment
• ED 443 Student Teaching Dual Practicum: Special/Elementary
• ED 443B Student Teaching Dual Practicum: Special/Secondary
• ED 459 Professional Seminar & Practicum in Special Education
• ED 463 Education Studies Capstone

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