Mar 29, 2024  
2015-2016 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2015-2016 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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


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About the Education Program at Arcadia University


In order to develop into a great first-year teacher, pre-service teachers must become ignited by the idea of teaching and learning, be involved in a deep practice of the craft and science of teaching, and be 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.

Arcadia University Education students will:

  • Hone their teaching skills through guided practice,
  • Enjoy camaraderie, idea sharing, and collaboration with other students and faculty in Arcadia’s close-knit undergraduate programs, and
  • Have an opportunity to explore global learning and teaching experiences through Arcadia’s accessible and acclaimed travel abroad program.

At the end of undergraduate studies, preservice teachers 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.

Other highlights of Arcadia University’s School of Education Programs:

  • More than 20 certification programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE)
  • Extensive fieldwork and student teaching partnerships with urban and suburban schools
  • Opportunities to study abroad
  • Institutional grants to collaborate with faculty on research and opportunities to present at regional, national, and international conferences
  • Membership opportunities in honorary societies such as Kappa Delta Pi International Education Honorary Society in Education and Phi Kappa Phi Arcadia University Honor Society
  • Student memberships in state and local professional education organizations such as the Pennsylvania State Education Association

Leadership and recognition: Arcadia University has been awarded state grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Division of Special Education to train teachers statewide in inclusive practices at the Arcadia Annual Inclusion Institute and in Positive Behavior Supports for schools. The Pennsylvania Department of Education and the National Science Foundation awarded Arcadia major funding to train special educators and secondary English, social studies, science, and mathematics educators. Arcadia has been recognized and funded for its work in developing Professional Development Schools through the Lawrence J. and Anne Rubenstein Foundation and the Philadelphia Education Fund. The Autism Certificate Program is endorsed by the Commonwealth of PA, and the Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate leads to National Board certification with successful completion of an internship and passing the national Board exam. The School of Education was also awarded a state grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to develop an undergraduate dual certification program in Secondary Education and Special Education.

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.

Bachelor of Arts in Education


The current Bachelor of Arts programs in Education provide the necessary training for students interested in teaching at the PreK-4 and Special Education PreK-8 levels.

All Education programs are fully approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Graduates are recommended by the University Certification Officer after meeting all requirements for the Instructional I Certificate as mandated by PDE. Arcadia University makes every effort to help students prepare to meet certification requirements in other states. Reciprocity among many states currently exists allowing out of state students receiving certification in Pennsylvania to apply to their respective state departments of education for full certification status.

Five-Year Program Requirements for Combined Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education Concentrations


Students choosing this option graduate after four years of undergraduate study with a Bachelor of Arts in Education degree and complete their graduate program requirements as a graduate student in their fifth year. Upon completion of the fifth-year requirements, students graduate with a Master of Education degree in a selected area of concentration with the possibility of an additional certification.

In order to complete this program in five years, students may begin to take graduate courses during the fourth year of their undergraduate program. Additionally, they are required to enroll in courses during the summer between the fourth and fifth years of the program. Courses will be chosen in consultation with the student’s adviser.

Requirements for admission to the five-year program are as follows:

  1. Obtain admission to the School of Education.
  2. Maintain a GPA of 3.0 in all Education courses.
  3. Obtain two recommendations from School of Education faculty.
  4. Show evidence of personal and intellectual maturity.
  5. Apply for admission into the Five –Year program in Fall of the Junior year
  6. Once accepted, apply for admission to the School of Education.

Five-Year Programs are available in the following areas:

Literacy Education in Reading

Literacy Education in Reading plus ESL (includes certification in both areas)

Literacy Education in TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) (includes multiple pathways)

Secondary Education (English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science)

Special Education with certification (PreK-8 or 7-12)

Special Education without certification (with certificate options in Autism, Applied Behavior Analysis, or Transition to Post-Secondary Life)

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