The Department of Education brings together engaged, independent thinkers and seeks to prepare future educational leaders who are reflective, socially-minded, and influential in a diverse and interdependent global community. We engage motivated students, who value educational inquiry, through a rigorous and dynamic liberal education focused on emerging and progressive teaching and learning, with an emphasis on critical and creative thinking. Through extensive field experiences and dynamic on-campus learning, Wooster teacher candidates are deeply rooted in sound theoretical and pedagogical understanding and distinguish themselves in their ability to ask important questions, research complex issues, solve problems, and communicate new knowledge and insight in both individual and collaborative settings.
Accreditation
The College of Wooster Department of Education is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) for initial programs through Fall 2024. The College of Wooster’s licensure programs are all approved by the Ohio Department of Education. (ODHE).
The following initial licensure programs were included in the Fall 2017 Site Visit and are fully accredited by CAEP:
- Elementary (PreK-5)
- Adolescent to Young Adult: Integrated Language Arts (7-12)
- Adolescent to Young Adult: Integrated Language Arts (7-12)
- Adolescent to Young Adult: Integrated Social Studies (7-12)
- Chemistry (7-12)
- Biology (7-12)
- Earth Sciences (7-12)
- Physics (7-12)
- French (K-12)
- German (K-12)
- Spanish (K-12)
- Visual Arts (K-12)
Each field in this major is to be completed along with another major at Wooster and is not intended to stand alone. The Education major in Elementary leads to an Ohio Elementary Teaching license for grades PreK-5 and can be completed with any other major at The College. The Education major in Adolescent to Young Adult leads to an Ohio Teaching license in grades 7-12 in either Integrated Language Arts, Integrated Mathematics, Integrated Social Studies, Chemistry, Biology, Earth Science, or Physics. The Education Major in Multi-Age grades K-12 leads to an Ohio Teaching license in French, German, Spanish, and Visual Arts and can be completed with a major in another chosen discipline that is connected to the appropriate licensure area. It is important to note that these are the licensure areas that are currently approved for Wooster by the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE).
Students who are majoring in Education are responsible for knowing the requirements of their program and monitoring their progress toward fulfilling them. Specific criteria for admission to and retention in Teacher Education are outlined in the publication entitled Teacher Education at The College of Wooster: A Supplement to the Catalogue.
Minor in Education (six courses)
The following four courses are required:
- EDUC10000 – Introduction to Education
- PSYC11000 or 32700 – Child Development
- EDUC17000 or 30000 – Intervention and Support or Classroom Management and Social Justice
- EDUC23100 or 25100 – Introduction to Elementary or Adolescent to Young Adult Education
In addition, the student may choose two elective courses to complete the six-course progression. These courses can include (request for changes can be made to the department chair):
- Africana Studies 10000: Introduction to Africana Studies
- Communication 14500: Language Development in Children
- Communication 15200: Public Speaking
- Education 19903/19905: Urban Education or Global Education
- Education 20500: Children and Media
- History 11500: History of Black America: From West African Origins to the Present
- Philosophy 22300: Philosophy, Culture, and Education
- Anthropology 20100: Education and Sociocultural Process
- Sociology 20900: Inequality in America
- Sociology 21400: Racial and Ethnic Groups in American Society