Education (EDUC)

The education department works to prepare students for prominent roles as public intellectuals. We seek to cultivate citizens who are broadly educated, thoughtful and committed to lifelong learning as a means to better themselves and society. Our blend of social sciences and professional preparation coursework is theoretically grounded and presents educational issues within social contexts that are diverse and evolving. Graduates will use their capacity for self-reflection and ethical reasoning to respond creatively to challenges encountered in their personal and professional lives.

The department offers both the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science in Education. A major in Education within either degree program can prepare students to pursue careers in teaching. It also provides the necessary background and preparation for graduate work in an array of disciplines, and for careers in law, business and public service. Students interested in secondary or K-12 certification seek a degree in the discipline they wish to teach and may either pursue certification only or a dual major in Education and the discipline.

The Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Education is designed for students who are interested in studying the process and structure of education and schooling, but who are not necessarily interested in pursuing a career in teaching. Students who want to obtain certification in Early Childhood Education should pursue the Bachelor of Science in Education degree. Students interested in secondary certification normally seek a degree in the discipline they wish to teach. 

Bachelor of Arts in Education

The field of education is best understood as an interdisciplinary social science that integrates multiple perspectives on human learning and development, processes that occur across the lifespan and in widely varied contexts. The Bachelor of Arts in Education is designed for students who are interested in studying education as an academic field – the process and structure of education in both traditional schooling situations as well as other educational arenas of public life – but who are not necessarily interested in a career in public school teaching. Central to the bachelor of arts is the examination of the relationship between educational institutions (broadly conceived) and society, as well as deep exploration of the nature of learning and learners. The program is designed to prepare students to make original contributions to knowledge in the field through research and creative applications of theory.

The bachelor of arts major in Education requires eight (8) courses that fall into two categories. First, all students must complete a core set of four (4) requirements:

EDUC 101	Social Foundation of Education	1
EDUC 201	Educational Psychology	1
EDUC 362	Quantitative Research Methods	1
or EDUC 364	Qualitative Research Methods
Select one of the following		1
EDUC 315	Senior Thesis
EDUC 425	Internship in Education

Second, all students must complete four (4) additional courses in one of the following concentrations. Electives, where specified, may be taken abroad in consultation with the student’s adviser. Students develop competency in speaking, writing, and information literacy through the completion of small group and individual presentations and research projects within core and concentration courses. To fulfill their Culminating Experience requirement, students either write and defend an undergraduate thesis (EDUC 315 Senior Thesis), or complete an internship experience (EDUC 425 Internship in Education) and document their work via an electronic portfolio.  

College Student Personnel

The College Student Personnel concentration is designed for those who have an interest in student affairs administration in higher education. Student affairs administration is a broad field that includes such areas of specialization as residence life, student activities, admissions, and career services, just to name a few. Bucknell is unique in offering an undergraduate course sequence that introduces students to the foundational literature of the field before enrollment in graduate school. This concentration prepares graduates for advanced coursework in the field and serves as a foundation for professional practice in graduate assistantships and other entry-level positions. The recommended academic credential for those aspiring to long-term careers in the field is the Master’s Degree in College Student Personnel.

The College Student Personnel concentration requires:

EDUC 312	Counseling Techniques	1
or EDUC 319	Group Processes
EDUC 350	Higher Education in the United States	1
EDUC 351	Learning and Development in Postsecondary Education	1
EDUC 398	Student Affairs Programs in Higher Education	1

Contemporary Landscapes of Education

In light of the shifting demographics and changes in the context of learning, this concentration is designed for students who are interested in studying entrepreneurial innovations in education such as charter schools, after-school programs, cyberschools, home schooling, and alternative teacher preparation programs. This concentration aims to prepare students to think critically about the ways in which these alternative educational programs influence education in U.S. society, and supports those who wish to work within these types of settings.

The Contemporary Landscapes of Education concentration requires:

EDUC 232	Remaking Public Education	1
EDUC 308	Advanced Educational Foundations: Democracy and Education	1
or EDUC 320	Ethics in Education
EDUC 318	Multiculturalism and Education	1
or EDUC 227	Immigrant Youth in U.S. Society
Elective (selected in consultation with student's adviser)		1

Educational Research

The Educational Research concentration is designed for those who have an interest in the empirical exploration of issues central to education. This concentration prepares graduates in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research methodologies in a range of contexts relevant to education within and outside of school. Graduates with this concentration may be interested in pursuing graduate study in educational psychology, cognitive psychology, or in a specialty area within education, or they may be interested in working for educational research organizations, public policy organizations, or organizations that are generally concerned with the improvement of education.

The Educational Research concentration requires:

EDUC 362	Quantitative Research Methods (whichever is not taken in the core courses)	1
or EDUC 364	Qualitative Research Methods
Three electives (selected in consultation with the student's adviser)		3

Human Diversity

The Human Diversity concentration is designed for students interested in examining the relationships between U.S. demographic change and learners in schools and in nontraditional educational settings. This study is both historically and sociologically grounded, with significant attention to identity development and interactions with social institutions across a range of human experience. Those pursuing this concentration may be interested in graduate school in social foundations of education, educational policy, or a related subject area, or may be interested in entering work environments that focus on children’s issues, children and the media, educational inequality, and educational reform.

The Human Diversity concentration requires:

EDUC 308	Advanced Educational Foundations: Democracy and Education	1
EDUC 318	Multiculturalism and Education	1
EDUC 290	Gender Issues in Education	1
or EDUC 322	Psychology of the Exceptional Child
Elective (selected in consultation with the student's adviser)		1

Learning & Development across the Lifespan

This concentration is designed for students who have an interest in examining the ways in which individuals change over the course of the lifespan. Attention is focused on implications for teaching and learning, taking into account cognitive, psychosocial, and physical changes that occur over time. Students also gain exposure to a variety of theoretical orientations toward teaching and learning, including cognitive, behavioral, social, constructivist, and humanistic perspectives. Graduates with this concentration may be interested in working within educational and social service organizations that target the needs of specific age groups or pursuing graduate education in corresponding areas of specialization.

The Learning & Development Across the Lifespan concentration requires:

EDUC 323	Education of Young Children	1
EDUC 334	Later Childhood and Adolescence	1
EDUC 351	Learning and Development in Postsecondary Education	1
Elective (selected in consultation with the student's adviser)		1

Support Services for Children & Adolescents

The Support Services concentration is designed for those who seek to foster the academic, emotional, and behavioral development of children and adolescents. Emphasis is on theoretical knowledge and practical applications of this knowledge. Those pursuing this concentration will develop intervention skills, such as counseling, consultation, applied behavior analysis, and collaboration. Graduates may be interested in entering work environments such as behavioral health or correctional facilities, social service agencies, and school support services. This concentration also prepares students to enter graduate school in the fields of school psychology, applied behavior analysis, and school counseling.

The Support Services concentration requires:

EDUC 312	Counseling Techniques	1
EDUC 335	Child & Adolescent Development	1
EDUC 347	Family, School, and Community Partnerships	1
Elective (selected in consultation with the student's adviser)		1

Bachelor of Science in Education

The Bachelor of Science with a major in Early Childhood Education (Pre-K-grade 4) is designed for students who have clearly defined professional interests in the field of education and who desire to pursue a career in early childhood education, with certification in grades pre-K-4. The degree requires:

EDUC 101	Social Foundation of Education	1
EDUC 201	Educational Psychology	1
EDUC 235	The Creative Process	1
EDUC 306	Classroom and Behavioral Management	1
EDUC 311	Assessment and Differentiation	1
EDUC 313	Reading Self, Community, and The World	1
EDUC 322	Psychology of the Exceptional Child	1
EDUC 323	Education of Young Children	1
EDUC 324	Explicit Instruction	1
EDUC 341	Early Literacy	1
EDUC 344	Science as Inquiry	1
EDUC 347	Family, School, and Community Partnerships	1
EDUC 349	Student Teaching: Elementary	3
EDUC 375	Teaching and Learning in Linguistically Diverse Contexts	1
EDUC 449	Professional Seminar in Elementary Education	1

Students develop competency in speaking, writing, and information literacy through small group and individual presentations, research projects, debates, and the creation and presentation of unit and lesson plans within required courses. Candidates’ Culminating Experience, the 12-week student teaching semester (EDUC 349 Student Teaching: Elementary and EDUC 449 Professional Seminar in Elementary Education), includes extensive unit research and lesson planning, implementation, and presentation, along with the completion of written assignments pertinent to their experience. In addition, students develop and present electronic program portfolios, further demonstrating their technological expertise.

Additional Certification Requirements

Students seeking certification in early childhood education (Pre-K-4) are also required to take the following courses:

MATH 203	Introduction to Mathematical Thought	1
MATH 204	Elementary Geometry and Statistics	1
Additional requirements 1

1	Other certification requirements are listed on the education department website (bucknell.edu/education). Requirements may change as mandated by the legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

First Year
First Semester	Credits	Second Semester	Credits
EDUC 101	1	EDUC 201	1
		EDUC 235	1
	1		2
Sophomore
First Semester	Credits	Second Semester	Credits
MATH 203	1	EDUC 322	1
EDUC 323	1	EDUC 344	1
EDUC 341	1	EDUC 375	1
	3		3
Junior
		Second Semester	Credits
		MATH 204	1
		EDUC 311	1
		EDUC 313	1
		EDUC 324	1
	4
Senior
First Semester	Credits	Second Semester	Credits
EDUC 349	3	EDUC 347	1
EDUC 449	1	EDUC 306	1
	4		2
Total Credits: 19

Secondary Education and Teaching Certification

The following list shows the secondary and K-12 certifications offered by the department. Students seeking these certifications also must complete the requirements for the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in the discipline listed after the certification area.

Certification Area – Required Major

• Art (K-12) – Art
• Biology (7-12) – Biology
• Chemistry (7-12) - Chemistry
• English (7-12) – English
• French (K-12)
• Spanish (K-12)
• General Science (7-12)⁴
• Mathematics (7-12) – Mathematics
• Music (K-12) – Music
• Physics (7-12) – Physics
• Social Studies (7-12) – Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology

4	Requires primary certification in one of the following areas: Biology, Chemistry,  or Physics

Required education courses for secondary and K-12 teaching certification include:

EDUC 101	Social Foundation of Education	1
EDUC 201	Educational Psychology	1
EDUC 306	Classroom and Behavioral Management	1
EDUC 334	Later Childhood and Adolescence	1
or EDUC 335	Child & Adolescent Development
EDUC 375	Teaching and Learning in Linguistically Diverse Contexts	1
EDUC 311	Assessment and Differentiation	1
Methods course in content area		1
EDUC 340	K-12/7-12 Field Experience	.5
EDUC 359 & EDUC 459	Student Teaching: Secondary and Professional Seminar in Secondary Education 5	4

5

Courses are included in semester of student teaching requirement. Courses can be taken only if the student demonstrates that all requirements leading to a recommendation for certification have been or soon will be completed. Students who cannot or choose not to take courses should complete the B.A. or B.S. in the content area or consult with the chair of the education department to select appropriate courses to complete a B.A. in education.

Specific requirements may change as mandated by the legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Lists of courses acceptable for meeting specific requirements are available at the education departmental office or website (bucknell.edu/education).

ESL Program Specialist

Students completing teaching certification programs in elementary education, early childhood education, English, math, or world language can obtain an additional certification as an ESL Program Specialist. A list of required courses can be found on the department website (bucknell.edu/education). Sixty hours of field experience are required for this additional certification.

General Requirements for Teaching Certification

The department of education provides teacher preparation programs which lead to certification in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in early childhood education, and selected content areas in secondary education. Students can prepare to become certified teachers by enrolling in a Bachelor of Science in education degree program or by taking a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree in the content area in which they plan to teach. Independent of the degree program into which a student is admitted to the University or the area in which a student may wish to teach, a student also must be formally admitted to the Pre-Certification, Initial Preparation Program (Pre-CIP). Admission to Pre-CIP can occur after the student has completed two courses in mathematics⁶, one course in British or American literature and one in composition⁶, 16 Bucknell University courses or their equivalent, and achieved for the three preceding semesters an overall grade point average of 3.0 (appeals to this requirement should be made to the chair of the department of education). Candidates must also pass the PAPA (Pre-service Academic Performance Assessment) tests in reading, writing, and math. In lieu of the PAPA tests, candidates may submit proof of earning superior scores on either the Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT) or American College Test (ACT) Plus Writing. See department website (bucknell.edu/education) for scores. Application to Pre-CIP is normally made when the students begin considering a career in the field of education. Students are notified of their acceptance or rejection in the teacher preparation program at the end of their sophomore year.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania generally requires an overall grade point average of 3.0 upon completion of the program prior to recommendation for certification to teach. Specific requirements leading to a recommendation in each teaching area are available at the education department website (bucknell.edu/education). It is the responsibility of the student to examine these programs in consultation with a member of the education department. Although members of the department will advise students concerning course selection, the student is responsible for choosing those courses and experiences that meet certification program requirements.

In addition to completing an approved program and successfully demonstrating the prescribed role competencies, the prospective teacher must be a “person of good moral character” who “possesses those personal qualities and professional knowledge and skills which warrant issuance of the requested certificate.” It is the student’s responsibility to satisfy these criteria. Students should note that prior to placement in student teaching or any other field experience, they will be required to submit results of a child abuse clearance, criminal background check and fingerprinting pursuant to requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Results must indicate that there are no criminal or child abuse records.

In addition to coursework, students must complete and submit scores from required Praxis or PECT examinations to the department of education at Bucknell. Specific examinations required for each area of certification vary. Although members of the department will advise students concerning examinations, the student is responsible for taking those examinations that meet certification program requirements.

After completing the approved program of courses, the student submits an application for a Pennsylvania teaching certificate through the online Teacher Information Management System (TIMS) not earlier than the first day of the month of graduation. Following a review of the student’s program, the student may be recommended for certification by the designated officer at Bucknell. As noted above, the student must pass all the competency tests required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the desired certificate.

Students who desire certification in states other than Pennsylvania must understand that teacher certification is governed by state law and that each state has different requirements. Obtaining a Pennsylvania teaching certificate, by completing an approved program and meeting all other requirements, does not ensure that students will be certified in another state. Although members of the Bucknell education department will assist students in obtaining information concerning certification in other states, as well as Pennsylvania, it is the student’s responsibility to obtain current information and to meet all the certification requirements of any state.

6	Exceptions to these requirements will be posted on the education department website (bucknell.edu/education)

Student Teaching

The education department is responsible for the professional preparation of future teachers. To ensure that future professionals are competent, the privilege of taking the course in student teaching is restricted to students whose cumulative grade point average through the junior year is 3.0 or better.

Student Teaching Courses

Select one of the following:		4
EDUC 349 & EDUC 449	Student Teaching: Elementary and Professional Seminar in Elementary Education
EDUC 359 & EDUC 459	Student Teaching: Secondary and Professional Seminar in Secondary Education

Additional requirements for all student teachers are good health, character, personality, and acceptable spoken and written English. Placement in student teaching is contingent upon acceptance of the student by a cooperating teacher in an elementary or secondary school that has been approved by the Bucknell education department. Students are responsible for obtaining transportation to their placement.

All students who are interested in student teaching must apply to the Pre-CIP program no later than the first semester of the junior year.

Minor in Education

The minor in Education consists of five courses chosen from among the department offerings. The student must take either EDUC 101 Social Foundation of Education or EDUC 201 Educational Psychology and is strongly encouraged to choose four additional courses within a particular area of specialization. Such areas of specialization include college student personnel, contemporary landscapes of education, educational research, human diversity, learning and development across the lifespan, and support services for children and adolescents. Recommended clusters of courses for particular areas of specialization include the courses within the BA concentrations listed above.

Education Departmental Goals

Informed by a Liberal Arts perspective, students will:

1. Analyze educational policy and practice. Develop reasoning processes to connect theory and practice.
2. Engage in professional and ethical interactions with others.
3. Apply theory, question and research to promote learning and healthy development for all children and adolescents.
4. Perceive themselves as life-long learners and potential leaders who are informed advocates for children and adolescents in diverse community and educational settings.
5. Use ongoing self-reflection to explore one’s personal and professional identity in relation to educational issues.

Majors in Teaching Certification Programs (B.S. Early Childhood Education, Pre-K-4 and Secondary Certification Programs) will be able to:

1. Understand how children learn and develop. (1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8)
2. Understand the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) to be taught. (1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8)
3. Understand how students differ in their approaches to learning. (1, 4)
4. Understand standards for integrity, ethical behavior, and professional behavior. (5)
5. Create learning opportunities and experiences that support students’ intellectual, social, and personal development. (1, 2, 4, 7)
6. Use formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner. (4)
7. Use individual and group motivational strategies to create learning environments that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning and self-motivation. (1, 2, 4)
8. Create and implement instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners. (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7)
9. Behave in a professional manner characterized by collaboration and support for school and classroom policies. (7)
10. Value and cultivate relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students’ learning and well-being. (3, 4, 5, 7)
11. Value the importance of being reflective practitioners who continually evaluate the effects of their choices and actions on others, including students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community. (5, 8)
12. Avail themselves of opportunities to grow professionally. (8)

Majors in the B.A. Program will be able to:

1. Describe the process and structure of educational organizations. (3, 6)
2. Understand how humans learn and develop. (1, 4, 5)
3. Understand the core concepts and tools of inquiry for evaluating and producing educational research. (2)
4. Become familiar with diverse applications of educational theory. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
5. Demonstrate capacity for self-reflection and ethnical reasoning. (7)

Numbers in parentheses reflect related Educational Goals of Bucknell University.

Faculty

Professors: Abra N. Feuerstein (Chair), Amy Golightly, Sue Ellen Henry

Associate Professors: Lori A. Dira, Ramona Fruja, Sarah K. MacKenzie-Dawson, Robert M. Midkiff Jr. (Vice President for Strategic Initiatives), Joseph L. Murray

Assistant Professors: Allison J. Lockard, Janet VanLone

Adjunct Instructor: Jeremy Lauver