The College of Education and Human Development offers undergraduate degree programs through the School of Education and Department of Human Development and Family Studies: Elementary Teacher Education, Early Childhood Education and Human Services. The college also offers five minors: Disabilities Studies, Educational Studies, Educational Technology, Human Development and Family Studies, and Urban Education.
Advisement and Academic Enrichment Opportunities
The College of Education and Human Development is committed to students’ success and provides the resources and support services that will enable students to fully participate in the opportunities available throughout their undergraduate years. Undergraduates have an unequaled opportunity to gain valuable practical experience that complements their academic studies by participating in internships and practicum experiences in schools as well as projects through the College of Education and Human Development’s public service and research centers. The College of Education and Human Development also promotes opportunities for students to enhance their undergraduate experience through the Dean’s Scholars Program; the College of Education and Human Development Summer Scholars Program; service, leadership and mentoring experiences; undergraduate research; and study abroad opportunities. All academic areas offer an Honors degree including research opportunities leading to a senior thesis for the Honors Degree with Distinction or the Degree with Distinction.
The College of Education and Human Development’s Student Services Unit coordinates orientation activities for new students, supports academic advisement, administers academic policy, and maintains students’ records. Students with academic questions or concerns, those interested in becoming involved in special opportunities available to College of Education and Human Development students, and those experiencing academic difficulties are all encouraged to contact their assigned faculty or professional advisor. For additional assistance and information, College of Education and Human Development students are welcome to contact the College of Education and Human Development Student Services Unit at (302) 831-2396 or email dhannah@udel.edu.
Dean’s Scholar Program
The Dean’s Scholar Program exists to serve the needs of students whose clearly defined educational goals cannot be effectively achieved by pursuing the standard curricula for all existing majors, minors, and interdepartmental majors sponsored by the University. Driven by an overarching passion or curiosity that transcends typical disciplinary bounds and curricula, a Dean’s Scholar’s intellectual interests may lead to broad interdisciplinary explorations of an issue or to more intense, in-depth studies in a single field at a level akin to graduate work. In consultation with faculty advisors and the Associate or Assistant Dean of their college, Dean’s Scholars design an imaginative and rigorous individual plan of study to meet the total credit hours required for graduation. Contact the Assistant/Associate Dean in the college or go to www.udel.edu/deansscholar for more information and the application.
Teacher Education Programs
Responsibility for the coordination of the teacher education programs rests with the University Council on Teacher Education (UCTE). Teacher education programs in specific areas are administered by the Colleges of Arts and Sciences; Education and Human Development; Earth, Ocean, and Environment, and Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics. Students who would like information about a teacher education program can contact one of the following coordinators (all telephone numbers are area code 302):
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
English Education
Dr. Deborah Alvarez
831-2297
General Information: xeecoord@udel.edu
Student Teaching: xee-STcoord@udel.edu
Foreign Languages (French Education, German Education, Italian Education, Latin Education, Spanish Education)
Dr. Cynthia Lees
831-2595
clees@udel.edu
Mathematics Education
Dr. Jinfa Cai
831-1879
jcai@math.udel.edu
Music (Music Education/Instrumental, Music Education/Choral-General)
Dr. Suzanne Burton
831-0390
slburton@udel.edu
Social Studies (Anthropology Education, History Education, Political Science Education, Psychology Education, Sociology Education)
(Economics Education is housed in the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics
and Geography Education is housed in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment)
Dr. Barry Joyce
831-8413
bjoyce@udel.edu
Dr. Hannah Kim
831-8413
hkim@udel.edu
Sciences (Biology Education, Chemistry Education, Physics Education, and Earth Science Education)
Program Coordinator
Dr. Kathryn Scantlebury
831-4546
kscantle@udel.edu
Biology Education
Dr. Jennifer Nauen
831-4439
jnauen@udel.edu
Chemistry and Physics Education
Dr. Kathryn Scantlebury
831-4546
kscantle@udel.edu
Earth Science Education (Housed in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment)
Dr. John Madsen
831-1608
jmadsen@udel.edu
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Elementary Teacher Education
In addition to Elementary Education, students in this major also choose a concentration in one of the following areas: English as a Second Language, Middle School English, Middle School Mathematics, Middle School Science, Middle School Social Studies, or Special Education
Dr. Laurie Palmer
831-3508
lpalmer@udel.edu
Early Childhood Education (Early Childhood Education and Early Childhood Special Education) and Family and Consumer Sciences Education
Dr. Lynn Worden
831-6500
worden@udel.edu
4 + 1 PROGRAMS
Students have the opportunity to complete a traditional four-year bachelor’s program plus a master’s program in one additional (+1) year in six 4+1 programs.
Autism/Severe Disabilities. UD students in the early childhood education major or elementary teacher education major/special education concentration can become eligible for teacher certification in autism/severe disabilities and earn an M.Ed. in Exceptional Children and Youth in the +1 year.
Elementary Special Education. UD students in secondary education majors or the elementary teacher education major/English as a Second Language, middle school, or urban education concentrations can become eligible for teacher certification in special education and earn a M.Ed. in Exceptional Children and Youth in the +1 year.
Secondary Special Education. UD students in secondary education majors or the elementary teacher education major/middle school concentrations can become eligible for teacher certification in special education and earn an M.Ed. in Exceptional Children and Youth in the +1 year.
For information about the above three special education 4+1 programs, contact:
Dr. Laura Eisenman
831-0532
eisenman@udel.edu
or
Bridget Duda
831-8695
bduda@udel.edu
Teaching English as a Second Language. UD students in the undergraduate English major can become eligible for teacher certification in English as a Second Language and earn the M.A.. in TESL in the +1 year. This does not presently apply to any other undergraduate majors.
Dr. Scott Stevens
831-2674
sstevens@udel.edu
Early Childhood Development and Inclusive Education. UD students in the Early Childhood Education major complete advanced coursework and earn an M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in Early Childhood Development and Inclusive Education in the +1 year.
Dr. Lynn Worden
831-6500
worden@udel.edu
Childhood Foreign Language Education. UD students in the early childhood education major or elementary teacher education major who demonstrate a minimum level of proficiency in Spanish can earn the M.A. in Childhood Foreign Language Education in the +1 year.
Dr. Cristina Guardiola-Griffiths
831-1861
cmgm@udel.edu
Field Experiences (Including Student Teaching)
Many courses include field experiences where teacher candidates can develop their knowledge, skills, and dispositions by working in settings with children and youth. Students taking a course with a field placement must have a valid federal and State of Delaware criminal background check on file in the Office of Clinical Studies by the first day of the semester. This check is only valid for one year. They must also have a cleared TB test on file with Student Health Services before the first day of the placement. In addition, students must complete the safety module in the fall of their junior year, child protection registry form, and the Stewards of Children training to be prepared for the field. For information regarding the field experiences, contact the Office of Clinical Studies at clinicalstudies@udel.edu or visit their website.
Students must complete additional requirements to student teach, including course prerequisites, minimum GPA requirements, passing required competency tests, and other criteria as designated by their program. Consult the appropriate teacher education coordinator from the above list for the exact GPA requirements and other policies concerning qualifications for field experiences.
Assessment Policies
All students in a teacher education program must pass the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators test upon completion of 60 credit hours and/or prior to admission to upper-level education courses. All students must pass the content knowledge test(s) in their area(s) of certification as required by the State of Delaware to receive the University’s institutional recommendation for certification. For information about the Praxis tests, including possible exemptions for the Praxis Core reading and mathematics tests, visit the Praxis Test web page.
In addition, students must earn a passing score on a performance assessment required by the State of Delaware to receive institutional recommendation for certification. The performance assessment must be scored by certified reviewers who are not employees of the University of Delaware.
Students must earn passing content knowledge test and performance assessment scores within one year of their graduation date to receive institutional recommendation for certification. For information regarding assessment policies, visit the University Council on Teacher Education web page.
Certification
The professional education unit of the University of Delaware is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. The individual teacher education programs have received State Approved Program status and have been recognized by national specialty organizations as having met their standards. Students who complete a University of Delaware State Approved Teacher Education Program, including achieving a passing score on all tests required by the State of Delaware for teacher certification at the time of their graduation, will receive the University’s institutional recommendation for teacher certification. Upon receiving the University’s recommendation, students must apply for certification through the individual state’s Department of Education. Licensure requirements may change from year to year. Students must meet licensure requirements at the time of their graduation, which may be different from licensure requirements in effect at the time they entered the University of Delaware. Each year, students should consult the information posted on the University of Delaware’s Teacher Education website. For additional information regarding teacher licensure and certification, call (302) 831-3000 or email dcte-cert@udel.edu.
Delaware Center For Teacher Education
The Delaware Center for Teacher Education (DCTE) in the College of Education and Human Development, provides support services for all professional education programs. DCTE is the home of the Education Resource Center, Office of Certification and Accreditation, and Office of Clinical Studies. For information about DCTE or one of these three divisions call (302) 831-3000 or visit the website.
University Council on Teacher Education
The University Council on Teacher Education (UCTE) ensures that the University of Delaware offers only professional education programs of high quality that are in full compliance with State and national standards. The Council establishes, reviews, and approves policies pertaining to selecting, retaining, screening, and recommending candidates for licensure, clinical experiences, and other related matters as they pertain to professional education programs. For information about UCTE, visit the website.
Discovery and Service-Based Learning Opportunities and Clinical Experiences
As a professional, service-oriented college, the College of Education and Human Development stresses opportunities for learning through experiences that require students to apply their academic training and encourage them to develop their newly acquired skills and knowledge. The College of Education and Human Development has a unique combination of facilities that provide a wide range of practical experience settings, and the College of Education and Human Development offers special programs that encourage personal and professional development. Undergraduate students can also learn from valuable practical experience that complements their academic studies by working with faculty, staff and graduate students in the College of Education and Human Development’s public service and research centers. The College of Education and Human Development receives funding from the Delaware General Assembly to support undergraduates who are working on projects that benefit the people of Delaware.
The following units offer special opportunities for undergraduate student participation:
The College School located at 459 Wyoming Road, provides a school-year program for children with learning differences in grades 1-8. The school provides individualized and innovative instruction for children who have experienced challenges in their previous school settings. The goal is to transition these students to a more traditional classroom within an average of two to three years. The College School also serves as a research and clinical site for students and faculty in Education, School Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Nursing, Physical Education, Nutrition, and many other disciplines. For further information: www.collegeschool.udel.edu or call (302) 831-0222.
The Early Learning Center
The UD Early Learning Centers located in Newark and Wilmington provide early care and education programs and services for more 300 children from birth through age nine and their families in an inclusive setting. The Centers actively participate in academic, research, and professional development activities to inform and enhance practice in the field of early care and education in collaboration with UD faculty, state, national, and international initiatives and serve as high-quality, data-rich sites for observation, internship, clinical placement, and research for hundreds of UD students annually.
The nationally accredited, DE Stars Quality 5 rated Early Learning Center Newark was established as a university-wide research and clinical center in 2004 and serves 270 children and their families annually. The children range in age from birth through nine years, and are served 11 hours per day year-round; 30% of these families fall within the federal definition of a family living in poverty and 20% of the enrollment is reserved for children with disabilities. The racial and economic diversity of the families reflects the diversity of the state.
The DE Stars Quality 5 rated Early Learning Center Wilmington became a University program in 2007 to add an urban component to the clinical and research capacity of the Centers in partnership with the Southbridge Neighborhood House Inc. and New Directions Early Head Start. The Wilmington site serves 32 children from six weeks to age three and their families in a 10-hour per day year-round program; 100% of these families fall within the definition of a household in poverty.
For more information about the Early Learning Centers in Newark or Wilmington, please see http://www.udel.edu/elc or contact Dr. Linda Zankowsky, Interim Director, at lzankow@udel.edu.
Housed within the Department of Human Development and Family Studies in the College of Education and Human Development, The University of Delaware Laboratory School is an inclusive early education setting providing early education programs for children from six months old through kindergarten in multi-age school-year and after school programs. The UD Laboratory School has been awarded national accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the highest quality rating by the Delaware Institute for Excellence in Early Childhood. It is affiliated with the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance, the National Coalition of Campus Children’s Centers, and the International Association of Laboratory Schools. It is located at 459 Wyoming Road on the Children’s Campus.
The UD Laboratory School, opened in 1934 as among the first child study laboratories on university campuses, continues to fulfill the tri-part mission of Laboratory Schools:
- It provides supervised clinical experiences for university students preparing for professionals in fields serving young children and their families; all Early Childhood Education majors and students from majors across the University receive skilled coaching and mentoring from Master Teachers and other members of the Laboratory School staff.
- It serves as a site for research on young children, early learning, teaching, teachers, curriculum, and families of young children by University faculty, and undergraduate and graduate students.
- It provides exemplary inclusive early education programs for area children and their families and serves as a model of high quality curriculum and teaching for early childhood practitioners in the region.
For further information visit www.labpreschool.udel.edu or contact Dr. Cynthia Paris, Director (302-831-8557, cparis@udel.edu) or Dorit Radnai-Griffin, Program Manager (302-831-8556, doritrg@udel.edu).
THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIPS AND RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIPS
The College of Education and Human Development offers students many opportunities for public and community service research assistantships and internships through its research and public service units. Undergraduates are able to work closely with faculty, staff and graduate students on key issues involving children, families, schools, communities, the environment, consumers and service institutions, and public policies. The following College of Education and Human Development research and public service centers, profiled in detail in the “Research Centers, Institutes, and Special Facilities” section of the corresponding Graduate Catalog, offer public and community research assistantships and internship opportunities:
- Center for Disabilities Studies (CDS)
- Center for Research in Education and Social Policy (CRESP)
- Delaware Academy for School Leadership (DASL)
- Delaware Center for Teacher Education (DCTE)
- Delaware Education Research and Development Center
- Early Learning Center
- Office of Educational Technology
Departments and Programs
No active programs available.
