Welcome to the College of Education

Step into the College of Education and you find yourself in a community of students and teachers from across a huge range of nationalities and in a meeting of cultures and languages that ignite critical thinking, scholarly debate and where there is a clear and a shared passion for exploring the world of education. And, as individual and diverse as the nearly 2000 faculty, students and staff may be, you'll find themes of research tied to teaching and to practice to be a constant, unifying theme.

Six academic departments holding opportunities for study in nearly every facet of educational theory and practice are waiting. Whether your goal is an undergraduate degree in our teacher preparation program or a Master's from one of our online programs or pursuing your Ph.D., our College community will help you find your way.

The Faculty You'll Meet

Our faculty, numbering just under 100 currently, reflects a wide diversity of experience, culture and interests. More than half are women and 30% are African American, Hispanic or from another underrepresented population. Whether exploring what qualities are found in the most successful public school administrators or conducting studies on children's cognitive development, we understand that we are charged with finding real solutions for real problems. Faculty research and scholarship leads to better models of professional practice and creates a dynamic setting that improves the learning environment for our students.

These internationally known faculty members are in high demand as collaborators and partners in research efforts around the world. These partnerships, beyond their role in expanding the impact of our work, also provide a solid financial foundation for continuing excellence. Faculty research initiatives have secured an average of $9 million dollars each year for the College from state, federal and private sources. We view this funding as an investment in the future of the educational field. It provides new knowledge. It supports graduate students. It provides resources to classroom teachers in local schools.

The Opportunities for Graduate Study We Offer

Graduate study in any of our six academic departments becomes a true partnership among faculty and students. Our students learn the methods and the mechanics of scholarship at a Research I institution. With between 60 and 70 new doctoral recipients from the College each year, we know that the next generation of scholars, clinicians and policy-makers starts here.

Almost 900 students are currently pursuing advanced degrees in the College. And, with seven of our programs (Counseling , Curriculum & Instruction , Educational Psychology , Elementary Education , Human Resource Education , Secondary Education , and Special Education ) ranked among the top ten nationally in 2004. With 700 research, teaching and graduate assistantships awarded annually, and with over $150,000 in privately funded fellowship support each year, we are clearly committed to providing the academic and the financial support that will allow our students to excel.

Our Commitment to Preparing New Teachers

The College of Education started preparing teachers in 1905. Almost a century later, teacher preparation remains at the core of our own teaching, research and practice. From undergraduates pursuing careers in special education, early childhood education or secondary education, to those earning master's degrees through a certification program, nearly 500 new educators graduate from our programs each spring. Students pursuing certification in secondary education (mathematics, social studies, English and science) will earn degrees in their content areaand take a concentration of courses in education during the junior and senior year.

The organization of the teacher preparation program in the College creates smaller classes (a 7:1 student to faculty ratio in 2004) where the students work together through their courses in a two or three year sequence. Students collaborate on projects and presentations, learning from one another as well as from our faculty. Courses are oriented towards preparing our students to work in schools with increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse populations.

With a 100% passage rate on Illinois basic skills and content area tests, our teacher preparation candidates leave the University of Illinois with a strong, grounding in content knowledge as well as a great understanding of the best teaching practices for their area of specialization. In short, our graduates know what they're teaching and they know the best way to teach it.

Our Investment in Professional Development for Our Community

In Illinois alone, nearly one out of every two new teachers will leave the profession within five years. New state and federal standards and demands are creating challenges for even the most experienced educators. With so many questions and so much pressure, Illinois educators have learned to look to the College of Education for ongoing professional development opportunities that help them and that ultimately result in a better learning experience for their students.

We design our programs to meet the demands of the modern educator. From offering courses on weekends in Chicago, to our online master's degrees that remove geography as a barrier to the University of Illinois, to the Moveable Feast - an intensive immersion in educational technology that reaches nearly 500 educators each summer, professional development reaches far beyond our front doors. Teachers in their first three years of service in Illinois are also invited to participate in the Novice Teacher Support Project which provides mentoring programs, seminars and online advice forums to ease the transition from college to career.

Each fall, as educators step into their schools, whether it's for the first time or the tenth, the College of Education will be right alongside them. We offer opportunities to everyone to learn the skills and to refine the methods that help good teachers and administrators become great ones.

Your Opportunity to Explore

Once again, welcome to the College of Education. As you begin to explore the many, many opportunities we offer and as you learn more about who we are, what we're accomplishing and where we're headed, we think you'll see that we truly are a place where teaching, research and practice come together, where all ideas are welcome and where you can find your eyes opened to a new perspective every day.

Enjoy your visit!