With the first class of the College’s new Learning and Education Studies degree now enrolled, Associate Dean for Academic Programs Christopher Span recently spoke with Andrew Hibel of HigherEdJobs about the program’s progress and potential.

Span called the non-licensure program a “game changer” for Education at Illinois, saying it prepares students for careers in education beyond licensure and teaching in fields such as human resource development, data mining, student affairs, and admissions.

“We created the degree because the College has so much to offer beyond the preparation of licensed teachers. Our college is very interdisciplinary,” Span said, adding that Education at Illinois experts abound in organizational and workplace culture, diversity and inclusion, educational technology, quantitative reasoning and analysis, and numerous other areas.

A faculty member in the College since 2003, Span touched on other aspects of his life in the interview, including the hectic schedules of he and his wife, his book about the education of freed slaves in Mississippi, and his deep commitment to Education at Illinois students.

Read the full HigherEdJobs interview with Chris Span.