Education
The Dwight Schar College of Education
Programs are offered through the Department of Teacher Education and Doctoral Studies and Advanced Programs
Dean
Lisa Vernon-Dotson
Assistant Dean
Christine Becknell-Brown
Director of Fields and Partnerships
Laura Kanney
Elyria Field Coordinator
Neely Powell
Coordinator of Data Analytics
Jane Bauer
Director of Accreditation and Educator Preparation
Lisa Weller
Faculty by Department
Department of Teacher Education
Chair, Stephen Denney, Associate Professor
Carla Abreu-Ellis, Professor
Jason Ellis, Professor
Maria Sargent, Professor
Sathiyaprakash Ramdoss, Associate Professor
Amy Crawford, Assistant Professor
Ann Marie Wernick, Assistant Professor
Terri Jewett, Professional Instructor
Department of Doctoral Studies and Advanced Programs
Chair, Jennifer Groman, Associate Professor
Rick Breault, Associate Professor
Cathryn Chappell, Associate Professor
Erik Kormos, Associate Professor
Michael Tefs, Lecturer
Tamara Coats, Professional Instructor
David Karl, Professional Instructor
Amanda Klinger, Professional Instructor
Degree Offered
Bachelor of Science in Education
Mission of the College
The Dwight Schar College of Education guides all students through innovative and diverse field-based experiences that are grounded in theory and result in skilled and responsive practitioners, well-prepared to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
Student Learner Outcomes
Candidates apply theory and practice within a professional environment.
Candidates collaborate with stakeholders to impact the success of diverse individuals and organization.
Candidates demonstrate pedagogical and content knowledge when working within a diverse professional environment.
Candidates make data-driven decisions within a professional environment.
Candidates apply principles of integrity and ethical decision-making within a professional environment.
Facilities and Equipment
Offices and classrooms are located in the Dwight Schar College of Education building which includes a full sensory room, math lending resource room, a dedicated computer classroom and large lecture hall.
Accreditation of the College
The teacher education programs have been approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education. The Dwight Schar College of Education at Ashland University is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) 1140 19th Street, N.W. Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036. This accreditation covers initial teacher preparation programs and advanced educator preparation programs. CAEP is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit programs for the preparation of teachers and other professional school personnel.
These two agencies serve to (a) assure the public that Ashland University offers an educator preparation program that meets national standards of quality, (b) ensure that children and youth are served by well-prepared school personnel, and (c) advance the teaching profession through the improvement of teacher education programs. Licensure requirements are subject to the authority of the Ohio State Department of Education and Ohio law. Course and field experiences may change, subject to requirements approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education and/or Ohio law.
Title II, section 207, of the 1998 Amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1965, requires that institutions of higher education that conduct teacher preparation programs must report their licensure test pass rate to the public. The Ashland University and Ohio licensure test pass rate information is available at this website: https://title2.ed.gov/Public/Report/StateHome.aspx.
Licensure
Teachers must have a license to teach in the public school system. It is essential that students apply for their teaching license within one year of completing a licensure program, since licensure approval is not guaranteed beyond the year following program completion. Ashland University’s Teacher Licensure & Academic Support Services can help. Additional information regarding Ashland University's Teacher Licensure department can be found at this website: https://www.ashland.edu/licensing-office
Email: ed-licensure@ashland.edu
Attention Out of State Students
Disclaimer: According to new federal regulations, the College of Education is required to inform all out-of-state students who are entering AU's teacher preparation programs that AU COE teacher programs are for students who intend to seek employment in Ohio and only prepares students for teacher licensure in the state of Ohio.
Disclosure for Out-of-State Students:
Ashland University Dwight Schar College of Education programs meet requirements for licensure or certification in Ohio.
Ashland University Dwight Schar College of Education programs do NOT qualify students for licensure or certification in the following states and US territories: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Connecticut, Delaware, ;District of Columbia, Federated States of Micronesia, Florida, Georgia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, & Wyoming.
If a student’s permanent residence is in a state or territory other than Ohio, they can only enroll in the Education program if they agree that, upon graduation, they intend to seek employment in Ohio. Out-of-State Students states must meet with their advisors to sign a formal attestation form.
Student Honor Society
Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society in education, honors education majors who have maintained a 3.0 GPA, completed 6 hours of education courses and support the KDP mission, vision, and values.
Policies related to Maintaining Good Standing in the Teacher Education Program:
The student is expected to achieve a minimum 2.5 GPA for the Institutional and Major GPAs for all programs; and Concentrations GPAs for Middle Grades licenses.
If, at any time, the student’s Institutional GPA, Major GPA, and/or Concentrations for Middle Grades GPA’s fall below the 2.5 requirement, the student must meet with his or her faculty advisor and complete the "Student Interview and Action Plan Form." This form requires that the student meets with their academic advisor and develop an action plan. This form is to be signed by the student, faculty advisor, and the department chair. This form is to be kept by the faculty advisor and a copy is to be submitted to the Director of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in the College of Education
A grade of C or higher is required in each professional education course required for the Licensure Program. Any teacher education student who receives a grade lower than a C must retake the course.
All education students must meet the requirements for a set of distinct and specific Gateways throughout their programs. These Gateways ensure that students are meeting both internal and external expectations for successful program completion, as well as state/national accreditation standards and Ohio teacher licensure requirements.
Admission to field experience gateway
Admission to Teacher Education (candidacy) gateway
Admission to Internship (aka, Student Teaching) gateway
Exit from Internship gateway
Recommendation for Licensure gateway
Gateway requirements* may include:
Meeting application deadlines
Following program outlines by enrolling in/completing appropriate courses
Successfully meeting course minimum grades
Meeting all College of Education program and testing requirements
Submitting current and/or updated Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) background checks
Achieving an overall minimum GPA
Achieving minimum GPAs for program(s)/specialty area(s)
Internship/Field Experience - Field experiences begin early in the program to expose candidates to a diverse variety of educational settings early in their academic career. Students are advised that field experiences and internships require BCI and FBI background checks.
*See the COE Field Website page for more information.
Description of Majors
Majoring in a given field of education will enable students to become knowledgeable of the content and pedagogy needed to teach within various learning environments. The students must also complete additional requirements to obtain a teaching license. These requirements include passing appropriate licensure exams, completing background checks, and successfully meeting additional criteria as determined by the College of Education and the Ohio Department of Education.
Programs (Licensures unless otherwise indicated)
Primary Grades/Intervention Dual Program (PK-5)
Educational Studies (non-licensure)
Middle Grades 4-9 (Students choose two):
Language Arts
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Middle Childhood/Intervention Specialist Dual Program:
(By Cohort Only) (Choose Two)
Language Arts
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
AYA Grades 7-12
Integrated Language Arts/English
Integrated Science
Integrated Social Studies
Integrated Math
PreK-12
Art
Music
Intervention Specialist
Intervention Specialist Mild/Moderate (K-12)
Intervention Specialist Moderate/Intensive (K-12)
Intervention Specialist Mild/Moderate (K-12) & Intervention Specialist Moderate/Intensive (K-12)-Dual Licensure
Minor
Online Teaching and Instructional Technology Endorsements
Checklists of requirements for each program can be obtained from the Center for Academic Support Office, 7th floor of the Library.
Degree Requirements
Students majoring in department programs will participate in assessment of student learner outcomes during the process of completing their degree requirements which includes both internal and external assessments typically culminating in the internship.
Education Courses and Descriptions