School of Education

Kimberley Davis, Pd.D., Dean

Administrative Specialists

Liza Johnson
Mitzy Allen
Kaidra Dockett

The mission of the School of Education (SOE) is to offer high quality preparation programs leading to educational licensure and careers in professional education. Education faculty members also deliver preparation programs for careers in Recreation and Rehabilitation Services. Students participating in programs housed within the SOE have multiple opportunities to study in a multi-ethnic and diverse university setting. Faculty members of the SOE fulfill its mission through teaching, research, and public service to the Delta region, the state of Arkansas, and the nation.

Administration and Organization

The Dean oversees all SOE administrative issues. Accreditation and the institutional licensure process are branches of the Dean’s office. The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Programs (CAEP) is the accrediting body for the SOE.

Committee Support Structure and Shared Governance

The Teacher Education Committee (TEC) is the governing body for SOE policies, procedures, and undergraduate curricular matters. This committee has interdepartmental membership and has student representation.

The Admission, Retention, and Exit Committee is an SOE committee that recommends policy to the TEC regarding teacher candidate criteria for admission, retention, exit and follow-up.

Goals

The goals of the School of Education are to:

Prepare highly qualified individuals for careers as professional educators or human service professionals through a variety of degree programs and endorsements;
Recruit, retain and graduate a diverse student population;
Provide instruction based on current research, and data from assessments and best practices, with appropriate modeling of technology integration;
Collaborate with public school practitioners and professionals from other community related agencies for educator preparation;
Prepare candidates who exhibit ethical behavior consistent with laws and policies governing education; and
Assist teacher candidates in the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and appropriate dispositions for future educators in the classroom.

SOE Departments

There are two academic departments within the SOE. They are the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and the Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation.

The School of Education offers Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees leading to educational licensure in the following fields:

Elementary Education (ELEM), Grades K-6
Middle Level Education (MLED), Grades 4-8 Emphasis: Language Arts, Social Studies Mathematics, or Science
Special Education (SPED), Grades K-12
Art Education, Grades P-12
Music Education (Vocal and Instrumental), Grades P-12
Rehabilitation Services- Non Licensure
Leisure Recreation-Non-Licensure
Secondary Education, Grades 7-12:
Business Technology Education
English Education
Mathematical & Computer Science Education
Physical Education & Leisure Education
Science Education
Human Sciences Education

School of Education Policies

No student may register for restricted SOE coursework until he/she has successfully completed and passed the PRAXIS examination, ACT or SAT, and has been admitted to the SOE. Upon formal admission to the SOE, students become teacher candidates. Transfer students must complete UAPB residency requirements for licensure eligibility. (See UAPB catalog for academic regulations)

Candidates preparing for the professional semester must successfully pass PRAXIS Content and PRAXIS II PLT, maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.70, complete the state required criminal background check and the Child Maltreatment Central Registry Check. SOE makes final determinations regarding site placement for candidates teaching assignments. Candidate teaching placement sites are usually within a 25 mile radius of UAPB.

Students who hold a non-teaching degree from an accredited four-year institution and seek teacher licensure must meet the requirements of the SOE and licensure requirements as established by the Arkansas Department of Education. These requirements may include prerequisite coursework, professional education coursework, field experiences, and student teaching. Arkansas state teacher assessments, current at the time of program entrance and exit, are required, also.

Courses listed below may be taken prior to admission to the SOE:

Courses

EDUC 1300 - Foundations & Development of American Education Credits: 3
EDUC 2309 - Instructional Media and Technology Credits: 3
EDUC 3301 - Human Growth and Development Credits: 3
EDUC 3303 - Classroom & Behavior Management Credits: 3
EDUC 3236 - Cultural Diversity/School/Family/Community Credits: 3
EDUC 3235 - Education for Cultural Diversity Credits: 2
EDUC 4304 - General Methods Credits: 3
ELED 4355 - Children’s Literature Credits: 3
ELED 3332 - Teaching Social Studies in the Elem School Credits: 3
ELED 4308 - Teaching Mathematics in the Elem School Credits: 3
ELED 3309 - Teaching Science in the Elem School Credits: 3
MLED 4303 - Methods of Teaching Mathematics and Disciplinary Literacy Credits: 3
MLED 4304 - Methods of Teaching Science and Disciplinary Literacy Credits: 3
MLED 4305 - Methods of Teaching Social Studies and Disciplinary Literacy Credits: 3
MLED 4306 - Methods of Teaching Language Arts and Disciplinary Literacy Credits: 3
SPED 2300 - Survey of Exceptional Children Credits: 3
SPED 2310 - Introduction to Learners with Special Needs Credits: 3
SPED 2320 - Speech and Language Acquisition Credits: 3
SPED 2353 - Characteristics of Learners with Mild Disabilities Credits: 3
SPED 3353 - Methods and Materials for Teaching Learners with Mild Disabilities Credits: 3
SPED 4358 - Exceptional Child in the Regular Classroom Credits: 3
HLPE 1310 - Personal Health and Safety (ACTS HEAL 1003) Credits: 3
HLPE 4312 - Methods and Materials of Adaptive Physical Education Credits: 3
HLPE 4313 - Methods and Materials of Elementary Physical Education Credits: 3
RDNG 4310 - Teaching Reading to Young Children Credits: 3
RDNG 2313 - Fundamentals/Language/Reading Credits: 3
RDNG 4315 - Methods of Teaching Reading Credits: 3
ART 2360 - Methods in Children’s Art Credits: 3
ECON 3313 - Economics for Elementary Teachers Credits: 3
MATH 4340 - Modern Elementary Mathematics I Credits: 3
MATH 4341 - Modern Elementary Mathematics II Credits: 3
MUSI 2350 - Public School Music Credits: 3
RECR 3231 - Primary and Lead-Up Games For Children Credits: 2

SOE Advisement, Persistence and Completion Policy

Upon formal admission into the SOE, students become teacher candidates. Candidates have a SOE academic advisor assigned and receive an official degree plan outlining the remaining program of study for graduation. Students seeking secondary teacher licensure will be jointly advised in the department of Curriculum and Instruction and the department of specialization.

Candidates are required to meet with their assigned advisor no less than twice per semester. Additional advising sessions may be scheduled at the candidate’s request or as required by the advisor.
All teacher candidates are required to complete a planned sequence of courses and an integrated field experience.
Candidates must have the appropriate background knowledge and skills necessary for advanced coursework through careful monitoring conducted at the advisor level.
Candidates must maintain a minimum Cumulative GPA of 2.70 in all courses to remain a student in good standing.
Candidates are required to have a 2.70 GPA to obtain faculty approval for graduation.