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Education

  • Bachelor of Education
  • Minor
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Inspiring Minds, Shaping Futures

Welcome to the Education Department at Saint Vincent College, where we prepare future educators to excel in a wide range of teaching fields, from early childhood through high school, and across diverse subjects. Our programs stand out for their strong commitment to both practical experience and academic rigor, with students engaging in fieldwork starting their freshman year and continuing through graduation. Grounded in the compassionate philosophy of Fred Rogers, and in partnership with the Fred Rogers Institute, our department emphasizes a holistic approach to education, nurturing empathy, creativity, and respect for each child’s individuality.

Undergraduate Programs

Degrees & Teaching Certifications

Each of the following undergraduate majors, minors, and certifications are crafted to develop educators who are adaptable, resourceful, and dedicated to fostering inclusive and diverse learning environments:

Program Highlights

Nationally Recognized Education Program:

Saint Vincent is listed among The Top Education Colleges of Distinction of 2023-2024, and many of our individual programs are ranked high nationally in the College Raptor Rankings, including physics, psychology, curriculum and instruction, and counselor education.

Service Opportunities:

The Education Department at Saint Vincent College emphasizes service by encouraging students to engage with the community through initiatives like SVC Wraps, which partners with Big Brothers Big Sisters to provide holiday gifts for children. This type of involvement helps students develop empathy, leadership, and practical skills, and they can earn a service medal for commencement.

Graduate Fellowship Program:

The Graduate Fellowship Program at Saint Vincent College offers aspiring educators a master’s degree, including full tuition and a stipend, in exchange for work in local schools. Fellows gain valuable skills and connections through hands-on experience, often leading to full-time jobs. The program also meets the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s permanent certification requirements, making graduates well-qualified candidates.

Bearcat B.E.S.T.

Students gain invaluable experience working with diverse groups of learners, including opportunities to support inclusive education practices through our Bearcat B.E.S.T. program, which serves individuals with developmental disabilities to provide an education that transfers them to greater independence.

Field Experiences


Distinctive Field Experiences: What Sets Us Apart

At Saint Vincent College, we prioritize real-world experience to develop confident and effective educators. From the first year, our students engage in meaningful field experiences, progressively building practical skills through diverse placements in various educational settings. Integrated with coursework, these experiences allow immediate application of educational theories. Our partnerships with local schools provide a wide range of placements, preparing students for success in different school environments including public, private, and specialized school settings. By senior year, students have extensive classroom hours, ready to step into teaching roles confidently. Saint Vincent College equips future educators to inspire and positively impact their communities.

  • Field I courses introduce students to real-world teaching by providing foundational experiences across diverse educational environments, subject areas, and grade levels. Additionally, students receive instruction in the principles of online learning and gain practical experience by developing and teaching an online lesson.
    • Students use Google Meet and other Google Suite tools to create and deliver synchronous mini-lessons to a local learner.

  • Field II offers education students a transformative experience through the STEP-Up Enrichment Program. This program lets students design and teach a ten-week course for home-schooled children, providing hands-on practice in curriculum development, classroom management, and instructional strategies. STEP-Up builds teaching confidence, creativity, and adaptability as students tailor lessons to meet learners’ unique needs.
    • Students will learn to use Google Sites to create websites for Step-Up courses.
    • Students use Google Sheets to analyze pre/post-test results.

  • Field III immerses education students in local classrooms, co-teaching with seasoned educators in their field. Students refine teaching techniques, collaborate on lesson planning, and learn classroom management strategies with real-time feedback from mentors. Additionally, PK-4 teacher candidates at Saint Vincent College partner with the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve for hands-on environmental education. They engage young learners in exploring nature, sustainability, and science through interactive activities, fostering a love for nature and curiosity among students.
    • Students finalize basic skills (Google Sheets, Teams) with a review of the training module to achieve level one certification.

  • Pre-student teaching, Field IV enables education students to connect with their future students by spending a full day each week in their assigned classroom. They observe their cooperating teacher, engage with students, and participate in lesson planning and delivery while building rapport, and developing practical teaching skills.
    • Students integrate with Google Meet, Slides, Sites, and Classroom into classroom technology proficiency list.

  • Student teaching, Field V, is the final internship for senior education majors. Over the course of 14 weeks, students work daily with a cooperating teacher in a local school district in their content area, gradually taking on full classroom responsibilities. Allowing them to apply their coursework and field experience knowledge fully preparing them for their teaching careers.
    • Students participate in their assigned classroom’s Google Classroom.
    • Demonstrate a lesson or unit that utilizes Google technology tools.

 

 

Resources and Facilities

Makerspace in Latimer Library:

The Makerspace at Saint Vincent College is a dynamic, hands-on learning environment essential to education programs. Equipped with tools for 3D printing, robotics, coding, and more, it helps students explore creative teaching strategies that integrate STEM and arts. Whether designing interactive science experiments, creating art projects with new technology, or developing games that support mathematical concepts, education majors gain practical experience in designing engaging hands-on activities for 21st-century classrooms.

Click here for a virtual tour of Makerspaces

Fred Rogers Institute:

The Fred Rogers Institute and the Education Department at Saint Vincent College have partnered to enrich education for students and faculty. This collaboration, rooted in fostering child development, early learning, and the values championed by Fred Rogers himself, gives students access to the Institute’s resources, workshops, and expert staff.

The partnership promotes joint research, community outreach, and initiatives that emphasize emotional intelligence, inclusivity, and creativity in the classroom—core principles of Fred Rogers’ legacy. Faculty collaborate on new teaching strategies reflecting Fred Rogers’ compassionate approach. Additionally students can apply to be a Fred Rogers Scholar in our Honors Community.

Click here for a virtual tour of the Fred Rogers Institute.

Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve:

The Education Department at Saint Vincent College partners with the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve (WPNR) to create immersive learning experiences emphasizing environmental education. Situated on campus, the Reserve offers over 50 acres of preserved land, filled with native plants, diverse ecosystems, and scenic trails, serving as an outdoor classroom.

Education students gain hands-on teaching experience in environmental and sustainability education through interactive field experiences. The partnership also involves curriculum development, integrating environmental literacy with core subjects like math, language arts, and social studies.

Click here for a virtual tour of the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve and the surrounding area

Student Spotlight

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    David Rahaman C’24

    “At Saint Vincent College, I was more than just a number. The professors were nurturing, supportive, and always there to guide me, even when I was far from home. They gave me the confidence to lead a classroom and believe in myself, shaping me into the teacher I am today.”

    English teacher

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    Dawn Timko Shaffer, C'12, G'16

    “I owe everything I have achieved and earned this far in my career to Saint Vincent College and the amazing professors who work there. They held us to a higher standard, and I am so thankful. My experiences, education, and connections helped me gain the necessary things needed to be hired by a competitive district. I often speak to other coworkers and colleagues about their own college experiences, and realize how impactful my time at Saint Vincent was on my professional success.”

    Third grade teacher, Indiana Area School District

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    Nick Holtzer, C'18

    “Saint Vincent truly shaped me as not just an educator but as a human being. I learned how to treat people during my time at SVC. The love and care that others gave me during my time there is what kept me going during some of those tough times. The Department of Education ALWAYS went the extra mile to ensure that we had what we needed and gave us endless opportunities to learn and grow. The grace and love people gave me is what I have taken into my career.”

    Early childhood teacher, Glenallan Elemetary Schools

Careers and Outcomes

An education degree from Saint Vincent College opens doors to various career paths. Graduates often become teachers in public or private schools, specializing in early childhood, elementary, middle, or secondary education. They can also pursue special education, ESL instruction, educational administration, curriculum development, and instructional coaching. The skills gained—communication, organization, and critical thinking—are valuable in educational technology, museum education, corporate training, and nonprofit work. This degree provides a versatile foundation, preparing graduates to impact diverse educational environments positively.

Upon graduation, 98% of our students have gainful employment in a teaching field, related field, or go on to graduate school.

Alumni will go on to successful careers as:

  • Academic advisors
  • Corporate trainers
  • Curriculum developers
  • Education administrators (e.g., principal or assistant principal)
  • Educational consultants
  • Elementary, middle, or high school teachers
  • ESL (English as a second language) teachers
  • Instructional coaches
  • Museum educators
  • Special education teachers

Our students have secured jobs at a variety of places including:

  • Catholic Schools Across the Commonwealth and US
  • Fred Rogers Institute
  • Independent Schools such as The Valley School of Ligonier
  • Museums
  • School district across the Commonwealth, US, and internationally
  • Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve

Curriculum Requirements

Saint Vincent College’s education program prepares well-rounded educators with foundational courses like Foundations of Education, Educational Psychology, and Strategies and Techniques of Learning and specialized courses, such as Classroom Partnerships and Inclusion and Promoting Youth Cultural Competence and Diversity, equipping students to support diverse learners.

  • Required Courses

    Requirements for Education Minor/Teacher Certification in PK-12 Areas or 7-12 Secondary Education

    In addition to the courses listed below, candidates for certification in all areas must satisfy the requirements for a major in an academic degree program related to their area of certification. Pennsylvania Department of Education also requires all education certification students to have a minimum of six (6) credits in English [one (1) composition fulfilled by Core 1500, one (1) literature], and six (6) credits in college mathematics (100-level or above). ED 142 Mathematics for Teachers and ED 155 Geometric and Measurement Theory will meet the six-credit requirement. ED142 also fulfills Core curriculum requirements.

    Courses in Psychology (3 credits)

    • PY 214 Adolescent Development 3
    • ED 115 Educational Psychology 3

    Courses in basic pedagogy (24 credits)

    • ED 100 Foundations of Education* 3
    • ED 205 Strategies and Techniques of Instruction 3
    • ED 208 Classroom Partnerships and Inclusion 3
    • ED 220 Reading, Writing, and Differentiation in the Content Areas 3
    • ED 290 Psychology/Education of the Exceptional Student* 3
    • ED 300 -306 Teaching in the Content Area 3
    • ED 390 Promoting Youth Cultural Competence and Diversity 3

    Field experiences (16-17 credits)

    • ED 101/102/103 Field Experience I: 7-12/K-12** 1
    • ED 206 Field Experience II: Strategies and Techniques of Instruction 1
    • ED311/318/322 Field Experience III: K-12 and Secondary Instruction and Theory 1
    • ED 400 Field Experience IV: Pre-Student Teaching Practicum 2
    • ED-401 Pre-Student Teaching Seminar 3
    • ED 410 Field Experience V: Student Teaching Internship 8-9
    • ED 411 Professional Seminar 3

    * Also fulfills Core Curriculum requirements.
    ** ED 207 (Practicum in Education I) may be substituted for ED 103 62

    Education Minor without Certification

    Students may choose an education minor without pursuing teacher certification. To earn the non-certification Education minor, students will select from the basic pedagogy courses required in the minor for secondary or K-12 certification, totaling 18 education credits. ED 400 and 410 Student Teaching Field Experiences are not required.

  • Key Courses

    Strategies and Techniques of Learning: This course equips future educators with essential skills such as lesson planning, classroom management, assessment, and incorporation of technology. In addition, the course addresses key factors like available resources, curriculum standards, teaching styles, and the diverse needs of students.

    Classroom Partnerships and Inclusion: This course explores adaptive technologies and strategies for teaching K-12 special learners, emphasizing communication and inclusion techniques.

    Promoting Youth Culture Competence and Diversity: This course examines communication challenges across cultures, focusing on second language learning and teaching, and provides training in instructional approaches for non-native speaker and incorporates the Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Education (CRSE) guidelines as outlined by Pennsylvania, ensuring that future educators are equipped to create inclusive, equitable, and culturally responsive learning environments.

Extra Program Specifics

Pennsylvania Department of Education Accreditation

Saint Vincent College’s teacher preparation programs are fully accredited by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), ensuring that our curriculum, faculty, and field experiences meet the highest standards of educational excellence. This accreditation means that our programs have been rigorously evaluated and align with state requirements, preparing graduates to be highly qualified, effective educators ready to enter the teaching profession. Through PDE accreditation, students in our education programs are eligible for certification in Pennsylvania upon graduation, enabling them to teach in their specific areas of study. The accreditation process also reflects our commitment to continuous improvement, as we regularly assess and enhance our programs to stay current with educational best practices and evolving standards in the field.

NASDTEC Interstate Agreement

Through the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, Pennsylvania allows individuals who have completed a teacher preparation program or are already certified teachers in other states to receive Pennsylvania teaching certification through reciprocity. Pennsylvania-certified teachers can also transfer their certification to other states. Each state may have different testing and application requirements, so candidates should check the NASDTEC website for specific information on transferring their certification.

 

 

Undergraduate Programs
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