Drexel University School of Education: Preparing Leaders for a Changing World

Drexel University's School of Education is dedicated to enriching knowledge and practice related to lifespan learning, based on the most current and appropriate research. With a central location in one of America's great cities, Drexel demonstrates the transformative power of education, focusing on STEM, behavioral health, teacher preparation, and educational innovation. The school prepares today's leaders with the critical knowledge and practical experience needed to thrive in their careers.

Experiential Learning: A Cornerstone of Drexel's Approach

At Drexel University's School of Education, students gain real-world experience from their very first year. The programs integrate rigorous coursework with hands-on learning through field experiences, research opportunities, immersive study abroad programs, and Drexel’s renowned cooperative education (co-op) program. Drexel students are well-prepared for success in their careers thanks in part to high-quality experiential learning like the cooperative learning experiences.

Drexel's School of Education Cooperative Education program is well known for its outstanding field-based experiences that include a range of formal, school-based, and community activities. These experiences give students invaluable first-hand exposure to the classroom and the opportunity to apply what they have learned towards student teaching experiences. The cooperative learning experience offered as part of the professional career development support services at Drexel University pertains to full-time undergraduate students pursuing teacher certification.

Personalized Academic Planning

Guided by academic advisors with education expertise, students design a plan of study aligned with their goals - whether in teaching, educational leadership, learning technologies, or other areas within the education field.

Teacher Certification Programs

The School of Education offers Pennsylvania Department of Education-approved programs to certify students who want to become teachers. Certification for classroom instruction is organized according to the two majors, the BS in Elementary Education and the BS in Secondary Education. The School of Education uses university-wide resources to prepare fully qualified teachers at both the elementary and secondary levels.

The Teacher Education Program at Drexel University is closely aligned with National INTASC Teaching Standards as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Four Domains for Professional Teaching. In addition, the Teacher Ed Program has identified seven Program Outcomes, which identify the specific qualities that set the Drexel Teacher Candidate apart from other candidates in the field.

Options for Obtaining Teacher Certification

There are multiple ways for Drexel University students to obtain their initial and add-on teaching certifications in Pennsylvania while pursuing their current major at Drexel. Non-teaching education majors may have the opportunity to build teacher certification into their program of study as electives, depending on their major. Those students who cannot manage the whole certification program may opt to participate in the education non-certification concentration. Undergraduate students also have the option to enroll in as many content courses as can be managed in their undergraduate degree and then finish their teaching certification requirements through the Post-baccalaureate Teaching Certification or Masters in Teaching Learning and Curriculum programs. Combination certifications are available from the School of Education.

Program Options for Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate students have the option to choose from a variety of traditional full-time and non-traditional part-time on-campus and online programs. School of Education undergraduate students have the option to choose from the following program options: BS on-campus (full- or part-time) taking day and/or evening courses, or the part-time Online BS Degree completion program. The on-campus BS degree is completed in four years. In addition to the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s (PDE) state-mandated field experiences and 2 quarter term student teaching residency, this program includes one six-month internship period of full-time employment related to the student's initial area of teacher certification. Students typically participate in co-ops during their fall and winter terms of their sophomore year and pursue varied positions geared directly to their area(s) of certification. Candidates are asked to pursue a position that would allow them to see other areas of education that reach beyond K-12 teaching.

Curriculum and Focus

The School of Education's programs apply the most updated trends in theory, instruction, and leadership, with an emphasis on effective teaching integrating the sciences, enhancing teaching by using technology, two central components of every Drexel Education.

Writing-Intensive Courses

In order to graduate, all students must pass three writing-intensive courses after their freshman year. Two writing-intensive courses must be in a student's major. The third can be in any discipline. Students are advised to take one writing-intensive class each year, beginning with the sophomore year, and to avoid “clustering” these courses near the end of their matriculation. A "WI" next to a course in this catalog may indicate that this course can fulfill a writing-intensive requirement. For the most up-to-date list of writing-intensive courses being offered, students should check the Writing Intensive Course List on the Drexel University Writing Center web page.

Read also: Drexel University Scholarships

Faculty

Drexel boasts a diverse and experienced faculty, including:

Ayana Allen, PhD (Texas A&M University): Associate Professor.
Kristen Betts, EdD (George Washington University): Clinical Professor.
Eric Brewe, PhD (Arizona State University): Associate Dean for Graduate Education. Professor.
José Luis Chávez, EdD (University of Southern California): Clinical Professor. Higher education leadership and administration.
James Connell, PhD (Louisiana State University): Founding Clinical Core Director and Research Fellow, A.J. Drexel Autism Institute. Associate Professor.
Kareem Edouard, PhD (Stanford University): Assistant Professor.
Salvatore V. Falletta, EdD (North Carolina State University): Clinical Professor. Human Resource intelligence (i.e., HR research and analytics practices); HRD assessment, measurement, and evaluation models and taxonomies; organizational diagnostic models; web-based employee and organizational survey methods, and computational modeling.
Aroutis N. Foster, PhD (Michigan State University): Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Graduate Studies. Professor.
Dominic F. Gullo, PhD (Indiana University): Professor. Studying the relative and long-range effects of early schooling experiences in prekindergarten and kindergarten on children's achievement and social adaptation to school routine.
H. Bernard Hall, PhD (Temple University): Assistant Professor.
Michael J. Haslip, PhD (Old Dominion University): Assistant Professor.
Colin Hennessy Elliott, PhD (New York University): Assistant Clinical Professor.
Deanna Hill, JD, PhD (University of Pittsburgh): Associate Clinical Professor.
Erin Horvat, PhD (University of California, Los Angeles): Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs. Professor.
Jennifer Katz-Buonincontro, PhD (University of Oregon): Associate Dean of Research. Associate Professor.
Cameron Kiosoglous, PhD (Virginia Tech University): Program Director. Assistant Clinical Professor.
Valerie Klein, PhD (Amherst College): Associate Clinical Professor.
Michael G. Kozak, Ed.D. (Rowan University): Assistant Clinical Professor.
Amanda Lannie, PhD (Syracuse University): Assistant Clinical Professor.
Vera Lee, EdD (University of Pennsylvania): Department Chair for Teaching, Learning & Curriculum. Associate Clinical Professor.
Kristine Lewis-Grant, PhD (Temple University): Clinical Professor.
Constance Lyttle, PhD, JD (University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University): Clinical Professor.
Kate Piselli, PhD (Duquesne University): Assistant Clinical Professor.
Harriette Rasmussen, EdD (Fielding Graduate University): Assistant Clinical Professor.
Jason Silverman, PhD (Vanderbilt University): Professor.
Janet Sloand, EdD (Duquesne University): Department Chair for Teaching, Learning & Curriculum. Associate Clinical Professor.
Bridget Sweeney Blakely, PhD (Temple University): Assistant Clinical Professor.
Mary Jean Tecce DeCarlo, EdD (University of Pennsylvania): Associate Clinical Professor.
Sarah P. Ulrich, EdD (Saint Joseph’s University): Associate Dean of Teacher Education and Undergraduate Affairs. Clinical Professor.
Sheila Vaidya, PhD (Temple University): Professor.
Christina Vorndran, PhD (Louisiana State University): Program Director, Applied Behavior Analysis and Special Education. Clinical Professor.
Christopher G. Wright, PhD (Tufts University): Assistant Professor.

Emeritus Faculty:

Mary Jo Grdina, PhD (Case Western Reserve University): Clinical Professor.
Joyce Pittman, PhD (Iowa State University of Science and Technology): Clinical Professor.
Fredricka K. Reisman, PhD (Syracuse University): School of Education, Founder, Drexel School of Education. Professor Emerita.

Career Opportunities

Students obtain employment in the School District of Philadelphia and neighboring school districts in Pennsylvania and such surrounding states as New Jersey, Delaware, Ohio, and New York.

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