Exploring the Diverse Programs at Boston College's Lynch School of Education and Human Development

The Lynch School of Education and Human Development (LSEHD) at Boston College is a highly ranked institution committed to providing responsive, research-based, and transformative professional development opportunities. It collaborates with leaders and organizations to support staff development and offer programs that address the specific needs of professionals and practitioners in the fields of K-12 education, higher education, and psychology. Consistently ranked among the top schools of education, the Lynch School integrates theory, research, and practice across its programs, leveraging the robust practicum opportunities available in the Boston metropolitan area.

A Legacy of Educational Excellence

Prior to World War II, Boston College's Department of Education within the College of Arts and Sciences was organized to prepare teachers. However, student interest dropped after the war. Department chairman Charles F. Donovan, S.J., a 1933 graduate who received his Ph.D. from Yale, rearranged the curriculum and established a major in education. The School of Education officially opened on September 22, 1952, becoming Boston College's first coeducational school on the Chestnut Hill campus. Donovan served as dean, with Marie M. Gearan as dean of women.

In 1954, Campion Hall, designed by the Boston firm of Maginnis and Walsh, was constructed. Archbishop Richard Cushing dedicated it on September 22, 1955. Charles Frank Smith Jr., Boston College’s first tenured black professor, taught at the Lynch School from 1968 to 1996. In 1999, philanthropists Carolyn and Peter Lynch, an alumnus and financial investor, donated over $10 million to Boston College.

Undergraduate Programs: Building a Foundation for Success

The Lynch School offers a range of undergraduate programs designed to prepare students for various careers in education and human development. All students entering LSEHD undergraduate programs follow a program of study in selected majors and minors and complete the Boston College Common Core requirements and electives needed to fulfill degree requirements.

Elementary Education

Elementary Education majors should generally enroll in EDUC1030 Child Development in the fall of their first year. In the spring of the first year, students should typically enroll in EDUC1031 Family, School, and Society or FORM1051 Reimagining School and Society. All Elementary Education majors in the Class of 2026 or prior must complete a second major either in a content area in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences (MCAS), Transformative Educational Studies, Applied Psychology, and Human Development or in one of three interdisciplinary majors offered through the Lynch School. Interdisciplinary majors include American Heritages, Mathematics and Computer Science, and Perspectives on Spanish America.

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Secondary Education

Secondary Education students should enroll in either EDUC1030 Child Development (Social Science Core) or FORM1050 The Educational Conversation in the fall of their first year. In the spring of the first year, students should typically enroll in FORM1051 Reimagining School and Society (Social Science and Cultural Diversity) or EDUC1031 Family, School, and Society (Social Science and Cultural Diversity). Secondary Education majors must also major in a state-approved licensure endorsement area. These second major areas include Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English, History, and Mathematics and are completed in the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences (MCAS).

Transformative Educational Studies

The Transformative Educational Studies Major is intended for students who wish to study fundamental educational questions arising during this moment of social and educational transformation and contribute to improving the quality of human education and experience and in making global society more just. Transformative Educational Studies students should generally enroll in FORM1050, The Educational Conversation, in the fall of the first year. In the spring, students typically should enroll in FORM1051, Reimagining School and Society. This major does not require a second major or minor, and does not lead to endorsement towards any licensure.

Applied Psychology and Human Development

The Applied Psychology and Human Development major prepares students for work in human, social, and community services and/or for graduate study in counseling, human development, educational psychology, organizational studies, higher education, and related fields. Students in Applied Psychology and Human Development enroll in a 36-credit major, with a required applied psychology practicum experience typically during the junior year, and focus in a choice of four areas: human services and health science; organization studies and human capital; policy, advocacy, and community change; and science of learning which must be declared before the start of junior year fall term.

Core Requirements and Academic Standing

Lynch School of Education and Human Development students who are Elementary or Secondary Education majors must successfully complete 120 credits which must include the full BC Core curriculum course requirements, the education major, and an appropriate second major, if required for the entering class year. To continue enrollment in a full-time program of study, a student must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 1.667, as the minimum standard of scholarship and must not fall more than 6 credits behind the total number of credits a student of his/her status is expected to have completed. Although students may satisfy BC Core curriculum requirements (42 credits) during any of their four undergraduate years, they are advised to complete most or, if possible, all BC Core requirements within the first two years.

Field Experiences and Practica

All elementary and secondary education majors complete two pre-practicum experiences (1 day/week for 10 weeks) and one full practicum experience (5 days/week for 14 weeks) in a variety of classroom settings where they mediate theory and practice to develop and provide instruction that enhances the developmental outcomes.

The Office of Field Placement and Partnership Outreach approves and arranges placements for pre-practica and full-practica leading to endorsement towards licensure in Massachusetts only for eligible students enrolled in programs in LSEHD. A cumulative grade point average of 2.5 and successful completion of all major courses are required prior to student teaching for all students in the Elementary program. Students in Secondary Education must complete all major courses in Secondary Education and 4/5 of Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences courses prior to student teaching. To be eligible for a field experience, students must complete and pass a criminal background check through the screening agency designated by their prospective placement.

Licensure and Endorsement

All Elementary and Secondary Education programs lead to endorsement from Boston College for Initial Licensure in the state of Massachusetts. To be eligible for endorsement, candidates must successfully complete the state-approved teacher education program at Boston College, which includes the required pre/full practica experiences, and graduate from Boston College. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts issues teacher licenses, not the endorsing university. Therefore, students who earn the BC Endorsement submit all licensing documentation directly to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Graduate Programs: Advanced Studies and Specialization

The Lynch School at Boston College offers 22 master’s programs, eight doctoral programs, and five dual-degree programs. These programs are designed for individuals seeking advanced knowledge and skills in various areas of education and human development.

Admission Requirements

The Lynch School admits students without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, national origin, veteran status, or disability. Students must be formally admitted to the Lynch School Graduate Programs by a committee composed of faculty and administrators. All international student applicants for whom English is not their first language, or who do not hold a degree from an English-speaking university, must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination. Ordinarily, the Lynch School expects a minimum score of 100 on the internet-based TOEFL or a minimum score of 7.0 on the IELTS.

Non-Degree Studies

Students not seeking a degree, but interested in pursuing course work at the graduate level, may apply for admission as a Non-Degree Student. Although there is no limit on the number of courses Non-Degree Students may take, no more than four courses (12 semester hours), if appropriate, may be applied toward a degree program in the Lynch School.

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Fifth Year and Early Admit Programs

The Fifth Year Program and Early Admit Program offer academically outstanding Boston College juniors a unique opportunity to begin graduate study during their undergraduate senior year, allowing them to graduate with a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in a shortened amount of time. Students interested in the Fifth Year/Early Admit Program should contact the Office of Graduate Admission, Financial Aid, and Student Services.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Scholarship and fellowship awards are offered at the time of the admission decision and are based solely on materials submitted in a completed application. The University’s Financial Aid Office administers the Federal loan programs, which include Unsubsidized Stafford loans, Perkins loans, and work-study.

Specialized Programs

Donovan Urban Teaching Scholars: An intensive one-year master’s degree program in teacher preparation.
Urban Catholic Teacher Corps (UCTC): A Catholic school teacher preparation program that prepares students to be excellent Catholic school teachers who are actively engaged in the ministry of teaching urban students in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston.

Licensure Programs

Many of the teacher education and administration programs offered by the Lynch School have been designed to comply with current standards leading to initial and professional licensure for educators in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Students seeking licensure in Massachusetts must pass the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL).

Mental Health and School Counseling

The 60-credit M.A. in Mental Health Counseling fulfills the educational requirements for licensure as a mental health counselor in Massachusetts, and the M.A. in School Counseling meets the educational requirements for licensure in school counseling in Massachusetts.

Doctoral Programs

Through its various graduate programs, the Lynch School offers the Ph.D. and Ed.D. degrees. The Ph.D. is granted for distinction attained in a special field of concentration and demonstrated ability to modify or enlarge a significant subject in a dissertation based upon original research. The Professional School Administrator Program (PSAP) provides an opportunity for full-time administrators to obtain their Massachusetts superintendent licensure and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in Educational Leadership. The Executive Ed.D. in Higher Education develops justice-minded leaders with the skills, mindsets, and technical knowledge to match the changing pace of higher education.

Certificate of Advanced Educational Specialization (C.A.E.S.)

The C.A.E.S. course of study is designed for currently practicing educators who already have a master’s degree and seek a higher level of specialization in Curriculum and Instruction or professional licensure in administration.

Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.)/Master of Science in Teaching (M.S.T.)

The M.A.T./M.S.T. Initial Licensure programs are designed for students who have graduated with a major in liberal arts or sciences and who wish to prepare for teaching in the secondary school, for experienced teachers in secondary schools who do not yet hold a license, and for recent college graduates already prepared to teach at the secondary level who want to earn an additional area of expertise and/or licensure.

Departments and Specializations

Department of Teaching, Curriculum, and Society (TCS)

The Department of Teaching, Curriculum, and Society (TCS) prepares educational leaders for instructional and administrative roles in public and private schools, in institutions of higher education, and in related organizations. Programs and courses in Teacher Education are designed to prepare educators in the areas of elementary and secondary teaching, early childhood education, and special education. In addition, master’s programs are available in Curriculum and Instruction and Global Perspectives, along with a doctoral program in Curriculum and Instruction.

Teaching English Language Learners (TELL)

Master’s candidates can include the Teaching English Language Learners (TELL).

Continuing Education

PCE provides quality continuing education experiences aligned with the cutting-edge research of BC faculty. The BEC program has prepared hundreds of MA educators for the bilingual education endorsement. SFL courses have brought evidence-based writing instruction to schools across Massachusetts.

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