Jon Pedersen, Dean  
Erik Drasgow, Graduate Director and Associate Dean  
Michael A. Seaman, Special Assistant to the Dean  
Rob L. Dedmon, Assistant Dean for Undergraduate and Academic Affairs  
Simone Gause, Assistant Dean for Administration  
Ryan Inza, Assistant Dean for Business and Chief Financial Officer  
Cindy Van Buren, Assistant Dean for Accreditation and Professional Preparation

Overview

The College of Education is the anchor of the Professional Education Unit (PEU) of the University of South Carolina, which is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation for Teacher Education (NCATE). In cooperation with the five other colleges/schools of the PEU and our public school partners, the College of Education offers education programs that are designed to develop collaborative educational leaders, including educators’ commitment to integrity, intellectual spirit, justice, and stewardship of schools. All University teacher education programs support prospective teachers in developing both in-depth content knowledge and appropriate knowledge, skills, and dispositions of teaching required in today’s classrooms. Extensive clinical experiences in a variety of appropriate PreK-12 classrooms and schools are a central component of each program.

The College of Education offers undergraduate degrees that lead to certification in early childhood (PreK-grade 3), elementary (grades 2-6), middle level (grades 5-8), and physical education (grades K-12) and an undergraduate degree in athletic training.

Undergraduate teacher preparation programs outside the College of Education include K-12 music education (options in choral or instrumental) in the School of Music; and K-12 programs of art education, dance (concentration in dance education), and foreign language (teacher education options in Classics, French, German, and Spanish) in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Five-year undergraduate/graduate teacher preparation programs are offered in four areas of secondary education: English, mathematics, science, and social studies. Students pursue undergraduate degree programs in the discipline they wish to teach. Students should consult an advisor in the appropriate Arts and Sciences department for program information. Required undergraduate education courses for students pursuing certification in the five-year program include EDFI 300 , EDSE 302 , EDSE 500 , and EDPY 401 . Students pursuing English certification must also include EDSE 547  in their undergraduate course work. Students seeking certification also complete a fifth-year Master of Teaching degree. Students must apply for and be admitted to the graduate program. Students are not admitted to the master’s degree program solely by reason of their completion of the undergraduate degree.

Graduate initial teacher certification programs, including the M.A.T. in Special Education and many other areas, are described in the Graduate Studies Bulletin.

Admission to the Professional Program

All University teacher education students must apply and be admitted to Professional Program/Internship at mid-point(s) in their programs prior to final internship (i.e.student teaching). Requirements for admission vary by program, but for undergraduate students include 60 credit hours with a minimum overall GPA of 2.75, successful completion of a state-approved basic skills examination, and courses as specified by program area.

Students should contact their program area or the College of Education Office of Student Affairs for specific requirements and application deadlines.

Certification

To receive a recommendation for initial teacher certification, all University teacher education students must complete appropriate degree(s) and pass assessments required by the South Carolina Board of Education. Inasmuch as degree and certification requirements are linked, if state regulations change, degree requirements are also subject to change.

All students seeking a recommendation for initial teacher certification must:

1. successfully complete the requirements of the degree program;
2. achieve test scores at or above the level established by the state on the program-appropriate exams (Praxis II series) and submit scores to the Office of Student Affairs, College of Education, Wardlaw 113, and to the S.C. Department of Education;
3. submit to an FBI and SLED check for prior felony convictions prior to full-time clinical experience;
4. pay all certification fees as required;
5. successfully complete EEDA and ADEPT requirements with a positive recommendation for certification.

Information

Information regarding all programs in the College of Education and the education requirements for all teacher preparation programs are available online at www.ed.sc.edu or by contacting the Office of Student Affairs, College of Education, Wardlaw 113, 803-777-6732.

Minors in Education

Students completing degrees outside the College of Education who wish to include an education minor must contact their undergraduate dean’s office for prior approval.

General Education Minor  

Counselor Education Minor  

Physical Education (Athletic Coaching) Minor  

Departments

Click the links below to view programs and courses administered by each department.

Educational Leadership and Policies  

Educational Studies  

Instruction and Teacher Education  

Physical Education and Athletic Training