Department of Educational Studies

Jubilee Hall
Chair: Debra Zinicola, Ed.D.
Faculty: Adjapong; Daly; Hansen; Katz; Martinelli; May; McFadden; Mueller; Ruzicka; Zinicola
shu.edu/educational-studies/

The Department of Educational Studies in the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media offers several graduate programs, concentrations, and certificates. In all concentrations, the standards of national organizations in each field are followed.  Please review the Programs portion of this Catalogue and the College's website for a complete list.

The Department's offerings are designed to enable graduates to assume leadership roles in their professions, to provide critical insights that help solve problems in the workplace, in the larger society, and to exhibit at all times the high ethical, intellectual, and professional ideals that are honored and taught at the University.  The College may exceed state standards for certification and/or endorsement while always adhering to minimum state standards. Any changes in state certification requirements must be followed by the College and apply to all candidates.

Most certification-related programs in the College require a sequence of clinical experiences in the surrounding communities.  Within clinical sequences, all candidates must participate in a broad range of settings to learn and apply evidence-based practices in support of today's P-12 learners.

Specific requirements for admission, the objectives of each program, and courses in each program relative to the degree sought and other regulations appropriate to individual programs are described in the corresponding section of this Catalogue and the University website for each program.

The Department is dedicated to the preparation of highly competent, socially conscious, reflective professionals.  With an emphasis on outcomes, all curricula are intended to cultivate understand versus generalized knowledge.  The dispositional qualities a candidate brings to the University classroom, clinical experiences, and community are an essential component to their overall development and performance. The Professional Code articulated below reflects the Department's foundational expectations for a candidate seeking to enter professional practice.  

Academic Standards and Professional Code

Students must maintain at least a 'B' in all courses and academic standing is reviewed following each semester.  Students who receive a 'C', or whose cumulative GPA is below a 3.0 will be notified and required to complete an academic plan ahead of continued studies.  A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 is required upon completion for all degree programs.

Candidates enrolled in the teacher preparation programs in the College are subject to the following professional code:

1. Dependability: candidates are reliable, timely, and consistent in their presence and preparation for courses at the University as well as their field settings.
2. Respect & Empathy: candidates are respectful in their address, writing, language, and physical space toward faculty, university staff, school personnel, peers, and students in the field.
3. Open-mindedness: candidates respect the context and experience of others; developing the skills to use that information in classroom conversation, writing, and lesson planning.
4. Integrity: candidates submit original work, fully cite all sources associated with the development of their work (including information from the internet) and recognize that the university fully supports the use of anti-plagiarism software in support of academic integrity.
5. Dress code: candidates recognize that they are considered representatives of the University, College, and program when they are in their field placements. They are expected to adhere to the dress code of the field placement where they are working, recalling that their professional appearance and behavior reflects Seton Hall.
6. Passion for the profession: candidates display in action, word, and commitment their passion for the profession of teaching, the right for all children to have access to positive and productive learning environments, and a recognition that life as a teacher means dedication to life-long learning.
7. Professional Communication and Technology Use: candidates maintain consistent timely and professional communication with faculty, administrators, supervisors, cooperating teachers, and school leaders in written, telephone, and digital communication. Candidates exercise professional discretion in their use of social media and recognize the responsibility of professional educators to refrain from expressing defamatory opinions of peers, professionals, parents, and students in public platforms.

Failure to adhere to the professional code in either coursework or field experiences may result in referral to the Department for consideration of consequences up to and including dismissal from the Department and/or College.

In addition to general University admission criteria and processes, entering candidates must formally declare their interest in an education program by applying to the College.  The University reserves the right to make additional adjustments based on the requirements of the New Jersey Department of Education.

Admission Requirements

Applicants for graduate programs within the College are expected to meet the general University requirements for admission and comply with its admission procedures. Detailed admissions requirements for each academic offering are listed on each program's webpage.

Degree and Curriculum Requirements

Students admitted to a master’s degree program must satisfy all University, College and program requirements for admission and for graduation, including a graduate academic record of 3.0 (cumulative grade point average).  The credits for each master’s program consist of foundation courses and concentration courses.  Up to six graduate credits earned recently at another accredited college or university may be accepted for some programs in partial satisfaction of graduate degree requirements in the Department of Educational Studies.  The candidate’s program adviser, Department, and Office of the Dean must approve the credit transfer.

Clinical Experiences

Internship Requirements

Under the direction of the College's Office of Fieldwork and Certification, students seeking certification must complete a 50-hour internship prior to clinical practice.  Hours must be documented with the Office of Fieldwork and Certification for verification and eligibility to begin Clinical Practice I.

Graduate Clinical Experience

Candidates whose program of study includes clinical practices are required to apply in alignment with dates published by the College's Office of Fieldwork and Certification.  Candidates need approval from their advisers and Department Chair.  Transfer students must complete a minimum of 12 credits at the University before they will be assigned as student teachers. Candidates must adhere to all published procedures, which generally consist of:

• secure an application from the Office of Fieldwork and Certification; and,
• return the completed application and submission of non-refundable placement fees to the Office of Fieldwork and Certification ahead of published deadlines.

The culminating clinical experience is generally one full semester, full time, meaning that the candidate is in his or her school from the start of the school day until the end as well as attending meetings and planning activities with the cooperating teacher. Each student teacher is assigned to an approved accredited school and is guided by a college supervisor and a cooperating teacher appointed by the principal of the school.

The student teacher is required to register for and attend the weekly seminar for the entire semester as well as complete required assessments as part of each course.

Clinical Practice I and II

Students seeking New Jersey state teacher certification must complete a full semester of field experience. The field experience is a two part clinical experience consisting of 16-17 weeks in a school setting. In the first phase, Clinical Practice I, candidates will be enrolled in the online methods classes and will report to a school for a two day a week internship throughout the fall semester. The internship allows for gradual introduction to teaching, and gives candidates the opportunity to learn the contextual factors of the school, classroom, students and community while completing the required assignments in the methods courses. After completing the internship, candidates will continue to Clinical Practice II, 5 day a week clinical experience, (see student teaching handbook) in the same school, while enrolled in EDST 6426 Clinical Practice and Seminar.

An application fee for student teaching is required. There is a separate application for the clinical practice and candidates must complete application prior to registering for methods courses. The student should consult with program advisers and student teacher handbook for specific requirements.

Completed applications must be received by the Office of Fieldwork and Certification by the posted dates.

Eligibility for Certification

In general, upon completion of programs and/or required course sequences, students are eligible for nomination to the State of New Jersey. Under current New Jersey state regulations, the student must then successfully serve as a provisionally certified teacher before the state will grant standard (permanent) certification.

Certification Reminder

In accordance with Title IV of the Higher Education Act, 34 CFR 668, as of July 1, 2024 all students are advised that the College's programs leading to licensure/certification meet the requirements of New Jersey, and that by enrolling in the program, each student attests that they plan to seek employment in New Jersey.  Information on out-of-state reciprocity is available through the New Jersey Department of Education's website.  Employment and certification requirements vary by state and students interested in out-of-state employment may need to pursue supplemental coursework.  Students should contact the Office of Fieldwork and Certification for further information.

Course Identification

The subject codes used to designate courses offered by the Department are as follows:

• BMIE - Applied Computing
• CPSY - Professional Psychology and Family Therapy
• EDST - Educational Studies
• ESLP - English as a Second Language
• HPER - Health Education, Physical Education and Recreation

Major

Accelerated and Dual Degree

Certificates

Note to Students: The following listing represents those courses that are in the active rotation for each department, i.e., have been offered in the past five years. Some departments have additional courses offered more rarely but still available – to find the complete list of all official courses for a department, please use the “Course Catalogue Search” function in Self-Service Banner.

Course Descriptions