Department of Educational Studies

Jubilee Hall
CHDCM@shu.edu
shu.edu/educational-studies

Chair: Debra Zinicola, Ed.D.
Faculty: Adjapong; Daly; Hansen; Katz; Martinelli; May; McFadden; Mueller; Ruzicka; Zinicola

The Department of Educational Studies offers courses leading to the Bachelor of Science in Education degree and applicable certification(s). Graduates of teacher preparation programs are eligible for recommendation to the State of New Jersey for certification in accordance with state guidelines and codes.

Under current New Jersey guidelines, candidates must (1) pass required exams, (2) complete performance assessments, and (3) pursue an applicable academic major and/or designated credits in liberal arts, to qualify for the B.S.E. degree and certification.  A cumulative GPA of 3.0 must be earned and maintained to take upper-level courses and participate in clinical experience(s) and clinical practice associated with all certification majors and programs.  The College of Human Development, Culture, and Media 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.

All teacher preparation programs in the College require a sequence of clinical experiences and senior clinical practice 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.

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.  

Professional Code

Candidates enrolled in the teacher preparation programs in the College of Human Development, Culture, and Media operate under 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.

General Department Requirements

Admission

All candidates, interested in educator preparation programs when they enter the University as first semester new undergraduates, are welcome to take the introductory courses in their area of interest (elementary/special education or secondary education):

• EDST 1001 Introduction to Teaching: The Profession
• EDST 1501 Education in the United States: Past and Present
• CPSY 1001 Diverse Learners - Fam Part I

To fully matriculate into a Department of Educational Studies major, candidates must:

• Have a GPA of 3.0 or higher for admission to the elementary, special education program, secondary education, and secondary/special education.
• Have a GPA of 3.2 or higher for admission to the 4+2 B.S.E./M.S. program
• Have a GPA of 3.3 or higher for admission to the B.S.E./M.A. Program with Applied Behavior Analysis
• Meet with an academic adviser regarding pre-major requirements, available courses, and how to enroll fully in the elementary or secondary education programs

Retention and Graduation

• Maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher for elementary/special education program, secondary education, and secondary/special education.
• All students are evaluated each semester as part of an academic standing review.  If any candidate's GPA falls below a 3.0, the student is considered ‘on probation’ from their education program and may not take additional education classes nor continue fieldwork. Continued advisement is provided in conjunction with advisers from the student's second major or area of study.  If the candidate’s GPA remains below a 3.0 for another consecutive semester, the student is at-risk for dismissal from the Department.  The student may pursue an alternative major within the College or University, subject to admission requirements.
• Students on probation or who are dismissed may be readmitted and permitted to take education classes if they raise the GPA to 3.0 or higher. Re-admittance into the major may only occur one time. Failure to maintain the 3.0 a second time leads to permanent dismissal from the Department.
• Elementary education majors must complete the University Core, B.S.E. Elementary Core, Elementary Professional Sequence, Clinical Experiences, and a second major or designated credits in the liberal arts.  Secondary education majors must complete the University Core, B.S.E. Secondary Core, Secondary Professional Sequence, Clinical Experiences, and a Certification Field major.
• Each education program leading to certification requires clinical experiences and a culminating clinical practice. Candidates must meet the requirements of the clinical component of their program (including specified number of hours, course related assessments, and evaluation forms).
• All education majors:
  • Must meet with their education advisor each semester for a review of their academic and clinical requirements in order to determine potential areas of need and standing in the program.
  • Must adhere to the Department's Professional Code within courses and all clinical components.
  • Must earn a C or higher in their professional education course sequence. Any grade lower than a C must be repeated and done prior to the start of the senior clinical practice.
  • Must pass Praxis II exam(s) associated with their education or content major to be eligible to begin senior Clinical Practice.
  • Must pass the state established performance assessment associated with their senior Clinical Practice.

Additional Requirements for 4+2 B.S.E./M.S. Majors

All of the requirements of an education major apply to students in the 4+2 program.  Additional important specificity is detailed in the Elementary and Special Education (B.S.E.)/Speech-Language Pathology (M.S.) entry in this Catalogue.

Additional Requirements for B.S.E./M.A. Applied Behavior Analysis

All of the requirements of an education major apply to students in the B.S.E./M.A. Applied Behavior Analysis program.  Additional important specificity is detailed in the Elementary and Special Education (B.S.E.)/Applied Behavior Analysis (M.A.) entry in this Catalogue.

Transfer Student Details and Requirements

Internal and external transfer candidates interested in transferring into a B.S.E. Education-related major must meet with an academic adviser from the Department for a transcript review to determine applicability of completed coursework to current requirements.  Prospective students with a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher may register for entry-level education courses.  To formally matriculate in the program, however, and register for upper-level courses and clinical experiences must earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. 

Note: Prospective transfer students (with the University and external) interested in any dual degree option must adhere to specific entrance requirements outlined in each program's Catalogue entry.

Senior Clinical Practice

Undergraduate candidates in the Department who are matriculated in the College, and others seeking certification, must pass the applicable Praxis exam(s) ahead of starting the required Clinical Practice sequence.  The culminating Clinical Practice is two semesters in length; the first semester is two (2) full days and the next semester is full-time, meaning the candidate is in their school placement for the entire semester from the start of the school day until the end, as well as attending meetings and planning lessons with the cooperating teacher.  Both semesters of Clinical Practice include observation and evaluation by a University supervisor, and a non-refundable placement fee is required prior to the start of the first Clinical Practice semester.

Requirements

The Department's culminating Clinical Practice experience is two semesters long or one full year with a tenured cooperating teacher who has been pre-approved by the College's Office of Fieldwork and Certification. Clinical Practice consists of a scaffolded sequence of in-depth observation, planning, and teaching of all subjects or class periods, parent-teacher meeting, professional development workshops, and other relevant school experiences.

Applicants are required to enroll in the Department's Clinical Practice Seminar course during the full-time teaching semester.  Completion of a state approved performance assessment is both a program requirement for Senior Seminar and a licensure requirement.  Candidates are assessed on their full Clinical Practice year by a University supervisor and cooperating teacher.  To qualify for completion of the degree and nomination for certification, candidates must earn a passing score on both the clinical evaluation tool and the performance assessment.

Transfer candidates must complete a minimum of 24 credits at the University, and pass the applicable Praxis exam(s), before they may apply for senior Clinical Practice.

Candidates are responsible for their own transportation to/from the clinical experiences/practice.  Candidates with any concerns should contact the College's Office of Fieldwork and Certification and/or Office of Student Success.

Application Procedure

Applicants must secure an official application from the College's Office of Fieldwork and Certification. The application procedure includes a comprehensive review of the candidate’s academic record and clinical experiences. Completed applications are due nine months prior to the first semester of Clinical Practice.

Before placement in clinical practice, teacher candidates must have met the following criteria:

1. A minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0;
2. Completion of all required Professional Sequence courses at the time of application with a grade of 'C' or higher;
3. Successful completion of all required field experiences;
4. Passing scores on all required Praxis II exams or state- mandated scores on standardized tests before your application will be considered for Clinical Practice I;
5. Approval and recommendation by advisor along with an approved complete application in compliance with all Department policies for pre- placement requirements;
6. Submission of a current resume;
7. Three month’s prior to clinical experience provide documentation of a current, negative result on a Mantoux test;
8. Additional requirements of cooperating school districts may include: a physician’s certificate indicating freedom from any infirmity that would make the applicant unfit for teaching; and
9. Fingerprinting, background check, substitute certification, other documentation or training; or in-person or telephone interview.

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

Certificate

Course Descriptions

Note: 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