New Program for Elementary Teachers Approved
The faculty of Union University at their February 4 th meeting unanimously approved a new program of preparation for
students at Union preparing to be teachers of young children! The School of Education, nationally accredited by NCATE
and nationally honored as a Model of Excellence for moral and ethical dimensions in its learning community, after studying
dozens of programs and considering policy pressures on public education and trends nationally and internationally,
submitted the program proposal to the Union faculty. Union’s Teacher Education Program conceptual framework of
“a teacher-student dynamic of sensitivity, reflection, and faith” along with the School of Education’s mission to
prepare educators of character and competence who reflect Christ as they serve and lead in their schools and communities
have provided a framework within which to create a new preparation paradigm. LEARN MORE
The faculty of Union University at their February 4 th meeting unanimously approved a new program of preparation for students at Union preparing to be teachers of young children! The School of Education, nationally accredited by NCATE and nationally honored as a Model of Excellence for moral and ethical dimensions in its learning community, after studying dozens of programs and considering policy pressures on public education and trends nationally and internationally, submitted the program proposal to the Union faculty. Union’s Teacher Education Program conceptual framework of “a teacher-student dynamic of sensitivity, reflection, and faith” along with the School of Education’s mission to prepare educators of character and competence who reflect Christ as they serve and lead in their schools and communities have provided a framework within which to create a new preparation paradigm. LEARN MORE
The mission of the School of Education is to prepare educators of character and competence who reflect Christ as they serve and lead in their schools and communities. The School is NCATE-accredited and has been nationally honored for its excellence in moral and ethical dimensions of learning.
The School of Education with the approval of the Tennessee State Department of Education offers three undergraduate majors with licensure in six areas for Union University students seeking a license to teach in the public schools. The majors include: Learning Foundations, Liberal Studies, and Special Education.
The Learning Foundations major offers the choice of licensure in Early Childhood Education (PreK-grade 4) or Elementary Education (Grades K-8) for teaching typically developing students. The Liberal Studies major offers licensure in Middle Grades 5-8 with built-in emphases in Natural and Social Sciences upon which the student may build further or select an additional emphasis in Language Arts or Math. The Special Education major prepares students to teach special needs youth in the areas of Early Childhood Special Education (Birth-Grade 1), Modified Special Education (K-12), and Comprehensive Special Education (K-12).
Completion of the major, together with the general education core and a professional education minor, comprise the academic course requirements for a teaching degree at Union University.
The School of Education also offers four graduate degrees on its two campuses of Jackson and Germantown: the M.Ed., M.A.Ed., Ed.S., and the Ed.D. The Master of Education (M.Ed.) is an innovative professional development degree program for licensed teachers in the field of teaching and learning. The Master of Arts in Education (M.A.Ed.) offers the flexibility of several concentrations of study for graduate students who want initial licensure to teach, who want to add on a teaching license to their existing one, and for those educators who want a thesis-track master’s degree. The Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree program in Educational Leadership requires a master’s degree as a prerequisite and offers areas of concentration in administration/supervision and curriculum/supervision. The highest degree offered in the field of education is the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.). Union University offers the doctorate in Educational Leadership in two specializations: School Administration (P-12) and Higher Education. The School Admininstration degree has two areas of concentration options: Administration/Supervision and Curriculum/Supervision.
