About the College
Kimberly A. Lawless, Dean, College of Education
The Penn State College of Education offers you unique experiences that can be found only here. As a student, you get a solid foundation from your courses. But that’s not all. You are surrounded by a support system of faculty members, advisers, and more who will help you succeed. You can be involved in multiple educational experiences on and off campus, from across the street to across the globe. You’ll discover new cultures and innovative ideas while at Penn State. Soon enough, those new ideas will be coming from you. It is going to be an invaluable chapter in your life.
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COLLEGE
Mission and Goals
The mission of the College of Education at Penn State is to deepen and extend knowledge about the formation and utilization of human capabilities. This broad and exciting mission permits us to focus on teaching and learning in many different content areas and with learners of many different ages, ranging from early childhood to adults. Our interest in the utilization of human capabilities connects us with many fields such as rehabilitation and human services and workforce education and development.
Accreditation
The College of Education educator preparation programs are fully accredited at the Initial and Advanced levels by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The next CAEP program review will be Fall 2026. CAEP advances excellence in educator preparation through evidence-based accreditation that assures quality and supports continuous improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning.
Departments and Schools
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
The Department of Curriculum and Instruction (CI) at Penn State offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and many options for teacher certification. There is a growing demand for graduates of teacher education programs. This department offers professional programs leading to certification in early childhood (PK-4), middle-level education (grades 4-8), and in a variety of discipline areas leading to certification at the secondary-school level.
Department of Education Policy Studies
The Education and Public Policy program gives undergraduates a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities in education today. A robust community of students have access to online programs wherever they happen to reside, guided by the same faculty and the same curriculum as in-person students find at University Park.
Department of Education Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education
The EPCSE programs aim to help you prepare to work as school counselors, clinical mental health counselors, school psychologists, and special education educators as well as faculty in higher education institutions.