We believe that a strong foundation in the liberal arts is critical to the preparation of excellent teachers.

The Department offers two majors  in Education: Bachelors of Arts in Education and Bachelors of Science in Education (BSEd.). The BSEd. is for students seeking a Texas Teaching Certificate. 

Education courses  are designed to provide both a philosophical and theoretical basis for teaching and other education careers. We expose Education students to teaching methodology that is based on the latest research and emphasize developmental characteristics of the learner, learning theories, diverse learners, and assessment. Our professors  teach and model analytic, creative and evaluative thinking skills in order to develop lifelong learners who are skilled in the problem solving necessary for the modern classroom. Strong, early field experiences and a closely supervised student teaching  placement are integral components of the program.

After graduation, during the critical first year of teaching, the Education Department provides assistance through the Semester of Support (S.O.S.)  program. Graduates return to campus to exchange ideas, receive technical assistance from the Department faculty, and engage in evaluation of the Teacher Certification Program . S.O.S. also provides on-site technical support to graduates during their first year of teaching.

Although Education Degrees are awarded by Southwestern University, certification is awarded by the State of Texas. In completing the requirements for their respective degree programs, students must meet the requirements necessary for Texas teacher certification as well as the requirements of Southwestern. 

Students seeking elementary/middle school certification major in Education and choose either Elementary (EC-grade 6) or Middle (grade 4-grade 8) level teacher certification. All EC-grade 6 students receive dual certification in core subjects and special education. Students who major in Education and who are seeking the 4-8 certification must choose a content area from the following: language arts, math, science, math/science combination or social studies. 

Students seeking secondary or all-level certification typically major in Education and in addition must complete at least 24 credit hours of study in a subject field such as history, English, mathematics, etc. Secondary certification students frequently opt to go for a double major or second degree in their content field. The exception to this is that Music Education students must major in Music Education rather than Education. Specific information on courses required for elementary, middle, secondary and all-level certification programs is listed in the following pages.

Completing the Bachelor of Science in Education may require an extra semester of work. In fall of the senior year, placement in a field-based program will require students to return to Georgetown prior to the beginning of public school, which precedes the start of Southwestern University classes.

The capstone experience for Education majors consists of successful completion of the student teaching requirements.