Education Studies

Why Minor in Education Studies at Allegheny College

Prepare for a rewarding future as an educator through an innovative program that emphasizes deep knowledge in a major field complemented by a minor in Education Studies and in-the-field experiences. You’ll expand your pathways — and potential — by learning from political, historical, cultural, and psychological perspectives.

Unusual Combinations
Students often combine Education Studies with:

International Studies History Environmental Science and Sustainability English

Division

Interdisciplinary Studies

Program Type

Minor

Number of Credits

24 for minor

Where Education Studies Alumni Work Today

Senior Fellow

Brookings Institution
Andre Perry ’93

District Superintendent

Deer Lakes School District
Janell Logue-Belden (Link) ’90

SPED Teacher

Olney Aspira Virtual Charter School
Anacelia Gomez ’15

The Education Studies minor has not only allowed me to explore my interest in the field of education to the fullest extent, but it has also given me the unique opportunity to find passions outside of the discipline. The minor recognizes how multifaceted the field is and gives students the freedom to both discuss and reflect upon their own educational experiences.

Shoshana Robbins Alumna

Your Four-Year Journey

Education Studies Overview

Year One: Understanding

You’ll begin with our interdisciplinary Introduction to Education Studies, the foundational course for the minor that explores education philosophy, teaching methods, and the history and politics of our current educational systems. You can also begin exploring electives to prepare you for your teaching career, such as Environmental Education, Elementary School Mathematics, or Teaching English Language Learners.

Featured Courses:

Year 2: New Approaches

The second year allows further exploration of electives, such as Educational Psychology or Foundations of Special Education. Choose courses that speak to you as an educator!

Featured courses:

Year 3: Delving Deeper

In your third year, you’ll move into upper-level seminar courses focused on specific topics to prepare you to teach or use your education backgrounds in an increasingly diverse world. Topics include Multicultural Education, Children’s Literature, Education Tests and Measures, and Education Methods and Design.

Featured Courses

Year 4: The Comp

As you reach the completion of your Education Studies minor, you will take our Internship Seminar, through which you’ll spend four to five hours a week in local schools for the entire school year. You will be placed according to their own interests (so if you’re planning to teach Spanish you would be placed with a local Spanish teacher). This experience will truly give you a taste of their own future!

Featured Courses

View All Courses for Education Studies Minor

Graduate School Partners

Allegheny students interested in pursuing a career in education can earn PA Teacher Certification and a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree or an MEd degree through one of Allegheny’s partner institutions.

Under each program, students complete four years at Allegheny with a major and a minor in academic disciplines and then complete their teacher preparation at the graduate level in a streamlined program at one of the partner institutions. Applicants to the programs must maintain a 3.0 overall grade point average and meet the admission requirements of each graduate school.

Students who are interested in these programs should contact the Director of Pre-Professional Studies in the Maytum Center for Student Success early in their academic careers in order to coordinate their Allegheny coursework with the partner institutions’ requirements.

University of Pittsburgh

Through an exclusive agreement with the University of Pittsburgh School of Education, Allegheny College offers students the opportunity to earn a Master of Arts in Teaching and to obtain Pennsylvania teaching certification.

Allegheny students choose to apply to the Pitt-MAT program during their junior or senior year. Guaranteed admission requires:

completion of specific disciplinary coursework.
attainment of a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0.

Admitted students begin the Pitt-MAT Program during the summer immediately following graduation from Allegheny College. Students undertake education coursework throughout the summer. For the duration of the next academic year, students intern with mentor teachers in Pittsburgh area school districts while taking education courses in the evenings. Students complete the Pitt-MAT Program in 13 calendar months, and typically have secured positions in schools by the end of this time.

Xavier University

Allegheny students are given special consideration for graduate school admission at Xavier University. Xavier will guarantee admission of up to five qualified Allegheny students each year who apply to its master of education (MEd) program. Allegheny is the only college in Pennsylvania to have such a partnership with Xavier.

Research and Internships

Allegheny Education Studies Students Turn Ideas Into Lessons

We’ll prepare you to become future teachers with a broad, diverse education and in-depth learning in a core subject area. You’ll be able to explore education in the classroom and through real-world experiences.

Our education studies students expand their knowledge through student internships, community engagement, study away, and more.

Experiential Learning

As an education studies student at Allegheny, you’ll have plenty of opportunities for work study and student employment, including:

America Reads Tutors, ne-to-one and small group tutoring at local elementary schools
Creating Landscapes for Families Program, individualized homework help
Creek Connections, natural science education through hands-on field experiences
E=MC2, enrichment program for local elementary school students with focus on STEM and cultural geography
MAMs Academic Mentor, mentoring program for Meadville Area Middle School 7th and 8th graders
Operation READ Tutors, an after-school program to support literacy skills for students in grades 3-5

For-Credit Opportunities

Gifted and Talented Enrichment Program: Work with the Gifted and Talented Program to provide on-campus learning opportunities for local middle and high school students.

Modern Language Program: You’ll be matched with elementary school teachers and classes who wish to add a language component to their curriculum. Students prepare and teach foreign language lessons during the school day and earn 2 credits per semester.

Study Away Opportunities

Allegheny offers sponsored study-away programs in more than 15 countries across the world.

Learn More

EDUC 542 Internship in Education and Seminar

EDUC 542 is a semester-long internship seminar that provides hands-on classroom experience to Allegheny students in local schools. Teachers, administrators, school counselors, and/or other staff will supervise and provide learning opportunities. Interns also meet once a week with an Allegheny professor to discuss practical and theoretical issues connected to their internship experiences.

Faculty and Staff

Jennifer Franz

Assistant Professor

Program Coordinator – Education Studies

M.A., Hunter College; B.S., Edinboro University

Email: jfranz@allegheny.edu

Phone: 814-332-6270

Cheryl Leech

Instructor

M.A., University of Pittsburgh; B.S., Allegheny College

Email: cleech@allegheny.edu

Phone: 814-332-2839

Education Studies Directory All Employees

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Choose Education Studies at Allegheny?

The Education Studies minor is designed to:

Provide opportunities for students to explore different domestic and international educational models and philosophies;
Encourage students to formulate their own educational philosophy and reflect on the connections between content knowledge and pedagogical approaches;
Teach students how individual learners develop and help students understand the impact of individual learning differences;
Expose students to issues of privilege, power and difference and their intersection with issues of education;
Help students become aware of how learners are affected by environmental factors;
Expose students to the ways different academic disciplines approach issues of education;
Make students aware of codes of ethical conduct and professional organizations that advocate for learners and on behalf of educational policy and practice;
Provide coursework and fieldwork opportunities necessary for those students wishing to meet teacher preparation or graduate school requirements.

Are there any clubs and activities available for Education Studies students?

Yes, there are multiple campus organizations that can benefit students in the Education Studies minor, such as Youth Service Corps and the Youth Sports Mentoring Program. Explore all Allegheny College clubs and organizations.

Education Studies

Why Minor in Education Studies at Allegheny College