Professor Analúcia Dias Schliemann,
Chair; Cognitive development, mathematics education, culture and learning
Professor Kathleen Weiler, Foundations of education, gender and education
Visiting Professor Judah Schwartz,
Science and mathematics education
Assistant Professor Bárbara M. Brizuela, Cognitive development,
mathematics education
Assistant Professor Hee-Sun Lee, Science education
Assistant Professor Steven Luz-Alterman, School psychology
Assistant Professor Sabina Elena Vaught, Urban Education
Assistant Professor/Director Caroline Wandle, School psychology
Lecturer/Director Linda Beardsley, Teacher education and school
partnerships
Lecturer/Director Patricia Bode, Art education
Lecturer Steve Cohen, History and Political Science/Political Philosophy
education
Lecturer Roberto Irizarry, School psychology
Lecturer Marion Reynolds, Elementary education, children’s literature
Lecturer Martha Trudeau Tucker, English education, middle and
secondary education
Research Professor Eric J. Chaisson, Director, Wright Center for
Science Education
Research Professor Ronald K. Thornton, Director, Center for Science
and Mathematics Teaching
Part-time faculty:
Lecturer Susan Barahal,
Art
education
Lecturer Teresa Davis,
School psychology
Lecturer John Edmonds, Science education
Lecturer Winfried Feneberg, School psychology
Lecturer Diana Finer, School psychology
Lecturer Lynn Heroux, School psychology
Lecturer Desiree Ivey, Director of teacher training, Shady Hill;
Middle school education
Lecturer Luke Jorgenson, Improvisation, children’s theatre, drama in
education
Lecturer Nancy Kassabian, Foreign language education
Lecturer Louis Kruger, School psychology
Lecturer Linda Mizell, History of education, social justice and
education
Lecturer Saskia Stoessel, Coordinator of German language courses
The Department of Education offers courses in educational theory, practice, and research. Courses explore how students of all ages learn in different content areas, examine the institutions that serve children and youth, and study the cultural, historical, and philosophical influences that shape educational theory and effective professional service. Course offerings are complemented with opportunities for students to observe and work in a variety of educational settings as teachers, school psychologists, museum educators, curriculum developers and researchers. Opportunities to participate in curriculum development and research are provided by faculty in the department and by the H. Dudley Wright Center for Innovative Science Education, the Center for Science and Mathematical Teaching, and the Center for Engineering Educational Outreach. Through applied experiences, an essential part of the programs in education, students learn to integrate theory and research into their practice.
The department does not have an undergraduate major, but offers a number of courses for undergraduate students interested in exploring the field of education. The department offers undergraduate licensure in only two programs: art education and elementary education.
The department’s graduate programs prepare candidates for Massachusetts Department of Education licensure as elementary school teachers and as middle and high school teachers of English, political science/political philosophy, history, mathematics, general science, earth science, biology, chemistry, physics, French, Spanish, German, Japanese, Latin and the classical humanities, and visual art. The department also offers a graduate-degree program in preparation for state licensure and national certification as school psychologists. These licenses for teaching and school psychology are recognized by the majority of states.
The M.A. in educational studies
provides an opportunity for graduate students to pursue an individual course of
study. The M.A. in museum education prepares students for careers in museum
settings. The M.S. and Ph.D. programs in mathematics, science, technology, and
engineering education prepare students for careers in higher education and
research institutions through the development of original research about
teaching and learning in these areas.
Department Facilities and Affiliated Programs
Curriculum Resource Center
The Curriculum Resource Center provides
students with information and hands-on experience with state-of-the-art curricula,
technological tools, and other educational materials.
Educator Licensure
The Department of Education offers students in our professional licensure
programs the opportunity to apply for initial licensure as teachers and school
psychologists in Massachusetts. Students who complete these programs must take
the appropriate Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure and submit their applications to the
Tufts' institutional representative for licensure.
Placement Service
Students interested in teaching and related positions should become acquainted with the
departmental placement service, which offers a variety of services and information on
the process of finding employment in the field of education.
Center for Science and Mathematics Teaching
The center is an associated facility of the department located in the Science and
Technology Center at 4 Colby Street on the Medford campus. The center is involved in
evaluating and developing new methods and materials for the teaching of science and
mathematics, particularly in the area of microcomputer-based instruction. Research
Professor Ronald Thornton is the director of the center. For more information on the
center's activities, call 617-627-2825 or visit http://ase.tufts.edu/csmt/.
H. Dudley Wright Center for Innovative Science Education
The purpose of the Wright Center is to identify and develop innovations in science and
mathematics education, to provide fellowships to Tufts for talented high school mathematics
and science teachers, and to train high school teachers in the use of creative teaching
techniques in science and mathematics education. Graduate students are encouraged to
participate in the colloquia, research, and professional activities of the center, located
at 4 Colby Street. Research Professor Eric Chaisson is the director of the center. For
more information, call 617-627-5394 or visit http://www.tufts.edu/as/wright_center.
Undergraduate Program
Undergraduates at Tufts can explore the broad field of education through many
courses. These include Education 1, 11, 99, 130, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 182,
186, and 187. Various opportunities are available for working as interns in
educational settings, including schools, libraries, museums, and government and
community centers.
Undergraduates who wish to complete the educator licensure programs in art education or elementary education must begin taking the required courses by the spring semester of their sophomore year. They should seek advice from their advisor before enrolling in specific courses.
For more information on the program call the Department of Education at 617-627-3244 or visit our Web site, http://ase.tufts.edu/education.
Graduate Programs
The
department offers the following programs leading to the degrees of Master of
Arts (M.A.), Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.), Master of Science (M.S.),
Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (C.A.G.S.), and Doctor of Philosophy
(Ph.D.). Degree programs may be completed on a part- or full-time basis. To
accommodate employed teachers who must conduct advanced work on a part-time
basis, a considerable portion of the department's graduate instruction is
offered during late afternoon, evening, and summer sessions.
Admission Requirements
All applicants must provide three
letters of recommendation. At least two of the letters should be from the
applicant's former college professors. For M.A.T. candidates, these two letters
should be from college or university professors representing the subject area in
which the candidate seeks licensure. GRE general test scores are required of all
applicants except Tufts current undergraduates and art education candidates. Art
education applicants must submit a portfolio to the School of the Museum of Fine
Arts. Applicants seeking licensure as teachers of French, German, Spanish, or
other languages must also submit a writing sample in the language of
specialization, and must also complete an interview in that language. School
psychology candidates must have completed course work in personality or
developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and statistics and should have
experience in a human services setting or with children and adolescents in other
settings. Ph.D. applicants must submit, besides a personal statement, a
pre-proposal for the research they would like to develop towards their
dissertation.
Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure
Students who plan to teach in
Massachusetts must pass the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL)
that is required for the area in which they wish to be licensed. Students who
wish to be licensed as school psychologists in Massachusetts must pass the
communication and literacy portion of the MTEL. Tufts degree candidates who took
the MTEL in 2004-2005 demonstrated an aggregate pass rate of 94% on the
communication literacy reading and writing tests and a 93% pass rate in the
academic content areas. Complete testing information has been submitted
and validated by the Title II program. During the fall semester, information
sessions are scheduled to help students know what to expect on these tests.
Written materials and study guides are provided. Tutoring or additional
preparation sessions are offered as needed through consultation with the
student’s advisor.
Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) Degree
Offered to students seeking teacher licensure, the
department's state-approved M.A.T. degree program prepares candidates to teach
in academic fields at the elementary, middle, and secondary school levels. At
the completion of their program, students may apply for initial licensure in
Massachusetts. Students interested in urban education may participate in the
Fenway Pilot High School/Boston Arts Academy Program. This collaborative program
focuses on preparing teachers to work in innovative urban high schools.
Successful applicants work as interns in either of the two sites throughout the
entire school year.
Master of Arts (M.A.) in German with Teaching Licensure
Tufts University offers a Master of Arts
degree in German with initial teaching licensure. It requires two academic years
plus one summer and is offered in conjunction with the Department of German,
Russian, and Asian Languages and Literatures. Students take six credits in
German (four of the six credits may be taken in Tübingen, Germany), two credits
in the methods and practices of teaching foreign language (Education/German 114
and 124), and six credits in education--including a one-semester teaching
practicum. For details, students should contact Professor Bernhard Martin,
faculty advisors in the Department of German, Russian, and Asian Languages and
Literatures.
Master of Arts (M.A.) Degree/C.A.G.S. in School Psychology
This
three-year program offers advanced course work integrated with a specific
sequence of field-based training and supervision in core competency areas of
assessment, consultation, counseling, and intervention. Students are exposed to
a broad spectrum of assessment and intervention techniques from various
theoretical perspectives and are challenged to develop their own perspectives
and models of assessment and intervention. Assessment and intervention
strategies are anchored in a developmental perspective that stresses the social,
intellectual, and emotional growth of the individual from childhood through the
early adult years. A core feature of the program is the emphasis on scientific
problem solving as the main model for approaching, understanding, and proposing
solutions to problems in educational settings. Students in this program complete
a minimum of a 150-hour pre-practicum during the first year and a 600-hour
practicum in school psychology during the second year. During the third year,
students complete a 1,200-hour advanced internship, 600 hours of which must be
in a school setting, which is accompanied by a supervision seminar. Attendance
during the summer between the first and second years is required. The three-year
program of study culminating in the M.A. degree/C.A.G.S. leads to initial
licensure as a school psychologist and eligibility for national certification.
M.A.T. Degree and M.A. Degree in Art Education
Offered in affiliation with the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, this
program leads to licensure as a teacher of visual art for grades pre-K to 8, or
5 to 12.
Master of Arts (M.A.) Degree: Educational Studies
This individualized program allows students to explore
a variety of areas in education. Graduates of the program have found careers in
such settings as independent schools, educational research groups, nonprofit
organizations, and curriculum development; others have entered doctoral programs
upon completion of this degree. Possible fields of study include urban
education; gender studies in education; science, mathematics, and engineering
education; and cognitive, cultural, and social analysis of learning.
Master of Arts (M.A.) Degree: Museum Education
A program for candidates interested in careers as
education directors or education coordinators in museum settings. This program
prepares students for work in museums in a variety of areas.
Master of Arts (M.A.) Degree: Tufts/Shady Hill Cooperative Program
In
this program, participants work and study as apprentices at the Shady Hill
School in Cambridge throughout the entire school year. Shady Hill apprentices
are eligible to apply for Massachusetts licensure for grades 5 to 8. Apprentices
who wish to be licensed for grades 8 through 12 must complete at least 150 hours
of additional student teaching.
Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics, Science,
Technology, and Engineering Education (M.S.T.E. Education)
The
graduate program in MSTE Education at Tufts grants M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in
three areas: mathematics education, science education, and engineering
education. At the M.S. level, students are prepared to work in research,
curriculum development, and teacher development in school districts, research
institutions, and other educational settings. The Ph.D. in MSTE Education
prepares researchers and educators who will contribute to MSTE Education through
research and university teaching. The program involves the collaboration of
faculty from Tufts University Departments of Education, Child Development,
Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and
Physics and Astronomy, and the Center for Engineering Educational Outreach, the
Center for Science and Mathematics Teaching, and the Dudley Wright Center for
Innovative Science Education. Participants in the program are committed to
theoretically sound research in MSTE Education that is directly relevant to the
practice of education and aim at the effective promotion of diversity and equity
in MSTE Education.
For more detailed information, please visit the website
http://ase.tufts.edu/education/home.html.
To view Course Descriptions, please go to: http://webcenter.studentservices.tufts.edu/courses/main.asp.