Goals

In order to achieve the mission of the College of Education & Health Professions, the faculty is committed to the following goals:

• Encouragement of ethical practice
• Meaningful faculty-student interactions
• Promotion of learning as a life-long process
• Achievement of student and faculty academic excellence
• Appreciation of student diversity and a multicultural society
• Support of a practical foundation through extensive field experiences
• Creation of an educational environment that supports critical thinking
• Innovative instruction and an understanding of the use of technology in learning

Initial undergraduate preparation of prospective elementary teachers is provided through the Bachelor of Science in Education. Graduate preparation of teachers, professional certification programs and preparation for specialized service in education are provided through the Master of Education degree programs. Initial preparation for prospective secondary teachers is available through courses supplementing Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees from the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences and the College of Natural & Applied Science and the Bachelor of Business Administration in the College of Business. Appropriate certification sequences are also available for persons who have earned degrees in academic fields offered in the public school curriculum. Although there is a growing emphasis on laboratory and clinical approaches and on directed field experiences, an appropriate balance between professional and academic emphasis is sought in all programs.

One of the prime objectives of the college is to acquaint its students with various cultural subgroups that characterize the college’s area of influence. The prospective student should consequently anticipate the opportunity to work with learners in a wide variety of educational settings.

The Texas A&M University-Victoria educator preparation program is accredited by the Texas Education Agency. Information about program participants and finishers is reported annually to the Texas Education Agency and can be viewed on-line at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/.