OVERVIEW
Carson-Newman education graduates are highly sought after because of our strong reputation for developing excellent teachers, counselors and administrators called to lifelong leadership, learning and service. During your time at C-N, you’ll be part of a department with a distinctive sense of camaraderie and shared purpose. Faculty are not only outstanding academicians but also talented teachers with extensive experience in K–12 settings.
In line with the mission of the university to prepare educated citizens and servant leaders, the School of Education & Counseling seeks to develop caring and professionally competent teachers, counselors, administrators, and other professionals, who feel called to lifelong commitments to leadership, learning, and service.
For individuals who do not wish to earn a teaching license, all areas are also available in degree programs without licensure. In addition, our department offers a Human Exceptionalities major, which can be customized to meet prerequisites for admission to graduate programs in Occupational Therapy (OT) or Speech and Language Pathology (SLP).
DID YOU KNOW?
At C-N, we believe there are few endeavors more important than helping to educate, nurture, and influence students, and our graduates have embraced this belief by serving as leaders at the state and local levels. In addition, many C-N graduates have been recognized for their performance in the public schools. Of particular note are recipients of the Tennessee Teacher of the Year Award– Byron Booker (2012), Derek Voiles (2017), and Brian McLaughlin (2019).
Facilities for the Education Department offer a curriculum lab, a children’s literature collection and a convenient computer lab. Our classrooms also include interactive white boards.
Accreditation
Carson-Newman is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), and its teacher licensure programs are approved by the Tennessee State Board of Education. Satisfactory completion of the Teacher Education Program with an approved subject area fulfills Tennessee licensure requirements, and the TN license is easily convertible to other states. Anyone desiring licensure in other states should check the licensure requirements of those particular states.
access to faculty
Members of the faculty in the Education department bring a wide range of practical experience and professional interests to their classrooms at Carson-Newman. Who better to train teachers than professors who possess not only the latest theoretical knowledge in the field, but academicians who also have honed skills in the classroom? All of our professors have solid teaching experience in the kindergarten through grade 12 levels.
Faculty members in the Education Department know it takes hands-on, one-on-one instruction to train an outstanding teacher and they are committed to individual attention. Our professors are recognized within the Carson-Newman community as enthusiastic, caring, and accessible to their students, for whom they serve as strong role models in the teaching profession.
The sense of family, camaraderie, and shared purpose among students and faculty members in the department is exceptional. In addition to regular meetings, students are warmly encouraged to visit their professors and advisors at any time if they have questions or problems. Other support services include advising and counseling, as well as direct and intensive supervision of each practicum and the student teaching semester. The faculty directory contains contact and degree information for our instructors.
If you are interested in becoming a teacher, the courses, student teaching opportunities, and related experiences available to you at Carson-Newman University will provide a strong foundation as you prepare to enter the teaching profession. Sharing your knowledge, talents, and values with the next generation of students eager to learn from you is one of the special joys of becoming a teacher.
Scholarships
Education Department Scholarships are due by February 15th each year. Apply for the scholarship for which you qualify. Only qualified applications will be reviewed. Print, complete, and submit your application in hard copy to the Education Department Administrative Assistant. Only applications received by 4:30pm on *February 15th will be considered.
*If February 15th falls on a weekend, applications will be due by 4:30pm on the Friday before (either Feb. 13th or Feb. 14th).
~ Awarded to a graduate student seeking an initial teaching license, who exhibits a Christian commitment to teaching.
John Henry and Elizabeth Cates Scholarship
~Awarded to an undergraduate senior seeking initial licensure in Elementary Education, whose cumulative GPA is at least 3.0, and who exhibits good moral character.
~Awarded to an undergraduate in a teacher licensure program whose cumulative GPA is at least 3.0, who has a demonstrated need for financial aid, who has leadership ability, and who has a pleasing personality with love and respect for the young child.