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Education (BA)

Signature Courses
Foundations of Education
Learning Theories

The A Bachelor’s degree in Education Department at Prescott College prepares students to
teach in a variety of formal and non-formal settings from public schools to environmental
education camps, to adventure education classrooms, to alternative schools. In all Prescott
College programs, undergraduate students have the option of creating their own student-
directed competence, with the assistance of their faculty adviser and graduation committee.
These competences can be in one area of study, or could bridge multiple fields. Education
students can weave together their education coursework with classes from Cultural and
Regional Studies, Environmental Studies, the arts, or Psychology to craft their own
emphasis areas.

"The Prescott College Education Department combines innovatory, accessible, quality curriculum with talented, experienced and knowledgeable faculty to provide our students with superior training to meet the contemporary needs of students with a high degree of skill, professionalism and expertise." - Centáe Richards, Ph.D., Associate Dean Education and Professional Preparation 

Education uses a variety of department outcomes that align with the INTASC and ISTE
standards.

 

Education uses a variety of department outcomes that align with the INTASC and ISTE standards. 

 

General Requirements

  • Minimum of 120 total credits
  • Minimum of 60 credits in the Competence
  • Minimum of 30 credits in an area-specific breadth or Liberal Arts Breadth
  • Minimum of 36 credits of Upper Division coursework 
  • Requisite coursework for competence and breadth based on a degree plan
  • Documented college-wide learning outcomes through all course work (doing so creates the general education requirement)
  • Orientation (On-Campus Undergraduates: Wilderness or Community-Based)
    Writing Certification I, II and III (Research Paper for Online Undergraduates)
    Core Curriculum (On-Campus Undergraduates: CC1, 2, 3 and 4; Online Undergraduates: PASS1, PASS2, and Core Seminar)
  • Math Certification
  • Approved Degree Plan
  • Completed Senior Project
     

Further information for Credits within the competence

  • 60 credits in the Competence
    • 30 of which are Upper Division (for double competence, each competence has 45 credits, 24 are Upper Division)
  • Required courses (do not count towards course credit in distribution areas):
    • Foundations of Education
    • Curriculum Design, Assessment & Evaluation
    • Working in Schools: Orientation
  • Distribution areas for intended departmental outcomes
    • Minimum of two courses* in Education Fundamentals
    • Minimum of three courses* in Education Methodology
    • Minimum of one course* in Instructional Design & Practice
    • Minimum of one course* in Education & Society
  • Senior Project
  • Additional Education or related interdisciplinary courses
    * = number of courses refers to full course equivalents (either 4 PC credits, or 3 transfer credits)
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Prescott College BA in Education Degree
Emergency Rescue Webinar For Parents: Episode 3 "Assessment"
Emergency Rescue Webinar For Parents: Episode 1
Emergency Rescue Webinar For Parents: Episode 2 "Lesson Planning and Fidelity"
Prescott College BA in Education Degree
Emergency Rescue Webinar For Parents: Episode 3 "Assessment"
Certification

The Division of Professional Preparation Programs within the Education Department at Prescott College prepares students to teach in a variety education specialties.  In all Prescott College professional preparation programs, undergraduate students are eligible to receive Institutional Recommendation for Teaching Certification with the Arizona Department of Education upon graduation and successful completion of certification requirements. 

Admittance Requirements for Professional Preparation Programs - The Division of Professional Preparation Programs requires a formal admission process.  All students interested in teacher certification must meet the following requirements:
Successful completion of 36 credits of general coursework (upper or lower-division)
Completion of the following courses:
EDU 47001 Foundations of Education (3 credits)
EDU 47050 Working in Schools:  Orientation (1 credit)
A one-page synopsis teaching philosophy synopsis
Completed application for admission to the Division of Professional Preparation Programs

Students seeking admission into one of the Professional Preparation Programs should apply no later than the semester before intending to register for certification coursework. 

Teaching Certification Breadth

Students outside of Education can pursue the required coursework leading to teaching certification in Elementary Education, Secondary Education or Special Education.  Please consult the Education Department for details at education@prescott.ed

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTIFICATION BACHELOR DEGREES

  • 60 credits
  • Required courses in the competence 
  • Foundations of Education
  • Curriculum Design, Assessment & Evaluation
  • Working in Schools: Orientation
  • Student Teaching (12 weeks)

The Education Faculty at Prescott College offers courses of study culminating in the Bachelor of Arts, Post Baccalaureate Certificate, or Master of Education in Mild/Moderate Special Education (K-12).  The Mild/Moderate Special Education course of study at Prescott College is an Arizona Department of Education approved teacher certification program. Candidates who successfully complete the program are eligible to receive the Prescott College Institutional Recommendation and can apply for Arizona teaching credentials in Mild/Moderate Special Education (K12). Arizona is a member of the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC). For participating states and reciprocity rules for Arizona and other participating states and territories, please see: https://www.nasdtec.net/page/Interstate

The Early Childhood Education program at Prescott College is the only online program integrating nature- and place-based early learning into all courses. Students can look forward to an experience like no other! In addition to being prepared in areas such as family-school relationships, curriculum design, and inclusive classroom management, students will also gain valuable knowledge and skills in activating the power of nature to support children’s learning and development as they approach early care and education with a lens of the child as a competent individual and curious co-creator of their own learning.

Students who complete this program can look forward to an advanced career working in public or private childcare, preschool, and pre-kindergarten settings. Professionals certified in Early Childhood Education are additionally qualified to teach Kindergarten through third grade classes in public elementary schools. Early childhood education is a fast-growing field gaining national recognition as a key element in building an equitable and prosperous future for all.

The Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education (120 credits) consists of 60 lower-division and  60 upper-division semester credits.  The program is designed to cultivate the knowledge and skills required for educators of infants and very young children (birth to age 8).   Successful completion of degree requirements leads to an Institutional Recommendation for Arizona Teacher Certification in Early Childhood Education.

In addition to the 60 credits of lower-division coursework and general College graduation requirements, the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education is comprised of upper-division coursework totaling 36 credits. 
 

Credit Breakdown for Graduation  
    60 Lower Division Coursework & General Graduation Requirements  
    36 Credits Upper Division (Certification Course Hours)   
    24 Credits Competence Electives   
120 Total Credits
 

Sample Courses

  • Nature & Place-Based Methods Integration: Math and Science S.T.E.M. (4)
  • Positive Child Guidance (3)
  • Early Childhood Education Practicum (4)

The Bachelor of Arts in Education with Environmental Education emphasis consists of 120-semester credits and a minimum of 40 upper-division credits. The program is designed to cultivate the knowledge and skills required for educators in environmental education programs. This program does not lead to an Institutional Recommendation for certified practice within K-12 schools.

 

Credit Breakdown for Graduation

  
    60 Lower Division Coursework & General Graduation Requirements  
    40 Credits Upper Division (Certification Course Hours)   
    20 Credits Competence Electives   
120 Total Credits
 

 

Sample Courses

  • Advanced Special Education Methods (4)
  • Foundations of Language & Literacy (3)
  • Special Education Classroom Management (3)

The Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education (120 credits) consists of 60 lower-division and  a minimum of 36 upper-division semester credits. The program is designed to cultivate the knowledge and skills required upper-division semester credits for educators of young children (grades K-8).   Successful completion of degree requirements leads to an Institutional Recommendation for Arizona Teacher Certification in Elementary Education.

In addition to the 60 credits of lower-division coursework and general College graduation requirements, the Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education is comprised of upper-division coursework totaling 36 credits. 

Credit Breakdown for Graduation  
    60 Credits Lower Division Courses  
    36 Credits Upper Division (Certification Course Hours)   
    24 Credits Competence Electives   
120 Total Credits
 

Sample Courses

  • Curriculum Design, Assessment & Evaluation  (4)
  • Arts & Place-Based Methods Integration: Language Arts & Social Studies (4)
  • Creating & Managing Learning. Communities (3)

 

 

The Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education (120 credits) consists of 60 lower-division and  a minimum of 36 upper-division semester credits. The program is designed to cultivate the knowledge and skills required for educators of teen-age adolescents (grades 6th-12).  

Successful completion of degree requirements leads to an Institutional Recommendation for Arizona Teacher Certification in Secondary Education.

In addition to the 60 credits of lower-division coursework and College graduation requirements, the Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education is comprised of the following upper-division coursework and competence electives.

Credit Breakdown for Graduation  
    60 Credits Lower Division Courses  
    36 Credits Upper Division (Certification Course Hours)   
    24 Credits Competence Electives   
120 Total Credits
 

Sample Courses

  • Secondary Reading Methods (3) 
  • Adolescent Psychology (4)
  • Secondary Content Methods (4)

The Education Faculty at Prescott College offers courses of study culminating in the Bachelor of Arts, Post Baccalaureate Certificate, or Master of Education in Mild/Moderate Special Education (K-12).  The Mild/Moderate Special Education course of study at Prescott College is an Arizona Department of Education approved teacher certification program. Candidates who successfully complete the program are eligible to receive the Prescott College Institutional Recommendation and can apply for Arizona teaching credentials in Mild/Moderate Special Education (K12). Arizona is a member of the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC). For participating states and reciprocity rules for Arizona and other participating states and territories, please see: https://www.nasdtec.net/page/Interstate

Education students who complete the special education program at Prescott College can look forward to a challenging and fulfilling professional career as a highly qualified certified classroom teacher, resource specialist or intervention specialist. Professionals certified in mild/moderate special education work with children, adolescents and young adults ages 6 to 21 with mild or moderate exceptionalities, including learning, physical and mental disabilities. Special Educators perform a multitude of professional tasks outside of teaching, such as managing a student caseload, supervising education assistants or writing a student Individual Education Plan. Special Education teachers are excellent collaborators, skilled advocators, and think clearly in potentially stressful situations. 

Certified Special education teachers are employed in public, private, elementary and secondary schools. They are highly trained to execute the academic curriculum at the pace of each student and assists with developing basic life skills so that exceptional students can maximize and enjoy rich, independent lives beyond the classroom. 

The Bachelor of Arts in Special Education (120 credits) consists of 60 lower-division and  a minimum of 39 upper-division semester credits. The program is designed to cultivate the knowledge and skills required for educators of exceptional students (grades K-12).   Successful completion of degree requirements leads to an Institutional Recommendation for Arizona Teacher Certification in Special Education.
 

Credit Breakdown for Graduation  
    60 Credits Lower Division Courses  
    39 Credits Upper Division (Certification Course Hours)   
    21 Credits Competence Electives   
120 Total Credits
 

Prescott College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

The College offers State-accredited online professional preparation programs in teacher education for both undergraduate and graduate students, in the areas of School Counseling, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Special Education, Early Childhood Special Education, and Integrated Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education.  

We partner with national and internationally recognized education associations which inform our work, such as the Council for Exceptional Education (CEC), the International Society for Technology Education (ISTE), the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL) and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment & Support Consortium (InTASC).

Classified Educator Route

Students who are interested in the realm of education who seek to shape and inform issues of environmental justice, social justice, and global systems of education will find freedom to customize their learning in this non-certification bachelor’s degree program. 

Specializations in:

  • Environmental Education
  • Social Justice Education
  • Student Self-Directed

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Minimum of 120 total credits
  • Minimum of 60 credits in the Competence
  • Minimum of 30 credits in an area-specific breadth or Liberal Arts Breadth
  • Minimum of 36 credits of Upper Division coursework 
  • Requisite coursework for competence and breadth based on a degree plan
  • Documented college-wide learning outcomes through all course work (doing so creates the general education requirement)
  • (On-Campus Undergraduates: Wilderness or Community-Based)
  • Writing Certification I, II and III (Research Paper for Online Undergraduates)
  • Core Curriculum (On-Campus Undergraduates: CC1, 2, 3 and 4; Online Undergraduates: PASS1, PASS2, and Core Seminar)
  • Math Certification
  • Approved Degree Plan
  • Completed Senior Project

All students are invited to follow the suggested requirements for existing accredited degrees (listed below), with or without emphasis areas.  Specific requirements for such degrees are found in departmental advising documents;

  • BA in Adventure Education
  • BA in Arts and Humanities
  • BFA in Interdisciplinary Arts and Letters
  • BA in Cultural and Regional Studies
  • BA in Education
  • BA in Environmental Studies
  • BS in Environmental Studies
  • BA in Human Development and Psychology
  • BA in Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Self-Directed Competences

 

Students pursuing this emphasis explore both the theory and practice of EE, intertwined with empirical understandings from numerous observations, field experiences, and practicum
opportunities. The Environmental Education emphasis is highly interdisciplinary and also complementary as a breadth to students studying Education, Environmental Studies, Adventure
Education, Social Justice, Sustainability, Human Development, Arts and Letters, Ecopsychology, and more.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
(requirements listed above plus these requirements fulfill the competence and emphasis)

  • Ecological Literacy: ENV :Concepts of Ecology
  • One course in the Natural Sciences (see suggested list in Ecological Literacy above)
  • One course in Environmental Concepts ( suggested list in Ecological Literacy above) Fundamentals : EDU :Sense of Place and Place - Based Education Theory
  • EDU :Fundamentals of Environmental Education
  • Methodology: EDU :Environmental Education Methods
  • Instructional Practice: EDU :Curriculum Design in Experiential Education
  • Education & Society: EDU :Advanced Topics in Environmental Ed;
  • EDU :Culture, Power & Societal Change

Students interested in the Social Justice Education emphasis explore the democratic and liberatory power of social justice in the education system, both inside and outside of the classroom as an educational process. Students gain awareness of how economic, social, cultural, and political power shapes human relations, the way we see and understand the world, and the power of education to mitigate social problems in education.

SOCIAL JUSTICE EDUCATION ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
(requirements listed above plus these requirements fulfill the competence and emphasis)

  • Fundamentals: EDU41056: Critical Consciousness: Theory & Pedagogy
  • Instructional Design: Pedagogy of Multicultural Education & Social Justice
  • Education
  • Methodology: One critical methods course such as: Visual Ethnography in
  • Education
  • Practicum course such as: Education Service Learning
  • Three courses in Culture and Society (see suggestions above)

Whereas students work closely with their advisors, they are also invited to develop their own competence title housed appropriately within any Prescott College academic department.  This opportunity is well suited for ambitious students who choose to work in independent and interdisciplinary ways.  Self-designed competences often draw upon transfer credits, domestic and international exchange opportunities, as well as self-designed mentored study courses.  Self-Designed competencies may not be named Elementary Education, Secondary Education,  Special Education, Early Childhood Education, Early Childhood Special Education, School Counseling, Educational Leadership, Social Justice Education, or Environmental Education.

Our Faculty
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Sarah Foglesong

Instruction|Associate Faculty / Administrator, Center for Nature & Place

sarah.foglesong@prescott.edu

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Ron Hennings

Instruction|Associate Faculty / Coordinator, Educational Leadership

rhennings@prescott.edu

All Faculty