Department of Education and Teacher Preparation

Mission

The Department of Education and Teacher Preparation prepares knowledgeable, reflective, and ethical educators who inspire learning and serve diverse communities. Rooted in the liberal arts and the Dominican tradition of the search for truth, the department equips future teachers with the content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and professional dispositions needed to foster student success and lifelong learning.

About the Department

The Department of Education and Teacher Preparation prepares undergraduate students for careers as educators through state-approved teacher preparation programs leading to eligibility for Connecticut initial educator certification. Combining rigorous academic study, clinical experiences, and faculty mentorship, students develop the knowledge, instructional skills, and professional judgment needed to create engaging, inclusive, and effective learning environments.

Through coursework, field experiences, and student teaching, candidates integrate educational theory with classroom practice while demonstrating a commitment to equity, collaboration, and continuous professional growth. Graduates are prepared to meet Connecticut's educator standards and to make meaningful contributions to schools and communities.

Programs

The department offers the following academic programs in the traditional undergraduate program only:

Undergraduate Initial Teacher Preparation Program

Teacher preparation is available in the following Connecticut endorsement areas:

• Art, PK-12 (042)
• Biology, 4-12 (030)
• Business, 4-12 (010)
• Chemistry, 4-12 (031)
• English, 4-12 (015)
• General Science, 4-12 (034)
• History & Social Studies, 4-12 (026)
• Mathematics, 4-12 (029)
• Spanish, 4-12 (023)

Minors 

• Education 

Accreditation & Program Approval

Albertus Magnus College is approved by the Connecticut Office of Higher Education, approved by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), and accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) to offer undergraduate educator preparation programs leading to eligibility for Connecticut initial educator certification.

Experiential Learning

Clinical practice is embedded throughout the educator preparation program. Students participate in progressively structured field experiences, classroom observations, and student teaching under the guidance of experienced mentor teachers and faculty supervisors. These experiences provide opportunities to apply instructional strategies, assess student learning, develop classroom management skills, and demonstrate readiness for professional practice in diverse educational settings.

Department Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of a program in the department, students will:

• Demonstrate their subject-specific content knowledge and general and subject-specific teaching skills.
• Demonstrate their readiness to assume responsibilities as classroom teachers in their chosen subject areas.
• Demonstrate dispositions expected of those entering the teaching profession.
• Demonstrate growth in understanding of national and state standards, and of the application of their program of studies to effective teaching practices.
• Demonstrate their progression towards meeting the Connecticut Common Core of Teaching Standards and the national program standards of their discipline, thus providing evidence of their readiness to assume responsibilities as classroom teachers.