College of Education and Human Development

Patricia Shoemaker, Dean
Peters Hall A121, (540) 831-5439

Fran Steigerwald, Associate Dean and Director, Field Experience Program
Peters Hall A114, (540) 831-6311

Donna Dunn, Coordinator Center for Academic Advising and Student Support
Peters Hall A104, (540) 831-5424

The College of Education and Human Development offers programs to prepare students for areas of specialization that include teaching; elementary, middle, and secondary schools; special education; health and human performance; nutrition and dietetics; and recreation, parks, and tourism. Students may select from a wide range of program options at both the undergraduate and graduate-levels. Many of these options lead to professional licensure or certification. Faculty and staff emphasize holistic, student-centered teaching grounded in the realities of the professions. The college is recognized for outreach and collaboration in the service of healthy individuals and communities.

The College of Education and Human Development includes the following units:

Appalachian Studies
(Appalachian Studies Minor)

Counseling and Human Development
(Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling - graduate program)

Health and Human Performance
(Athletic Training, Fitness/Strength/ and Conditioning, Health Education/Health Promotion, Health/Physical Education- Teaching, Nutrition and Dietetics, Sport Administration, Sports Medicine)

Recreation, Parks and Tourism
(Recreation Therapy, Outdoor Recreation and Leadership, and Tourism and Special Events)

School of Teacher Education and Leadership
(Elementary Education, Middle Education, Secondary Education, Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood Special Education, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education and Special Education General Curriculum/Adapted Curriculum; at the graduate level, Special Education Visual Impairment, and Special Education Adapted Curriculum)

Academic Advising

The College of Education and Human Development recognizes the importance of academic advising and encourages all students to meet with their academic advisors at least twice each semester. Each student has ultimate responsibility for meeting the requirements of his or her academic program. Academic advising goes beyond the selection of courses for registration. It provides students with an opportunity to talk about concerns such as building a strong program leading to a promising career, employment opportunities, expectations of prospective employers such as grade point average or extracurricular activities and financial opportunities. Both faculty advisors and the Advising Center staff are committed to assisting students in: exploring educational and career options; clarifying university and departmental requirements; selecting appropriate courses; evaluating academic progress; and obtaining referral information for academic and student support services.

The Center for Academic Advising and Student Support assists faculty advisors by offering general and technical advising to any student in the college. Center personnel are available to clarify policies and procedures as well as help students find answers to their academic questions. It is the student’s responsibility to verify that all graduation requirements are met as specified in his or her selected program. Students are expected to contact their advisors to schedule advising appointments. Additional information can be found on the Center’s webpage at https://eduweb.education.radford.edu/advising_office/.

Academic Advising (a definition developed through a collaborative effort by the College’s Advising, Recruitment, and Retention Committee and the faculty of the College):

Academic advising is a dynamic relationship, a developmental process through which an advisor (faculty or professional) and advisee (the student) establish a shared partnership leading to the development of academic, career, and life goals by the advisee. The advisor serves as a teacher, guide, and facilitator, encouraging the advisee to assume responsibilities for making decisions, thinking critically, utilizing resources and reaching their potential.

Advisors encourage students to:

Gain a clearer understanding of the experience of higher education;
Approach their education in an organized and meaningful way;
Think critically;
Take responsibility for their education,
Seek out resources;
Develop plans of action towards goal achievement, and;
Evaluate progress toward their goals.

Academic advising is student centered, utilizes the resources of the university including appropriate referral to other services, and promotes a successful academic experience. Academic advising supports the mission of the university, “… First and foremost, the university emphasizes teaching and learning … its commitment to the development of mature, responsible, well-educated citizens… . promotes a sense of caring and of meaningful interaction…”

Teacher Education Program

All programs in professional education preparation at Radford University are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, and the Virginia Department of Education. Information related to admission to and retention in programs and information on the professional studies component of preparation programs is found in the following pages. Additional information specific to the degree or subject area and departmental requirements are found on the following pages in this catalog. Because national and state standards are continually being modified, program requirements are subject to change. Students should stay in contact with advisors and with the Office of Field Experience to keep abreast of possible changes. Programs administered through the College of Education and Human Development:

Interdisciplinary Studies
Elementary Education
Middle School Education
Special Education (Deaf and Hard of Hearing, PreK-12)
Special Education General Curriculum/Adapted Curriculum, (K-12)
Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood Special (PreK-3) Education (Birth-age 5)
Health and Physical Education (K-12)

Programs Administered in Conjunction With Other Colleges

See departmental information for details.

Secondary Education: Biology
(College of Science and Technology )

Secondary Education: Chemistry
(College of Science and Technology )

Secondary Education: Earth Sciences
(College of Science and Technology )

Secondary Education: Physics
(College of Science and Technology )

Secondary Education: English
(College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences )

Secondary Education: Mathematics
(College of Science and Technology )

Secondary Education: Social Studies
(College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences )

K-12 Art Education (College of Visual and Performing Arts )

K-12 Dance Education (College of Visual and Performing Arts )

K-12 Music Education (College of Visual and Performing Arts )

Graduate Programs

See the Radford University Graduate Catalog for details.

Education-Content Area Studies (Math Education), Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Technology
(College of Education and Human Development)

Educational Leadership
(College of Education and Human Development)

Literacy Education (Reading Specialist)
(College of Education and Human Development)

School Counseling
(College of Education and Human Development)

Clinical Mental Health Counseling
(College of Education & Human Development)

School Psychology
(College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences)

Secondary Science/Licensure Option
(College of Education and Human Development)

Special Education – General Curriculum, Adapted Curriculum, Severe Disabilities, Early Childhood Special Education, Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Visual Impairment
(College of Education and Human Development)

Speech-Language Pathology
(Waldron College of Health and Human Services)

Admission Requirements

Criteria for admission to the Teacher Education Program fall into three areas: high academic achievement, proficiency in basic skills, and professional qualities that contribute to success in teaching.

To be eligible to apply, students must meet the following minimal criteria:

Completion of 45 semester hours of course work, except 50 hours is required for secondary education programs.
Completion of the state required child abuse and neglect training (certificate must be attached to admission application).
A minimum 2.50 grade point average (GPA) on all college work, a 2.50 GPA on all work at Radford University and a 2.50 GPA on all work attempted in the major and professional studies, except elementary education, secondary English, social studies, and mathematics and the five-year programs which have different requirements.
- Elementary Education requires:

(1) 3.00 GPA on all college work

(2) Grades of “C” or better in all University Core, College Core, IDSE Core, Concentrations, and Professional Education courses

(3) 3.00 GPA on all work attempted in the major and in professional studies

(4) 3.00 GPA on all work at Radford University

Secondary English, Mathematics and Social Science requires:

(1) 2.75 GPA on all college work

(2) 2.75 GPA on all work at Radford University

(3) 2.75 GPA on all work attempted in the major and in professional studies

o Five-year programs (early childhood education/early childhood special education and special education/general curriculum and adapted curriculum) requires:

(1) 2.50 GPA on all college work

(2) 2.50 GPA on all work at Radford University

(3) 2.50 GPA on all work attempted in the major and in professional studies

(4) must meet additional requirements for admission to the College of Graduate and Professional Studies, such as GPA of 2.75.

Successful completion of
HUMD 300
(if required in specific teacher education program) and
EDEF 320
Not have any “incompletes” on current academic record
Passing scores on Praxis I (or equivalent), on the Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA), and on the Praxis II (content area) assessments are required for full admission.
Demonstrate professional characteristics and dispositions.

For a complete list of “Policies and Procedures for Admission to and Retention in the Teacher Education Program,” go to the Office of Field Experience website at http://www.radford.edu/content/cehd/home/field-experience.html and see Appendix A.

Admission Procedure

Applications for admission to the Teacher Education Program will ONLY be obtained through attendance at a MANDATORY meeting for admission to the Teacher Education Program.

These will be held at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. Students can find announcements about these meetings via their RU email, the bulletin board just outside the Dean’s suite in Peters Hall, in the Center for Academic Advising and Student Support and in the Office of Field Experience. Students must submit the application for admission to the teacher education program one semester prior to first field experience or one year prior to the semester the student plans to enroll in student teaching.

The dates for the deadline for applications will be publicized by the Office of Field Experience. Applications are reviewed by the programs to ensure students meet minimum Field Experience Programs criteria to be eligible for admission. If a student does not meet minimal criteria, he or she is notified by the office and will not be registered for early field experience courses or student teaching.

After the application is submitted, departments conduct a departmental review. The department’s recommendation regarding the student’s admission to the Teacher Education Program is then sent to Office of Field Experience.

Applications and supporting information are reviewed each semester by field experience programs and the associate dean. Each applicant will be notified by Office of Field Experience regarding his or her admission status. If admission is denied, the associate dean will provide reasons for the denial. A student who is denied admission may reapply.

An applicant may appeal denial of admission by letter from the student to the associate dean of the College of Education and Human Development within 10 working days after the date of the letter of notification. The student’s letter requesting an appeal must include or be accompanied by a statement of information supporting the appeal.

Retention Policies

After admission to the Teacher Education Program, a student’s progress is under continued review by the faculty. Retention policies are fully described in Policies and Procedures Governing Admission and Retention in the Teacher Education Program, available online.

Eligibility for Student Teaching

A full semester of student teaching is required of all students in the Teacher Education Program. To be eligible to enroll in student teaching, a student must have:

earned a minimum of 92 hours of credit and met course work prerequisites for student teaching;
successfully completed all departmental prerequisites for student teaching;
- A minimum 2.50 grade point average (GPA) on all college work, a 2.50 GPA on all work at Radford University and a 2.50 GPA on all work attempted in the major and professional studies, except elementary education, secondary English, social studies, and mathematics and the five-year programs which have different requirements.
  - Elementary Education requires:
              (1) 3.00 GPA on all college work

              (2) Grades of “C” or better in all University Core, College Core, IDSE Core, Concentrations, and Professional Education courses

            (3) 3.00 GPA on all work attempted in the major and in professional studies

              (4) 3.00 GPA on all work at Radford University

o   Secondary English, Mathematics and Social Science requires:

              (1) 2.75 GPA on all college work

              (2) 2.75 GPA on all work at Radford University

              (3) 2.75 GPA on all work attempted in the major and in professional studies

o   Five-year programs (early childhood education/early childhood special education and special education/general curriculum and adapted curriculum) requires the following because student teaching is completed as part of the fifth year graduate level program:

(1)   must meet requirements for admission to the Teacher Education Program (including a GPA of 2.75) and

(2)   requirements for admission to the College of Graduate and Professional Studies.
submitted passing scores on the basic proficiency exam required for licensure, the Virginia Communication and Literary Assessment/VCLA, the basic proficiency exam required for admission to the teacher education program (PRAXIS I), and passing scores on the subject exams required for licensure (PRAXIS II); the Virginia Department of Education does not require a Praxis II exam for any program in special education (Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood special Education will take the elementary Praxis II to cover the endorsement in early childhood education for early/primary PreK-3 endorsement)
passing scores on the Reading for Virginia Educators Assessment (RVE) by candidates in the elementary education (PreK-6), early childhood/early childhood special education, and special education /general curriculum and special education/hearing impairments; passing scores on the RVE are required for program completion and recommendation for licensure.
Each student is expected to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions that reflect professional development in the following key areas of performance: content knowledge and content pedagogy knowledge and skills; learner development and learner differences; establishing a climate for learning; planning and instruction; and professional responsibilities and professional characteristics and dispositions.

Licensure, Program Completion, and Graduation Requirements

To fully complete the program and be recommended for licensure, a student must have successfully completed student teaching in an assigned classroom setting and met all other requirements in the Radford University state-approved Teacher Education Program (including passing scores on all required licensure exams), be a citizen of the United States (this is a requirement for licensure only, and may be waived by the Virginia Department of Education), and have earned at least a 2.5 grade point average in professional education courses, in courses comprising the major, and in all work within the degree except for (1) Elementary Education which requires a 3.0 GPA and a grade of “C” or better in all University Core, College Core, IDSE Core, Concentration, and Professional Education courses and (2) Secondary English, Mathematics, and Social Science which requires a 2.75 grade point average in all areas; students in the five-year programs must meet grade point average requirements specific to the individual program.

Each student is responsible for meeting all requirements for graduation and licensure.

By action of the Virginia General Assembly, all candidates completing teacher preparation programs are required to earn passing scores on examinations determined by the Board of Education and must meet other requirements as stated by the Virginia licensure requirements. Applications for graduation and applications for Virginia teacher licensure are distributed through the Center for Academic Advising and Student Support. Completed applications should be turned in at the Center for processing. Application requirements are subject to change based on Virginia Department of Education directives.

For information, contact the Center for Academic Advising and Student Support, Peters Hall A104.

Additional Services

Additional services in the College of Education and Human Development are provided through the following offices:

Center for Academic Advising and Student Support
Donna Dunn
Peters Hall A104, (540) 831-5424

This office supports the mission of the university and college by providing student-centered support through academic advising to students who have questions about curricula, teacher licensure requirements, academic requirements, academic policies and procedures, transfer work and graduation requirements. Students are expected to become familiar with their program requirements in the university catalog, program website, and Advising Center’s website. (See additional information above.)

Office of Field Experience Programs
Linda King, CEHD Clinical Coordinator
Peters Hall A113, (540) 831-5277

This office administers a variety of services which support academic programs within the college and the university. Specifically, the office coordinates the undergraduate and graduate field programs including Early Field Experiences, Pre-Student Teaching, Student Teaching, and Graduate Practica. The office also coordinates special programs, seminars, workshops, and institutes which are developed by the faculty and oversees the unit assessment for Teacher Education Programs.