Early Childhood Center
Ohio Wesleyan's Early Childhood Center is a community preschool for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children, offering you a living laboratory in early childhood education.
Education Majors
OWU offers a variety of majors in the education field to help you prepare for a career in the specific area you love, from early childhood through high school. Our program combines a rich education in the liberal arts with a solid base in educational theory and practical experience.
About the Majors
- Adolescence to Young Adult (leads to an Adolescence to Young Adult License in English, History, Science or Mathematics, Grades 7-12)
You can combine a major in Education with a major in English, History, Integrated Science, or Mathematics to prepare you for certification in grades seven to twelve in, respectively, language arts, social studies, science, or mathematics. - Educational Studies The Educational Studies major at OWU is the only education major that does not lead to a teaching license. Rather, students who pursue this major seek to be in an education-related field or have an interest in educational studies, but may not have a desire to teach in a traditional school setting.
- Elementary Education (leads to a Primary License, Grades PreK-5)
OWU's teacher preparation program in Elementary Education is committed to helping you become a knowledgeable, caring, competent professional who is dedicated to nurturing the intellectual, social, and aesthetic growth of children. Your knowledge will be deepened by many opportunities to work directly with children in a wide variety of field and student teaching experiences. - Inclusive Elementary Education (leads to a Primary License, Grades PreK-5, and an Intervention Specialist License, Grades PreK-5)
The dual licensure program in Inclusive Elementary Education is committed to helping prospective teachers become knowledgeable, competent, caring professionals who are dedicated to nurturing the intellectual, social, and aesthetic growth of children in both traditional and inclusive PreK-5 classroom settings. - Integrated Science for Teachers (leads to an Integrated Science License, Grades 7-12)
Increasingly, school districts need science teachers who are highly qualified to teach across the science curriculum. Students who complete OWU's Integrated Science major will be eligible to earn Adolescent to Young Adult (AYA) Integrated Science Licensure, qualifying them to teach a broad range of science subjects in grades 7 through 12. When you major in Integrated Science for Teachers, you complete classes in life sciences (biology, microbiology, zoology); chemistry; geology and geography; physics and astronomy; and mathematics – along with your education and general course requirements. - Middle Childhood (leads to a Middle Childhood License, Grades 4-9)
This program develops the intellectual, personal, and professional competencies, skills, and dispositions necessary to teach students in grades 4-9 by requiring preservice teachers to successfully complete general liberal arts courses and professional education courses. To provide flexibility and further enhance the teacher's grasp of the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge, two areas of concentration are required. Areas of concentration may be chosen from language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies. - Multi-Age (leads to a Multi-Age License in Fine Arts, Foreign Language, or Theatre License, Grades PreK-12)
Combine a major in MA Education with a major in Fine Arts, Spanish, French, or Theatre to prepare you for certification in PreK to grade 12 in that subject. - Special Education (leads to an Intervention Specialist License, Grades PreK-12)
Special education teachers can make a real difference in the lives of their students, and they must have commitment, compassion, focus, and exceptional organizational skills. OWU's major in special education allows you to earn a Multi-Age (grades PreK-12) Intervention Specialist teaching license.
Minors & License Programs
- Educational Studies: The Educational Studies Minor is a non-license option. This minor is for those students who want to learn more about education, child development, and/or the teaching profession, but do not want to work towards a teaching license.
- Multi-Age - Music: You can combine a minor in Multi-Age (PreK-12) License with a major in Music, to prepare you for certification in prekindergarten to grade 12 in the subject area.
- Post-Baccalaureate Program for Teacher Licensure: If you already have an undergraduate degree, you may earn a teaching license by taking courses full time in one of OWU's undergraduate teacher licensure programs. It typically takes four or five semesters to complete the requirements, including a semester of student teaching.
Think Big
OWU's teacher preparation program is founded in the liberal arts and strengthened by OWU Connection opportunities that give you the broad-based knowledge, global skills, and real-world experience that will help you tackle important challenges.
Education majors have opportunities to work closely with faculty from across the university on research and independent study projects.
Go Global
From your first year on campus, you can get off campus—with Travel-Learning Courses. Journey to a distant land and immerse yourself in another culture. Learn how classroom theory truly connects with real-world experience.
Education majors may also pursue Theory-to-Practice Grants, which fund research in real-world settings.
Exploring Costa Rica
Early Childhood Education majors Ali Phillips '16 (left) and Whitney Weadock '16 received a Connection Grant to attend the Association of Childhood Education International Global Summit on Childhood in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Studying Finnish Education
Kelly Maier '14 and Emma Goetz '15 visited Sippo and Helsinki, Finland, to study the nation's renowned education system.
Get Real
From your first education course, you will gain field experience. You will complete more than 50 hours working in diverse settings before your student teaching.
On campus, OWU students also work with young children at the Early Childhood Center, a community preschool for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children, and a laboratory in early childhood education.
Highlights
Education Fellows Program
Ohio Wesleyan's unique Education Fellows Program is open to exceptional first–year students with a stated interest in teaching at the pre-kindergarten to high school level.
Accreditation
OWU's teacher education program is approved by the Ohio Department of Education, and it has achieved national accreditation through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Programs (CAEP). The University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.
Student Awards
At the end of each academic year the Education Department recognizes two students as "outstanding teacher education students with the potential to make a substantial contribution to the profession of teaching." The students receive a cash prize, a certificate from the department, and their names are recorded on a plaque hung in the department office.
Graduate Outcomes
Haley Jacobson '18
Haley, an Early Childhood Education major, is a kindergarten teacher at Center Elementary with Mayfield City Schools, near Cleveland.
Headlines
G'Day World
Ohio Wesleyan Student, Future Teacher Spends Semester in Australia
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Opportunity in Abundance
Ohio Wesleyan Junior Spends Fall Semester Studying in Czech Republic, Denmark
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A Look at Education
Art Time— Education major Whitney Weadock ‘16 helps students in the art studio at A Good Start make self-portraits from cut paper.
Art Time
Education major Whitney Weadock ‘16 helps students in the art studio at A Good Start make self-portraits from cut paper.
Make the Connection in Costa Rica— Education majors Ali Phillips and Whitney Weadock received an OWU Connection grant to attend an educators conference in Costa Rica.
Make the Connection in Costa Rica
Education majors Ali Phillips and Whitney Weadock received an OWU Connection grant to attend an educators conference in Costa Rica.
Having a Ball— Sarah Watt ’18 and Kayla Schaufhausen ’17 attended the 2017 Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children Annual Conference.
Having a Ball
Sarah Watt ’18 and Kayla Schaufhausen ’17 attended the 2017 Ohio Association for the Education of Young Children Annual Conference.
OWU Middle Childhood License Program— Meet faculty, students, and graduates of OWU's Middle Childhood Teacher Preparation Program.
OWU Middle Childhood License Program
Meet faculty, students, and graduates of OWU's Middle Childhood Teacher Preparation Program.
Harambee— Professor Glenn-Applegate is a guest reader in the morning for harambee, a time to come together.
Harambee
Professor Glenn-Applegate is a guest reader in the morning for harambee, a time to come together.
Exploring Science— In the Early Childhood Center.
Exploring Science
In the Early Childhood Center.
One-to-One Teaching— Education graduate Kim Turner teaches the students one-to one-correspondence with a board game.
One-to-One Teaching
Education graduate Kim Turner teaches the students one-to one-correspondence with a board game.
In the Swing of It— Ali Phillips ’16 helps the children at big body time work on large motor development.
In the Swing of It
Ali Phillips ’16 helps the children at big body time work on large motor development.
“He's exactly who you want teaching young middle school people.”— Dr. Paula White talks about Nick Horton '18, a middle childhood education major and member of the OWU cross country team.
“He's exactly who you want teaching young middle school people.”
Dr. Paula White talks about Nick Horton '18, a middle childhood education major and member of the OWU cross country team.
Early Childhood Center— Mackenzie Brunke '19 talks about her experience working in the Early Childhood Center and playing on the women's soccer team.
Early Childhood Center
Mackenzie Brunke '19 talks about her experience working in the Early Childhood Center and playing on the women's soccer team.
E Day— Ali Phillips ‘16 reads the story of Elmer the elephant on E day to share about our differences.
E Day
Ali Phillips ‘16 reads the story of Elmer the elephant on E day to share about our differences.
A Good Start— Education student Ali Phillips '16 sits on the rug for the morning meeting at A Good Start.
A Good Start
Education student Ali Phillips '16 sits on the rug for the morning meeting at A Good Start.
Department Contact Info
Location
Phillips Hall 214
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH 43015
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH 43015
Department Contact
Chair: Sarah Kaka
Ralph & Ella Schaaf Rodefer Associate Professor in the Department of Education
Phillips Hall 214 | 740-368-3563 | sjkaka@owu.edu
Academic Assistant: Christina Muirhead-Gould
Phillips Hall 052A | 740-368-3802 | csmuirheadgould@owu.edu
Ralph & Ella Schaaf Rodefer Associate Professor in the Department of Education
Phillips Hall 214 | 740-368-3563 | sjkaka@owu.edu
Academic Assistant: Christina Muirhead-Gould
Phillips Hall 052A | 740-368-3802 | csmuirheadgould@owu.edu