Department of
Teacher Education and Higher Education
Undergraduate Programs
The Department of Teacher Education and Higher Education offers two undergraduate licensure programs: Elementary Education and Middle Grades Education. These programs adhere to the conceptual framework developed for all licensure programs.
Conceptual Framework:
The mission of professional education at UNCG is to prepare and support the professional development of caring, collaborative, and competent educators who work in diverse settings. This mission is carried out in an environment that nurtures the active engagement of all participants, values individual and cultural diversity and recognizes the importance of a strong knowledge base, reflection, and integration of theory and practice. UNCG’s professional education programs are guided by shared commitments to:
- equity and excellence in teaching, research, and service
- integrity and ethical deliberation in working with students, their families, and university, school and community colleagues
- construction of a professional knowledge base through collaboration and collegiality
- dissemination of professional knowledge, skills and dispositions through the preparation and continuing professional development of teachers, principals and other school personnel
We believe that caring, collaborative and competent professionals possess a strong knowledge base comprised of five types of knowledge:
- content knowledge
- professional knowledge and skills
- pedagogical content knowledge
- socio-cultural knowledge
- critical and reflective knowledge and skills
Professional education programs at UNCG emphasize dispositions that drive application of the knowledge base and we believe that we must model and monitor these dispositions as conscientiously as we provide opportunities for building the knowledge base. Candidates should display behaviors that are:
- reflective
- ethical
- self-efficacious
- receptive to feedback
- inclusive
- engaged in and committed to professional practice
- dedicated to life-long learning
- affirming of diversity
- professionally responsible
- collaborative