Message from the Chairperson and Assistant Chairperson

Welcome to the Department of Professional Studies in Education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

IUP was originally known as the Indiana Normal School when it was founded in 1875. In 1920, the name was changed to Indiana State Teachers College, and it was at that time when the institution began granting teaching degrees.

The Department of Professional Studies in Education is proud to continue the tradition of graduating prepared and successful educational professionals in a multitude of occupations, grade levels, and content areas. These occupations include early childhood teachers, elementary teachers, middle-level teachers, business education teachers, family and consumer science teachers, instructional designers, principals, reading specialists, curriculum coordinators, superintendents, and administrators in higher education. Our Human Development and Family Science major prepares graduates for a multitude of different careers and opportunities in a variety of different business and professional sectors that include social services, education, and health fields. Our faculty's experience and research in these areas benefit our students' learning immensely.

PSE offers nationally recognized programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. All educator preparation programs at IUP are accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation.

PSE is committed to providing a high-quality education for all future educators. Our nationally recognized programs adhere to standards set forth by professional associations. We embrace the importance of providing field experiences for our undergraduate preservice teachers in rural, suburban, and urban environments with learners in differing grade levels, depending on the certification being sought. Our commitment to urban education is shown in the Certificate in Urban Education that we offer. We believe it is important that learners of all ages have highly effective teachers, and we strive to make this happen.

The PSE Department is also committed to the effective use of technology in education and offers a minor in educational technology. We are proud of our IUP students and alumni; they are making a difference in the many lives they touch.

Several graduate programs are offered by PSE that include the Master of Education (MEDU), Master of Arts in Education, Training, and Instructional Technology (ETIT), and MEd in Literacy/Reading Specialist (PK-12) Certification program (LTCY).

Graduate students can also earn certification through our Principal Certification Program (PCP) and our Business, Computer, and Information Technology (BCIT) Program.

There are two doctoral programs in PSE that offer a Doctor of Education (DEd) degree: Administration and Leadership Studies (ALS) and Curriculum and Instruction (C&I).

Our ALS cohorts prepare leaders in school districts and administrators in higher education. Public school administrators who meet the guidelines set forth by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and successfully complete the program may apply for the Superintendent's Letter of Eligibility in Pennsylvania. The ALS program meets on the IUP main campus, with a new cohort for P-16 leaders/administrators starting each summer.

The main campus cohort begins in the fall semester of even years, and the online cohort begins in odd years. Doctoral candidates are prepared at various levels to teach in their own classrooms and provide leadership at the building and district levels in public schools or in university leadership positions.

We welcome you to call, email, or visit our department for more information about any of our exciting programs.