A Well-Rounded Education
At Muhlenberg, teacher education is grounded in the philosophy of the liberal arts. We believe the teaching is about more than test scores; it is about educating the whole child; for this reason, students experience a well-rounded education grounded in a variety of disciplines including history, psychology, mathematics, geography, and theatre and dance, among many others. Likewise, our department members come from diverse fields of study and have close working relationships with professors from departments across the College.
Tailored Program of Study
Unlike many larger programs, Muhlenberg’s Education Program is tailored to the individual needs and interests of each student. Students are advised by program faculty (not general academic advisors). We meet with advisees at least once each semester, get to know our students well, track their academic progress, and facilitate their personal and professional growth.
Each student’s program is unique; students can combine their education coursework with a combination of major(s) or minor(s) and can include independent studies and opportunities to conduct educational research with Department faculty. Because of this individualized planning, students have the flexibility to participate in many co-curricular activities, such as varsity athletics, Greek life, study abroad, community engagement, and religious life.
Rigorous Preparation
The Education program is designed to prepare students for the challenges of teaching in our contemporary society. As such, courses are rigorous, theoretically rich, and grounded in practical skill development. All coursework after the introductory class requires fieldwork in a public school setting. Successful students recognize the importance of being well prepared to enter the classroom as a first-year teacher. One alum said it this way,
The program is challenging but will give you a competitive edge when going to look for a job. The Muhlenberg name is highly recognizable and respected, and you will enter the profession well prepared and confident.
Exceptional Outcomes
Muhlenberg Alum who participated in the Education Program consistently praise the preparation they received. They regularly report that, as first-year teachers, they felt more confident and prepared than their peers. In a recent survey, two alumni said the following about the program,
The Muhlenberg Education Department holds its students and student teachers accountable to a degree that I haven’t seen in other teacher prep programs. From our entry into the program until our last day of student teaching, we knew that nothing short of complete professionalism would be accepted. This is such a powerful lesson, because every day matters in teaching.
When I was an assistant principal, I recruited teachers from Muhlenberg College for a reason – these students are more prepared than most first-year teachers I hired/mentored – especially in literacy education.
In addition to a strong preparation to enter the classroom, students are well prepared to pursue graduate education both at the masters and doctoral levels, oftentimes earning merit-based scholarships and fellowships for graduate study. Recent alumni have attended prestigious graduate schools, including the University of Pennsylvania, NYU, University of Pittsburgh, Teachers College (Columbia University), Michigan State, and Stanford.
