School of Education
Bachelor of Arts in Education
Spark curiosity. Teach with compassion. Embrace every opportunity to thrive in your career.
Program Details
- Official Degree Name
- Bachelor of Arts
- Format
-
In Class-Day
Blended
- Credit Hours
- 120
- Program Start
- Fall Semester
- Application Deadline
- Apply Anytime
- Average Time to Degree
- 4 Years
Advantages of Studying at DeSales University
Teaching in today’s world is more demanding than ever. An education degree from DeSales can make a huge difference. Master the skills you need to achieve your highest potential and change lives. Immersive fieldwork, dynamic classes, and a supportive network of faculty will help you become a successful educator.
Choose from early childhood elementary education, secondary education and special education. Prepare for Pennsylvania Teacher certification and even get dual-certified in areas like STEM education, theatre or elementary and special education.
Program Highlights
Multiple Pathways to Success
- Tailor your education degree to the kind of teaching career you want. With several concentrations, certificates and dual-certification paths to choose from, you can make your degree work for you. Become the educator you’ve always dreamed of, knowing that when you graduate, you’ll have options.
Leadership and Character Development
- Learn what it takes to make an impact in your teaching career. Join a global network of education professionals in Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society in Education, through DeSales' Alpha Alpha Chi chapter. Tutor children at local elementary schools. Study abroad to learn about different education systems. Become a trailblazer in the classroom!
Professional Development Opportunities
- Your successful teaching career starts with exceptional student teaching and field experiences. DeSales has an outstanding reputation for placing education students. Through our network of respected schools, principals, and teachers, you'll get the opportunity to work with some of the finest educators in the region.
What Will You Study?
In the classroom, you’ll learn how to engage, support and guide students from experienced teachers. A minimum of 170 hours of clinical field experiences are required prior to student teaching per the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
At DeSales, you'll do more than learn the latest teaching methods; you’ll discover how to apply them effectively. Through fieldwork and student teaching, you’ll gain the experience and confidence to chart a successful teaching career path.
Our core courses include:
- The Educative Process
- Family, School, and Community
- Designing Instruction
- Infant and Youth Development
- Introduction to Exceptionality
- Cognition and Learning
Meet the Faculty
Program Options & Certifications
Swipe below to discover more!
Degree & Certification Options
Learn MoreBachelor’s
Early Childhood Education, Elementary PreK-4
Make a difference in the lives of young students as an early education or elementary school teacher. We’ll give you the tools you need to help set children up for a successful social, academic, artistic, and spiritual future.
Required Courses Include:
Bachelor’s
Special Education, Grades PreK-12
The DeSales Special Education PreK-12 program prepares you to meet the needs of students with exceptionalities in the modern classroom. As a graduate, you'll be certified in Special Education PreK-12. The special education degree will make you qualified to teach in multiple settings, including Early Childhood, Elementary, Middle, and Secondary classrooms.
Required Courses Include:
Bachelor’s / Dual Certification
Early Childhood Elementary (PreK-4) and Special Education (PreK-12)
This dual-certification program prepares students to teach in Elementary Education, PreK-4 and Special Education PreK-12 settings, increasing your impact, career options, and marketability.
Required Courses Include:
Secondary 4+1 Program
Learn MoreCertification
Secondary Grades (7-12)
With our 4+1 Program, you can pursue Pennsylvania Teacher certification for grades 7-12 in:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- English
- History
- Mathematics
- Social Science
- Spanish
Courses You May Take Include:
Education Studies Minor
Learn MoreMinor
Education Studies
Learn skills required to be an excellent educator — and apply them to any career path. Whether you wish to be a better mentor, counselor, manager or instructor, an education minor is an asset. Learn to become a well-rounded leader and to work successfully with diverse populations.
Required Courses:
Outcomes & Careers
Amid the teacher shortage in the United States, our graduates are ready to fill in-demand jobs. As top education candidates, DeSales graduates find employment in the education field with ease. Our education graduates are highly sought after and accept positions in public, private, charter, and parochial schools in Pennsylvania and other states. Upon completion of the program, DeSales graduates will demonstrate:
- Content mastery across disciplines
- Effective, creative, reflective, technology-enhanced, and data-driven pedagogy
- Professionalism in personal, collegial and institutional settings
- Respect for the uniqueness and diverse perspectives of all learners, families, and communities
- Leadership in advocating for students and supporting their highest achievement in local and global contexts
Admission Requirements
- Application Fee: None
- Transcripts: Official High School Transcript
- Standardized Tests: Test-optional, however, an Admissions Interview may be requested
- Recommendations: Completed Guidance Counselor Form and Teacher Recommendation Form
- See FAQs for additional requirements
Additional Requirements
If pursing the Pennsylvania teacher certification track, a recommendation for certification will be offered upon successful completion of the program and certification requirements. Additionally, candidates wishing to pursue a dual certification will need to maintain a 3.0 GPA and gain acceptance into their desired track so that they may begin graduate studies in the second semester of their junior year it the education program.
Program Support
Program FAQs
We encourage you to apply to the education program early in your senior year. We use a rolling admissions system, which means you will be notified promptly about your admissions status—usually within four weeks of our receipt of your completed application.
Priority deadline for scholarship consideration is December 1 of your senior year.
Students certified in our PreK-4 program can easily add 5th and 6th grades by passing the state-approved add-on test. The good news is that 100% of DeSales students who have taken the additional test have passed! This testing option is a fast-track for students interested in working with middle-grade students.
Our events calendar houses all our academic calendar. Simply use the Academic Calendar and Semester filters to see important upcoming dates.
Recent News
School of Education Secures Special Education Grant
A new grant will help the School of Education attract new teachers in the field of special education.
Read More