The SOE Graduate Studies Program provides advanced degree programs of excellence focused on the comprehensive development of highly qualified, high performing educators of noble character. It prepares candidates to work in the field of education with elementary, secondary, as well as adult learners.

The unit takes a candidate-centered, developmental approach where learning strengths and prior knowledge are honored and serve as the foundation for the building of program specific candidate proficiencies. These proficiencies represent critical content knowledge, application of skills using technology and varied resources, and display dispositions that promote the success of all students. Ethnic, social, cognitive, and cultural diversity within learning communities are supported and transfers theoretical principles of social justice into educational practices.

With respect to the recent legislative mandates of the U.S. Dept. of Education’s No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004, and other federal reform issues such as Response to Intervention (RtI) and Race to the Top, faculty model research-based responsive pedagogy and provide continuous, formative and explicit feedback to candidates so that learning potential is maximized.