ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT

The Department offers studies in two distinct fields: education and child development. Education programs lead toward teaching credentials. (California law does not permit students to major in education.) An undergraduate minor in elementary education and a program leading to a master's degree are also offered in education. Child development offers an undergraduate major and minor, leading toward a variety of careers in working with children.


EDUCATION Program

Teacher education programs at Whittier College are grounded in a set of guiding principles. Among others, these include commitments to: (1) developing a social constructivist approach toward learning and teaching; (2) valuing diversity and supporting all students' learning; (3) establishing a just, inclusive learning community in and beyond the classroom; (4) nurturing both collaborative and independent inquiry and learning; and (5) growing professionally by continually refl ecting on one's practice and pursuing other opportunities for learning.

Whittier College is fully accredited by the California Board of Education and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing to offer programs leading toward both the Multiple Subject (elementary) Teaching Credential and the Single Subject (secondary) Teaching Credential—both of which enable students to make substantial progress toward their teaching credentials as undergraduates, taking prerequisites during the freshman and sophomore years and required teacher preparation courses during their junior and senior years. Students can then complete their remaining credential requirements as graduate students.

Because California law does not permit majoring in education, credential candidates must also complete departmental or interdisciplinary majors; among the appropriate majors for Multiple Subject (elementary) credential candidates are biology, child development, English, history, mathematics, and psychology.

Students should be aware that advancement to Credential Candidate Status and student teaching require a 2.8 minimum GPA in the last 60 graded units of course work, as well as a 3.0 minimum GPA, with no grade less than B-, in the professional-preparation courses listed as requirements on the next few pages.

The information and requirements listed above are not exhaustive. Additional, important information on all education programs and certification requirements is available in the Department of Education and Child Development, as is essential information on admission to and advancement in teaching-credential programs. Undergraduate students should obtain this information—and begin meeting with an education advisor—as soon as they become interested in elementary or secondary teaching. Early advisement is critical to successfully planning a teacher education program.


CHILD DEVELOPMENT program

The child development program offers an undergraduate major and minor, leading toward a variety of careers working with children and families. Graduates with a major in this field often pursue an advanced degree in such related disciplines as psychology, social work, marriage and family counseling, law, optometry, and public policy. However, many choose to remain at Whittier to attend either the master of arts in education or teacher credentialing programs.