Studying Education at Houghton
Welcome to the Department of Education at Houghton. Our mission is to equip teachers for transformative learning and service.
Houghton College’s teacher education program has deep roots in the liberal arts and the Christian faith, and is committed to the highest professional standards in teacher education. Our program prepares teachers who are steeped in content areas and who are committed to serving the needs of diverse learners and communities.
Key Strengths of Education Department at Houghton
- Curriculum is committed to thorough preparation in educational theory and practice as well as intensive preparation in a student's chosen content area.
- All students participate in classroom experiences that place them in rural and urban schools, service learning, and solo teaching.
- Houghton graduates have a consistent record with 98 to 100 percent of graduates passing the New York State Teacher Certification Examination.
- Dozens of enthusiastic students share in one of Houghton's fastest growing majors!
Believing with the college’s founders that education is a means to individual empowerment for social transformation, we equip students “to lead and labor as scholar-servants in a changing world.” We aim to prepare teachers who are competent scholars, reflective teachers, and caring servants.
One Program, Seven Strands
Students preparing for a career in education will complete one of six program strands: adolescence education, art education, inclusive childhood education, TESOL, music education, physical-health education, or physical education. Students in each strand receive thorough preparation in educational theory and practice as well as intensive preparation in their chosen content area. All students participate in a variety of classroom experiences that place them in rural and urban schools, service learning, and solo teaching. Graduates of all program strands are well-prepared to meet the needs of diverse learners across a wide range of settings and are thoroughly prepared for graduate study.
A Smart Way to Prepare for Your Vocation
In a recent survey of Houghton education graduates, 95 percent of those responding reported being employed in their field and/or being in graduate school within one year of graduation. Our alumni teach in schools of all sizes in all kinds of communities, in the U.S. and internationally.
In addition to teaching opportunities at the elementary, middle, or high school levels, your Houghton education degree can open many other doors for you!
Our graduates also take career paths that include work as guidance counselors, school administrators, ESL teachers, school psychologists, and school business administrators. We are proud of Houghton’s reputation for graduating well-educated and well-rounded students, with a consistent record of 98 to 100 percent of graduates passing the New York State Teacher Certification Examination.
A Houghton education will also prepare you well for graduate studies. Among the graduate schools our alumni have attended are Boston College, Penn State, University of Pennsylvania, SUNY Geneseo, Buffalo State University, the University of Buffalo, Ohio State University, Georgia State University, Harvard University, Kutztown University, Millersburg University, Mansfield State University (PA), St. Bonaventure University, the University of South Carolina, Nazareth College, and Regent University.
Broadening Your Educational Opportunities
As a student in the Houghton College teacher education program, you will be required to complete a semester of student teaching, which may include opportunities in urban, suburban, and rural communities. New York State has reciprocity agreements with 39 states and Puerto Rico, plus the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Dependent School systems. This means that your completion of certification requirements in New York State will enable you to get certification in these states without further academic work, unless the state to which you apply requires a graduate degree/study for the initial certification. Recent graduates are teaching across the U.S. in Colorado, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Texas, Arkansas, North Carolina, Kentucky, California, Florida, Texas, Alaska, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Vermont, and Wyoming. To discover further information about teacher supply and demand, go to:
http://www.highered.nysed.gov/rpts/home.html
Dedicated to Your Success
Houghton’s education faculty is committed to integrating theory, practice, and faith in their teaching. All have earned graduate degrees in specific areas of specialization, and all have served as classroom teachers. This combination of experience, expertise, and a Christian worldview provides a classroom context that promotes the intellectual development and spiritual formation of students who graduate to serve as scholars and leaders in the world of education.
