School of Education

The Early Childhood Education PK-4 and Special Education PK-12 is a dual certification major built on authentic, hands-on experiences that matter in the real world of teaching and learning. Immerse yourself in experiences that take you outside the classroom and into professional settings of early learners and elementary school grades. Prepare yourself to work with students with a diversity of physical and cognitive needs from kindergarten to high school. For teachers, the real action is on the field, and at Westminster, you will be in the field from your first year.

Jump-start your future and become part of the next generation of leaders in curriculum and instruction, STEM, children’s and young adult literacy, special education, and community service. In this program, you can lead the change that will transform your students and produce palpable changes in diverse educational environments.

 Major Requirements & Courses

Our Secondary Education certification program offers authentic, hands-on experiences that matter in the middle and high school classroom. Certifications are offered in the areas of English, mathematics, biology, chemistry, social studies, and Spanish.

At Westminster, the Secondary Education minor is complemented by a major that corresponds to the subject you will teach. Students interested in teaching grades 7-12 should consult with the School of Education during the first year in order to fully understand how the major and minor work together. For general academic purposes, students remain under the guidance of the program in which they are majoring, but they will also have an advisor in the School of Education.

 Minor Requirements & Courses

Explore the Child and Family Studies major at Westminster and be part of a diverse, interdisciplinary program with an array of human services professions. With a curriculum built on courses in education, psychology, sociology, and criminial justice studies, our program offers three major concentrations that allow you to be part of authentic, hands-on experiences as a young child and family educational specialist, social service organization educator, or educator for at-risk youth and families.

Immerse yourself in experiences that take you outside the classroom and into professional organizations in the region that demonstrate an unwavering commitment to the success of children and their families. Lead the change that will transform our communities.

 Major Requirements & Courses

 Minor Requirements & Courses

The minor in Childhood Development is offered in cooperation between the School of Education and the Department of Psychology. The program serves to strengthen the developmental background of any student interested in working with children.

This interdisciplinary course of study will advantage students interested in the areas of early childhood education, guidance counseling, criminal justice, special education, and social work.

 Minor Requirements & Courses

The Music Education major, which is offered through the School of Music, prepares students to teach music in the public schools (K-12). You will have the opportunity to gain teaching field experience in all four years of study. You will also participate not only in your primary ensembles, but you will also have the opportunity to pursue a wide range of other performing groups, some of which have earned national and international distinction.

Westminster has a 95% job placement rate for music teachers - graduates are employed by schools across the country: as close as Pennsylvania and Maryland, and as far away as North Carolina, Arizona, and Alaska.

 Major Requirements & Courses