About the School

Welcome to the School of Education, a community of educators committed to inclusive, equitable, and antiracist research and practice.

As Dean, I have a front-row seat on our stakeholders’ myriad impactful contributions to learning-focused contexts that range from schools and universities to community organizations and workplaces.

Driven by our Academic Strategic Plan, School of Education faculty and staff are working collaboratively to extend and amplify our expertise in three distinct but often overlapping signature areas: 1) inclusive and antiracist pedagogy and practice; 2) digital pedagogy and practice; and 3) experiential pedagogy and practice.

Together, we are committed to integrating the School’s historical strengths with the new knowledge, skills, and habits of mind we need to remain at the forefront of fields such as counseling and human services; cultural foundations of education; higher education; instructional design, development, and evaluation; language and literacy; and teaching and leadership preparation.

Dean Kelly Chandler-Olcott

Accreditation

Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation

Professional accreditation is the bedrock upon which all professions build their reputations, assuring that those entering the respective field have been suitably prepared to practice through acquisition of an approved body of knowledge and pre-service practice in the profession.

Accreditation of schools of education indicates that the school underwent rigorous external review by professionals, that performance of a teacher candidate in the program has been thoroughly assessed before they are recommended for licensure, and that programs meet standards set by the teaching profession at large.

Syracuse University is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP). School of Education undergraduate and graduate academic programs have been awarded full accreditation by AAQEP through Dec. 31, 2027. 

Full accreditation acknowledges that a program prepares effective educators who continue to grow as professionals and has demonstrated the commitment and capacity to maintain quality. Teacher preparation and other professional school personnel programs offered by Syracuse University are recognized by the New York State Education Department as fully accredited.

Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs

The School of Education’s Counseling and Human Services graduate programs are fully accredited by the highest accrediting bodies in the counseling profession, including the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).

The CACREP accreditation process involves identification of appropriate preparation curricula by the profession, followed by extensive self-study and evaluation by the aspiring counselor education program. Only then does a visiting team of experts come to the university to verify that the program meets national standards. Finally, the visiting team’s report is given to the accrediting board for review and action. Programs may be accredited for eight years, at which time the institution must submit for re-accreditation, following the same process described above.

The Board of Directors of CACREP have granted the School of Education re-accreditation through October 2025. The board based its decisions on an extensive review of the self-study documents, the visiting team’s report, and the institution’s response to the visiting team’s report.

Educational Mission

The Syracuse University School of Education advances the future of teaching and learning by leveraging its historic legacy as a global leader in inclusive and equitable education.

Led by internationally recognized faculty who are dedicated to student-centered instruction and cutting-edge research, the School advances knowledge and expertise to promote dynamic, effective, and engaging learning experiences for all.

The School of Education aspires to be the pre-eminent institution for scholarship and instruction across its three signatures: inclusive and antiracist pedagogy and practice, digital learning technologies, and experiential learning that harnesses relationships across campus, community, and beyond.

By supporting a welcoming learning community that fosters collaboration and promotes human thriving, the School mentors and nurtures the next generation of educators, scholars, and leaders who will have meaningful and sustained impact in their communities.

The impact of this work will enhance the School’s global reputation for producing impactful research and for attracting and preparing equity-minded and transformative teachers, counselors, and other professionals who support student success across diverse learning contexts.

Undergraduate Education

Undergraduate Degree Requirements

All undergraduate programs offered by the School of Education typically require the completion of 120 to 138 credits. Specific program requirements vary, as do the total number of credits.

The School of Education offers 4 majors and 5 minors. Some of our School of Education programs are single enrollment programs, which means that students complete their major entirely in the School of Education.  Other programs are dual enrollment programs, meaning that students complete one major through requirements in the School of Education and College of Visual and Performing Arts. Students in dual programs will have advisors in both schools/colleges.

Field experiences, usually off campus, are required throughout most programs, with placement sites assigned by course instructors or through the field placement office. The School of Education provides free transportation for field experiences, but students are encouraged to provide their own transportation for student-teaching assignments during their senior year.

At several points during teacher preparation programs, reviews of students’ progress are made to determine continued eligibility for each program. These review points vary, but in all cases include the time just prior to student teaching. See individual program descriptions for further information.

Bachelor Degree Requirements

Community, Collaboration, and Facilities

Syracuse University is an R1 research institution, and the quality of a student-centered research institution is measured in part by its success in integrating its students’ learning experiences and faculty scholarship.

The key to this integration lies in sustained, critical, always-respectful engagement with the teaching, learning, and counseling professions and those they serve. It relies upon creating a community of learners devoted to public and human service and upon tying this service to robust student research and experiential opportunities. 

The efforts of our students and faculty members to create such a community are supported by an organizational infrastructure that includes coordinating committees and councils; collaborative research centers; cross-disciplinary and specially funded research and development projects; and professional support staff. 

The School of Education community is devoted to nurturing partnerships among preservice educators and other pre-professionals; practicing professionals in public education, higher education, and other learning and work contexts; and faculty across the School, the University, and beyond.

To support collaboration and scholarship, the School of Education offers administration, meeting, class, laboratory, and workshop space in:

• Huntington Hall (Marshall Street/University Ave.)-The School’s main facility houses the Dean’s office, other administration and operational offices, classrooms, meeting rooms, and labs. 
• Comstock Art Facility (1055 Comstock Ave.)-Houses offices and studios for Art Education programs.
• Crouse College (Main Campus)-Houses an auditorium, classrooms, and practice space for Music Education. 
• Carnegie Library (Main Campus)-House offices, classrooms, and meeting spaces for Math Education.
• Sims Hall (Main Campus)-Houses the School’s Counseling and Human Services program, Psycho-Educational Teaching Laboratory, and programs in the Center for Academic Achievement and Student Development.
• Steele Hall (Main Campus)-Houses programs in the Center for Academic Achievement and Student Development.
• 111 Waverly Avenue, Suite 230-Home to the School’s Office of Academic and Student Services.

The Office of Academic and Student Services

The Office of Academic and Student Services provides a thorough and effective support system for all School of Education students from the admissions process through graduation and beyond.

From academic support to career advice to information about opportunities to study abroad, the professionals in Academic and Student Services have the experience and knowledge to answer questions, provide advisement, and make referrals as necessary.

For more information about the office and services shared below, please visit: https//soe.syr.edu/students/academic-services/.

Academic Advising

Students are assigned to an advisor in the Office of Academic and Student Services at the onset of their studies. The office has the resources to help students better understand academic requirements, negotiate academic policies and processes (for example, course registration, program changes, graduation requirements, etc.), and get the most out of their college experience. For more information about advising, contact acsadvis@syr.edu. 

Career Services and Certification

Programs

Major

• •  Arts Education, BFA (Not Admitting Students)
• •  Health and Physical Education, BS (Not Admitting Students)
• •  Inclusive Adolescent Education, BS
• •  Inclusive Childhood Education, BS
• •  Inclusive Early Childhood Special Education, BS (Not Admitting Students)
• •  Music Education, BMus
• •  Physical Education, BS (Not Admitting Students)
• •  Selected Studies in Education, BS
• •  Spanish Education (Dual), BA (Not Admitting Students)

Minor

• •  Atrocity Studies and the Practices of Social Justice Minor
• •  Dance Appreciation and Practice Minor
• •  Disability Studies Minor
• •  Education Studies Minor
• •  Physical Education (Coaching) Minor