Secondary and K-12 Education
Prepare to help students reach their true potential and develop your leadership skills as you become an extraordinary teacher in the classroom.
Join a relationship-centered learning community
In small classes and through amazing field experiences, you’ll work closely with the outstanding faculty of Dominican’s School of Education. This major will help you master the latest educational technologies and study the subtleties of lesson planning, classroom management and human growth and development. At Dominican, you’ll take a deep dive into the academic subject you plan to teach through a curriculum that is deeply rooted in the liberal arts. You’ll also explore a variety of teaching styles, prepare to support and challenge students who learn in different ways, and gain a deep understanding of the profession’s key values of scholarship, leadership and service.
Begin your path in a meaningful profession full of rewarding opportunities
As a student in Dominican’s Secondary and K-12 Education program, you’ll find a more accessible pathway into a field that is rich in opportunity. And you’ll have the unique opportunity to experience a comprehensive program that includes the liberal arts and sciences core curriculum courses, the major coursework, professional and pedagogical education courses, and extensive supervised clinical experiences that focus on the development of practices essential to beginning teachers. Dominican graduates are prepared not only for their first teaching job but also for a lifetime of intellectual and professional competence. Our alumni work across the United States in a remarkable range of educational settings. They know how to develop the talents of students with a wide spectrum of learning, social and personal needs.
Bailey Scianna
Secondary Education Graduate
“Dominican’s education program is very thorough and practical. I had my first field experiences when I was still a freshman. They really helped me to apply what I was learning in class and take it into actual school environments.”
More ways to grow—on campus and beyond
Practical, hands-on experience is built into our curriculum. You’ll spend a lot of time in the real world of K-12 education, observing teachers at different grade levels and engaging students across a wide range of cultural backgrounds. As a senior, you’ll spend a semester teaching a class, with the guidance and support of your professors. You will enter the teaching profession with the full set of skills and knowledge you’ll need to create a caring, stimulating and effective classroom environment.
Committed to compassionate service
At Dominican, you’ll experience a program that is designed to cultivate teachers who share a set of core values that includes a commitment to social justice, an understanding of the strengths and needs of a diverse student population, and a dedication to equity and excellence for all students. As our graduates become successful educators, their work reflects the mission of the university, and their responsibility as educators to provide compassionate service, and promote a more just and humane world.
Jessica Davis
Secondary Education Graduate
“The entire campus works with you to make your education as useful and meaningful as possible. I really learned to teach while working at the Summer Literacy Academy. The experience was amazing. It strengthened my passion for working with young people.”