Mission/Vision
The following statement is the Mission/Vision of the School Education, which was adopted in January 2019. It encapsulates what we do, what we believe, and who we continually seek to become as members of the School community.
We ignite learning. We strive for well-being for all. We teach. We commit to student, family, and community success. We commit to educational equity. We advocate. We work for justice. We cultivate relationships. We forge engaged partnerships. We collaborate. We learn with and from communities. We innovate and agitate. We pursue and produce knowledge. We research. We disrupt and transform inequitable educational structures. We approach learning as intertwined with health, wellness, and human development. We address how national, global, social, and technological change impacts learning. We shape practice and policy. We teach with and for dignity. We think. We dream. We lead with integrity. We are the School of Education at the University of Pittsburgh.
General Information
The School of Education (www.education.pitt.edu) is organized into four academic departments:
- Department of Educational Foundations, Organization, and Policy
- Department of Health andHuman Development
- Department of Teaching, Learning, and Leading
Undergraduate degree programs are offered in the Department of Health and Human Development (HHD) and the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Leading (TLL). HHD offers the baccalaureate programs in exercise science and applied developmental psychology. TLL will offer the baccalaureate program in Teacher Education, starting in fall 2023.
Admissions
The School of Education does not admit students to its undergraduate programs at the freshman level. Therefore, students must first be admitted to another school at the University of Pittsburgh or to another institution.
If an applicant to a School of Education undergraduate program is currently a University of Pittsburgh student, the applicant should contact the dean’s office of the school to which the applicant has been admitted and request an Undergraduate Academic Program Change form. After completion of this form, all records will be transferred to the School of Education, Office of Admissions and Enrollment Services, 5900 Wesley W. Posvar Hall, for review.
If an applicant to a School of Education undergraduate program is transferring from another institution, the applicant should contact the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, Alumni Hall, for a Transfer Application. (See Transfer Student Admissions section of this catalog for more information.)
To be admitted into a Minor program in the School of Education a student must do the following:
Advising
Each student admitted to an undergraduate program in the School of Education is assigned a faculty advisor.
Dean’s List
Early each term, students whose grades in the previous grading period indicate outstanding achievement are recognized in the Dean’s List.
Full-time students (those enrolled in 12 or more credits) who earned 12 credits in the preceding term (not including courses taken on the Satisfactory/Audit option) with a term GPA of at least 3.50 and no grade lower than a C are placed on the Dean’s List.
Part-time students (those enrolled in fewer than 12 credits) who have earned 12 credits in the SOE in previous terms (not including courses taken on the Satisfactory/Audit option) with a QPA of at least 3.50 and no grade lower than a C are placed on the Dean’s List.
Part-time students are evaluated for Dean’s List recognition by determining if 12 credits of letter-graded coursework have been completed since the last Dean’s List recognition. If 12 credits have been completed, the GPA for the terms in which the last 12 credits were completed will be used to assess the Dean’s List eligibility.
Degree Requirements
The undergraduate degree in the School of Education requires the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 120 credits of approved undergraduate study. Undergraduate degrees are conferred only on those students who have completed all courses required for the degree with a GPA of at least 2.50.
Students in the School of Education must complete at least 60 credits in courses offered at the University of Pittsburgh. Students who begin their study at the regional campuses must apply to relocate to the Pittsburgh campus for at least the last 60 credits.
Transfer Credits
With approval of faculty advisor and the Dean’s designated administrator, the School of Education recommends transfer credits that meet University policy. The University will grant credit earned at other institutions based on course equivalencies, including expected learning outcomes, with those of the University curriculum and standards. In the School of Education, the maximum number of credits that can be transferred to the Bachelor Science degree is 60 credits. At the undergraduate level, no grade below C- may be transferred. Credits are only transferrable if they meet specific degree requirements. Current School of Education undergraduate students who wish to enroll at another institution with the intention of transferring credits to the University of Pittsburgh must receive prior approval from their advisor. See general Undergraduate Academic Regulations for more information.
Probation and Dismissal
All students enrolled in undergraduate programs in the School of Education are required to maintain a grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.50. The cumulative GPA is based on all course work taken after enrollment at the University of Pittsburgh. A student is automatically placed on academic probation when the cumulative GPA, exclusive of transfer credits, falls below 2.50.
Only letter grades with GPA values will be used to compute and determine academic probation status. While on probation students are limited to registering only for courses in which a letter grade is given. To continue on probation status, a student must achieve a minimum of a 3.00 GPA in 9 credits or more. A student can only be placed on academic probation status once during their program of study. Students placed on academic probation status will receive notification in the form of an email from the School of Education, and they will be recommended to seek guidance from their academic advisor.
Ordinarily, students are required to terminate study after two terms on probation if there is no improvement in the quality of their work. A student placed on academic probation status more than once is also required to terminate study. A student who does not meet the GPA or credit requirements will be dismissed from the School of Education, unless serious extenuating circumstances exist. The request for continuation must include a recommendation made by the Department Chair (or designated faculty member) and the academic advisor, with the recommendation approved by the Dean of the school.
Teacher Education Certification Programs
S/NC grade Policy
The School of Education offers both a standard letter-grade option and the Satisfactory/No-Credit (S/NC) option for students enrolled in most School of Education courses. Under the S/NC option, a student who does satisfactory work (a grade of C or better) in a course receives the grade of S. If the student’s work is not satisfactory (a grade of C- or lower), the grade of NC (no credit) is given. Courses for which an S is earned are counted toward graduation but are not computed in the GPA. Courses for which an NC is earned are not counted toward graduation or the GPA, since the NC designates that no credit has been earned.
Students can select the S/NC grade option when enrolling for a course. After the end of the add/drop period, a student must complete a Grade Option/Audit Request form and submit it to the Office of Student Records by the Grade Option deadline noted each term on the Dietrich School undergraduate calendar.
Note: There are some formal limitations to a student’s choice of grading systems; students should check with an academic advisor before deciding to take a course S/NC. No more than 2 required courses in the Teacher Educaton Major can be designated S/NC.
GPA requirement Policy
All students enrolled in the teacher education major are required to maintain a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0. A student is automatically placed on academic probation if the cumulative GPA, exclusive of transfer credits, falls below 3.0. No student on academic probation is permitted to participate in student teaching, a teaching internship, or an advanced teaching practicum. You must earn a minimum of a C in all teacher education major coursework. Although the credits allowed for acceptable work completed elsewhere by transfer count toward the total number of credits required for teacher education study, the grades earned in such courses are not included in GPA computations.
School of Education Course Offerings
www.education.pitt.edu
Program and Course Offerings
