Mission/Vision
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 is organized into three academic departments and offers the following undergraduate programs:
Department of Educational Foundations, Organization, and Policy
Department of Health and Human Development
Department of Teaching, Learning, and Leading
- Majors:
- Teacher Education, BS (Areas of Concentration in English, Math, Science, Social Studies, World Heritage Language, and PreK-12 Special Education)
- Combined Applied Studies in Education, BS
- Minor:
Students have the responsibility to be honest and to conduct themselves in an ethical manner while pursuing academic studies. Students have the right to be treated by faculty in a fair and conscientious manner in accordance with the ethical standards generally recognized within the academic community (as well as those recognized within the profession). Should a student be accused of a breach of academic integrity or have questions regarding faculty responsibilities, procedural safeguards including provisions of due process have been designed to protect student rights. See School of Education Academic Integrity Guidelines for more information.
Please see the University of Pittsburgh Academic Regulations for information on university-wide policies.
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 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.
Students enrolled in undergraduate programs leading to state certification are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 to remain in the program. A student is automatically placed on academic warning if the cumulative GPA, exclusive of transfer credits, falls below 3.0. No student on academic warning is permitted to participate in student teaching, a teaching internship, or an advanced teaching practicum. 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.
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 be removed from probation status, a student must achieve a minimum of a 3.00 GPA in 9 credits or more. Students who earn a cumulative grade point average above 2.50 are removed from academic probation. 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.
An enrollment hold may be placed on students on academic warning or probation.
A student who does not meet the GPA or credit requirements are subject dismissal from the School of Education. A 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.
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.
Admission requirements vary by major in the School of Education - please find specific requirements on each program’s catalog page.
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.)
Full admission status is granted to those who have met all admission criteria and have been admitted either as full-time or part-time students for study toward the baccalaureate degree.
Conditional status may be granted to those who are in the process of completing prerequisite requirements. These students must complete all requirements successfully prior to matriculation.
Non-Degree status is granted to those who enroll in the School of Education to take courses for credit without reference to a degree.
To be admitted into a Minor program in the School of Education a student must do the following:
- Have a declared major at the University of Pittsburgh
- Maintain a minimum of 2.0 cumulative GPA
- Complete an application for the selected academic minor
Readmission
A student who has not registered for at least one credit during a 12-month period will be automatically converted to inactive status and must file an application for readmission to the University before being permitted to register again.
Readmission is not automatic and students may not be reinstated with the academic status assigned prior to becoming inactive. Students who were suspended or dismissed will have their academic standing assessed upon reinstatement.
Advising
Each student in the School of Education is assigned an academic advisor to help guide them through from admission to graduation. Our advisors take great pride in a person’s growth and development as a student. Advisors collaborate with students to develop a plan for student success by providing assistance with choosing classes, tracking progress towards graduation, and being a reliable source of information about university and school resources. By connecting students to campus and community resources, advisors aim to empower students to reach their potential, serve their local communities, and ultimately have impact in the world.
Students are expected to meet with their advisor at least once per semester to ensure progress towards graduation.
All course work scheduled must be approved by the academic advisor, who assists in the preparation of a student’s plan of studies and who regularly meets with the student to review the student’s academic progress.
Students have the following responsibilities in relation to academic advising:
- Students are expected to be proactive in learning the components of the curriculum, including all course requirements and milestones, and to seek out resources beyond their academic advisor to understand and make decisions about the curriculum.
- Students are expected to take responsibility for their personal, academic, and career decisions.
- Students are expected to utilize the student support services of the University to enhance their educational experience.
- Students are expected to perform the following in order to select courses and make informed decisions regarding degree progress:
- Refer to the academic calendar to meet necessary deadlines, including add/drop and withdrawal deadlines, and final exam schedules;
- Navigate all aspects of PeopleSoft, the student registration system.
- Students are expected to read their University e-mail on a regular basis, which is the official means of communication for the University.
- Students are expected to come to each advising appointment prepared to discuss academic progress, personal and career goals, interests, concerns, and, at times, the specifics of course work for upcoming semesters.
- Students are expected to meet all deadlines for applying for graduation and external certifications.
To ensure the free and open discussion of ideas, students may not record classroom lectures, discussion and/or activities without the advance written permission of the instructor or an approved accommodation, and any such recording properly approved in advance can be used solely for the student’s own private use.
This also applies to recordings made using social media applications. Students may not share recordings with anyone who is not a member of the class and may only use recordings in the context of the course unless the consent of the instructor and any student who is identifiable in the recording is obtained.
The following section details regulations pertaining to the school’s teacher education certification programs.
Instructional I and II Certification
The Instructional I, or provisional, certificate is issued by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) to applicants who:
- possess a baccalaureate degree with a 3.0 grade point average;
- have successfully completed a PDE-approved teacher certification program;
- pass all required PRAXIS, PECT, basic skills, and/or PAPA Examinations;
- successful completion of PDE Form 430 for initial certification; and
- recommendation for certification by the college or university offering the PDE-approved teacher certification program.
An Instructional I certificate is valid for six years.
The Instructional II, or permanent, certificate is issued by PDE to applicants who have completed all of the following:
- A PDE-approved induction program for beginning teachers.
- Three years of satisfactory teaching in the field specified on an Instructional I certificate, attested to by the chief school administrator of the approved public or non-public school in Pennsylvania in which the most recent service of the applicant was performed.
- Twenty-four credit hours of post-baccalaureate study or in-service courses approved by PDE. (Some credits earned beyond the baccalaureate degree in teacher education study at the University of Pittsburgh may be used to satisfy this requirement.)
Dean’s List
After the Fall and Spring terms, students whose grades in the previous grading period indicate outstanding achievement are recognized in the Dean’s List.
School of Education students with a term GPA of at least 3.50 and no grade lower than a C, no U grades, and no NC grades are placed on the Dean’s List.
Degree Requirements
Please see the specific program pages for information on minimum GPA, credit hours, and other requirements for graduation.
University of Pittsburgh undergraduate students with sufficient preparation are permitted to enroll in certain graduate courses at the University following procedures determined by each school. The graduate credits earned may be counted toward the undergraduate degree if approved by the student’s school. These may not be counted as credits toward a graduate degree except as noted below.
Undergraduate students who need 30 or fewer credits to complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree and who intend to continue study toward an advanced degree may be permitted during their final term to register for graduate courses that will later apply toward a graduate degree. The student must obtain written permission from the school of proposed graduate study that the courses may count when and if the student is admitted into the graduate degree program. The student is limited to taking no more than the allowable number of transfer credits for the particular School of Education graduate degree program.
Enrollment needs to be approved by the undergraduate advisor and graduate program coordinator. This privilege should not be granted if the proposed total program exceeds a normal full-time load. Although these credits will appear on the undergraduate transcript, they will not count toward fulfilling undergraduate degree requirements. They will be posted as advanced standing credits on the graduate transcript.
School of Education students are encouraged to engage in global experiences. Students may pursue as many experiences as allowed by the Global Experiences Office. However, the maximum total of credits that may be applied to an undergraduate degree is bound by program or School limits of S/NC credits. Any credits earned during study abroad programs with the satisfactory/no credit (S/NC) grading option or appearing on the Pitt transcript as such will calculate into the S/NC credit limits.
Completion of any global experience fulfills the “Global Awareness and Cross-Cultural Understanding” requirement within the Polymathic Context section of the general education requirements. This is in addition to fulfillment of other requirements (general education or major) as pre-approved by the student’s advisor, Department, and/or the Dean’s Office.
Before students undertake a global experience, they must coordinate with and apply to a program through the Global Experiences Office. If admitted, students are required to engage in additional conversations with their advisor and the SOE Student Records office in order to complete the course approval, enrollment, and credit transcription processes. Procedural details and links to forms are available on SOE Student Resources site.
Graduation is not an automatic process. All students must apply to graduate by the deadline found on the Office of the University Registrar and the School of Education - Graduation websites. Students typically apply for graduation in the semester prior to their final semester.
One term before their anticipated graduation semester, before the add/drop period ends, students must verify the accuracy of their declared majors, minors, specializations, and/or certificates. They should make necessary updates prior to completing a graduation application. This should be handled during a meeting with the student’s advisor.
Before the start of their anticipated graduation term, students should communicate with their advisor to review their degree progress and determine potential graduation roadblocks.
In the student’s final term, students should complete the Office of the Provost’s exit survey.
Only a few colleges in the nation offer a prestigious Bachelor of Philosophy (BPhil), which is a model borrowed from Oxford and Cambridge in the UK. The BPhil is a higher distinction that replaces the standard BS degree. The BPhil can be earned in any major and is jointly awarded by the University of Pittsburgh Honors College and the School of Education.
Completion of a BPhil is a rigorous process that requires a research component and a final thesis beyond that of the student’s regular course of study. For details regarding the requirements, process, and personalized mentoring for the BPhil degree, visit the David C. Frederick Honors College website.
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. In the School of Education, no more than 6 credit hours in the major offered for a letter grade can be designated S/NC. Courses offered only with the H/S/U grade option do not count toward this limit.
Transfer Credits
Courses from other colleges and universities are evaluated according to the following guidelines:
- Courses must be passed with a grade of C or better and must be earned at an institution accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting association. Courses that have reasonable counterparts at the University are eligible for transfer. When requested, students are responsible for supplying descriptions for courses taken elsewhere.
- A maximum of 60 credits can be accepted from accredited community colleges and two-year junior colleges. A maximum of 90 credits can be accepted from accredited four-year institutions. Unless prior permission is obtained in writing from the program coordinator, all students must earn their final 30 credits at the University of Pittsburgh toward a School of Education degree. At least half of the credits for their majors and/or minors in the School of Education must be earned while enrolled as an University of Pittsburgh student.
- The number of transfer credits granted for a given course cannot exceed the number awarded on the transcript of the original school. Credits earned on the quarter system will be converted into semester credits. A quarter credit is equal to two-thirds of a semester credit (e.g., five quarter-system credits equal three semester credits, and three quarter-system credits equal two semester credits).
- The University of Pittsburgh accepts credits, but not grades, for transfer. Consequently, any courses that are accepted for transfer will be used as credit toward graduation, but will not be calculated into the student’s GPA at the University of Pittsburgh.
- Transfer credits do not apply towards University honors. 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. Current students should send official transcripts to the School of Education once final grades have been posted at the other institution. See general Academic Regulations for more information.
Note: All credits and previously approved exemptions to academic requirements will be re-evaluated by SOE. In some instances, this may mean that not all transfer credits or previously approved exemptions or waivers will be accepted or applied toward a student’s SOE career. All credits will be subject to the transfer credit policies listed in this Catalog.
School of Education Website:
www.education.pitt.edu
Program and Course Offerings
