Message from the Chair: Curriculum & Instruction

A Commitment to Transformational Education

Research-based Models of Education

Noble Laureate Dennis Gabor once said, “We cannot predict the future, but we can invent it.” For 100 years, the faculty and students representing the Baylor University School of Education have embraced the opportunity to invent and produce the most cutting-edge research and innovative models of education practice that have shaped the landscape of PK-12 and higher education in the 20th and 21st centuries. The Department of Curriculum & Instruction (C&I) continues to strive to create an environment characterized by intellectual achievement and ambitious research goals, while also maintaining our historic commitment to transformational education. In alignment with Baylor’s strategic plan, Illuminate, we continue to focus our efforts on recruiting the most talented and accomplished faculty who are both excellent teachers and outstanding scholars. Recent hires include outstanding faculty members in fields including science education, literacy, bilingual education, and social foundations. These scholars bring new energy, intellectual diversity, and creative engagement to an already exceptionally strong group.

Undergraduate Teacher Education and Teacher Certification

The Department of Curriculum & Instruction remains highly committed to our undergraduate teacher education program. Our unique clinical based program provides students with the opportunity to work in K-12 classrooms throughout their undergraduate experience. Having recently won two awards from the National Association of Professional Development Schools (NAPDS), our program is grounded in meaningful partnerships with area schools and organizations.

In Spring 2020, the SOE will launch the Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT), a school-wide residential program offering teacher certification. Baylor undergraduates may pursue the joint MAT and take up to 15 hours of graduate-level work. Upon completion, students will receive a bachelor’s degree and MAT simultaneously. The MAT also is available to graduates of Baylor and other universities as a stand-alone master’s program offering initial teacher certification.

Graduate Programs

C&I is also charting a path for stronger graduate education both at the master’s and doctoral levels. The PhD in Curriculum and Teaching and master’s in Curriculum and Instruction are evolving and growing as we strive toward our Illuminate vision. Through innovative research and practice, our graduate students are working alongside established scholars to transform local, national and global leadership in curriculum, teaching and learning that shape the vision of equity and excellence in education for the 21st century and beyond.

In the fall of 2018, C&I launched an EdD Online in Learning and Organizational Change. With the EdD Online, we are extending our borders to recruit the best and the brightest working professionals in the field. This program already has outpaced our expectations with over 250 students enrolled in our first four cohorts. At full capacity, we will have nine cohorts simultaneously. EdD students are committed to impacting change within organizations and schools through leadership. They have significant practical professional experiences and are goal driven, collaborative, organized self-starters who can engage in flexible learning environments. Students choose Baylor’s EdD because of its strong academic reputation and for the opportunity to engage in meaningful research. Students in this program are from around the globe and from a variety of professions, including K-12 schools, health and medicine, business, military, and higher education.

Partnerships

The Department of Curriculum & Instruction and School of Education are uniquely connected with the surrounding communities. The reach of our department and School can be seen in the multitude of summer programs offered for area teachers and students, including programs such as Math for Early Learners Academy (MELA), Freedom Schools, iEngage, Summer Literacy Institute, and Math Teachers Academy; through our Professional Development School Partnerships; and through collaborations with community partners.

It is an exciting time in the history of the University and within our department. The Department of Curriculum & Instruction is well positioned to help Baylor meet the noble and ambitious goals of Illuminate through our steadfast commitment to transformational education, pursuit of ambitious research goals, and continued engagement in the community.