College of Education and Human Development
General Statement
Within Texas A&M University, the College of Education and Human Development plays a proactive role in shaping the state and national educational agenda. To this end, programs in the College of Education and Human Development attempt to (1) develop thinking professionals whose research adds to the store of knowledge regarding teaching and learning, (2) produce exemplary teachers and administrators to serve in school systems of the state and nation, and (3) assist Texas and the nation in using up-to-date knowledge to improve educational practice in diverse settings. In summary, the College of Education and Human Development has three key functions: research, teaching and service.
Production of knowledge is central to the College of Education and Human Development’s research role. The College of Education and Human Development supports both basic and applied research activities. Of particular interest is the effort to translate research findings into models and prescriptions that will result in substantive educational improvement in field settings.
In discharging its teaching function, the College of Education and Human Development seeks to prepare highly qualified professionals for a wide variety of educational settings. Teacher preparation programs are particularly committed to providing students with the ability to use sophisticated technologies in their instructional repertoires.
Service to the state and nation through teaching, supervising and assisting schools, state agencies, other institutions of higher education, and businesses and industries is a strong commitment of the College of Education and Human Development. Increasingly, these service efforts build on new knowledge generated through the College of Education and Human Development’s research activities.
The College of Education and Human Development is responsible for managing programs for the preparation of certified school personnel. Other programs in the college prepare students for specific human service roles in the private sector and within state and community agencies. College of Education and Human Development majors include interdisciplinary studies (certification) EC-4, middle school, bilingual and special education; interdisciplinary studies (non-certification) technology management and human resource development; health (including school health education), kinesiology (including physical education certification), and sport management. Students seeking middle school certification also have a choice of majoring in English (offered through the College of Liberal Arts). Students interested in any elementary, middle school or secondary certification programs are responsible for meeting with an advisor in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture’s Office of Undergraduate Advising. Advisors have available specific information regarding all program options.
Students seeking secondary certification in areas other than health or kinesiology must major in an academic discipline offered through the appropriate college. Professional education courses for secondary certification are offered by the College of Education and Human Development. Students interested in secondary certification must report to an advisor in the Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture’s Office of Undergraduate Advising to access additional information about the multiple routes to secondary certification at the post-baccalaureate level.
Teaching fields, specialization areas and endorsements/delivery systems may be chosen from the following:
| Agricultural Science | Mathematics |
| Bilingual (EC-4) | Middle School English |
| Chemistry | Middle School Science/Mathematics |
| Computer Science | Middle School Social Studies/ |
| Early Childhood | Reading-Language Arts |
| English Language Arts and Reading | Physical Science |
| English as a Second Language | Reading |
| Health (EC-12) | Science |
| History | Social Studies |
| Horticulture | Spanish |
| Kinesiology (EC-12) | Special Education |
| Life Science |
The College of Education and Human Development carries out its mission of research, teaching and service through the following departments: Educational Administration and Human Resource Development, Educational Psychology, Health and Kinesiology, and Teaching, Learning and Culture. Other contributing entities include Agricultural Education, the Principals’ Center, the Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, the Center for Distance Learning Research, and the Counseling and Assessment Clinic. Detailed descriptions of College of Education and Human Development departments are provided on the following pages. The College of Education and Human Development is required by Federal policy to make available the summary report of students’ scores on the TExES examination. This information is available from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Education and Human Development.