About the DepartmentDepartment of Education

The Gustavus Education Department positions teacher candidates to be student-centered educational advocates through its exceptional team of professors, small class sizes, varied field experiences, plus all that a liberal arts education can offer educators-to-be.

The program is committed to the preparation of 21st-century teachers who understand the complexities of learning and teaching and who incorporate principles such as building supportive communities, promoting collaboration, and embedding values of diversity and belonging into educational practices. Through research-based strategies and reflective teaching, the program aims to equip future educators with the skills and knowledge to meet the diverse needs of students by partnering with local and global schools to provide valuable opportunities for teacher candidates to apply their learning in real-world contexts and empowering educators to create equitable and supportive learning environments for all students.

A conceptual framework undergirds the Gustavus Teacher Education Program: teacher as educational advocate. Our conceptual framework is not static; rather, it represents the dynamics of an ever-changing professional landscape. The Gustavus Education Department is focused on preparing educators who are equipped to equitably meet the needs of their students in K-12 schools. The department emphasizes the importance of advocacy, cultural awareness, and social justice in teaching. Its framework incorporates principles such as building supportive communities, promoting collaboration, and embedding values of diversity and belonging into educational practices. Through research-based strategies and reflective teaching, the program aims to equip future educators with the skills and knowledge to meet the diverse needs of students by partnering with local and global schools to provide valuable opportunities for teacher candidates to apply their learning in real-world contexts and empowering educators to create equitable and supportive learning environments for all students.

Facilitated by the strong liberal arts and professional preparation of the candidates, the Education major at Gustavus is strongly enhanced by a liberal arts foundation that encourages breadth of knowledge and interdisciplinary and international perspectives, and engages inquiry and intellectual curiosity. All of our licensure programs are approved by Minnesota’s Professional Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) and lead to qualification for a teaching license in the state of Minnesota.

GETTING STARTED IN THE EDUCATION MAJOR ACCREDITATION STUDENT TEACHING FACILITIES Faculty and Staff COURSE CATALOG