College of Education

Deborah M. Boyd, Dean                                                         
Trace Hebert, Associate Dean
Megan Parker Peters, Director of Teacher Education & Assessment
Junior High, Director of Undergraduate Studies in Education and Director of Student Teaching

The College of Education is composed of both the undergraduate and graduate programs. The college’s teacher education program, at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, is nationally accredited at the highest level by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, which has become the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and serves an increasing number of students each year.

The College of Education plans to continue this tradition of excellence but has set an even greater mission - a mission that includes not only providing exceptional service to the local Lipscomb community, but also exceptional service to the broader community in which we live. At its core, the College of Education is dedicated to improving educational opportunities for all students by educating teacher-leaders, engaging with the community and enriching the lives of future and current teachers. An example of this service for all students is the recent addition of the IDEAL program (Igniting the Dream of Education and Access at Lipscomb). IDEAL is a two-year program providing education and career development for students ages 18-26 with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

On a daily basis, the College of Education strives to educate teacher-leaders who know how to infuse best teaching practices into every classroom and use data to make instructional decisions and who can influence others to do the same. One of the primary focus areas of the college is community engagement. The college has been awarded multiple grants in recent years to work with current teachers to improve their knowledge and skills in the classroom. Cultural Perspectives is a course taught to give candidates competencies in appreciating the cultural differences in classrooms, developing a sensitivity to the needs of students and families living in poverty, and articulating the meaning and application of social justice. In addition to the fall and spring offerings, the course is also offered during Maymester as a travel course to work with Native American Students in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.

Off-site learning experiences (i.e. clinical, practicum, internship, etc.) are required in many courses of study at Lipscomb. Successful completion of these experiential courses is required for graduation and/or licensure. Students should be aware that many experiential sites require satisfactory documentation of personal identification in the form of driver’s licenses, social security cards, passports, drug screening, and background checks. Students should make sure that they are aware of and can meet all documentation requirements well in advance of the timeframe for admission into the respective program and placement into these sites. Failure to provide required documentation for successful entry into these experiential courses will result in failure to complete the desired program of study. 

Graduate Programs in Education

The College of Education offers master’s, education specialist, and doctoral programs. The master of education programs are appropriate for those who are already licensed educators and also those seeking a teaching license. The areas of emphasis for master’s degrees are Applied Behavior Analysis Specialty, Collaborative Professional Learning, Educational Leadership, English Language Learning, Instructional Practice, Reading Specialty, School Counseling, Special Education, Technology Integration Specialty, and Teaching, Learning, & Leading. Because of the diversity of programs offered, individuals holding bachelor’s degrees in a variety of disciplines may seek teaching licensure while pursuing their master’s degree. The education specialist degree offers programs in Educational Leadership, English Language Learning, Collaborative Professional Learning, and Reading Specialty.

The doctor of education program in Learning Organizations and Strategic Change is an accelerated degree program with a unique collaborative capstone experience. The program is offered in a two-year face-to-face format or a three-year online format.

Graduate education courses have convenient evening, weekend and online classes. For further information, please contact our Outreach and Enrollment department at education@lipscomb.edu or (615) 966-6113.