Program Overview The Department of Education at the University of Saint Francis is designed to prepare educators to work with children and families in a diverse society. The Department of Education endeavors to contribute to the improvement of education by preparing informed, inquiring and skilled professionals who as future educators are prepared for positions in the elementary and secondary community. Students develop strong skills in curriculum design, instructional strategies, observation and assessment, communication, collaboration, responding to diverse learning styles, and classroom management.  Teacher candidates are provided with the opportunities to gain the critical knowledge and skills needed to teach all children. Upon successful completion of the program, students who pass the Praxis examination are eligible for an Indiana Teaching license. The Department of Education offers an innovative four year teacher preparation program in which elementary education and special education coursework, or secondary education and special education are integrated resulting in a dual Elementary Education/Mild Intervention or Secondary Education/Mild Intervention license. The purpose of the program is to develop educators who have an in-depth understanding of special education and elementary/secondary education. The program emphasizes issues related to teaching students with and without exceptionalities in various settings. Students are prepared to meet the needs of all students. These programs combine coursework and experiences in special education and elementary/secondary education which leads to certification in both areas. In addition, the University of Saint Francis School of Education offers an exciting five year option for those students interested in triple licensing: an elementary, secondary and special education license (K-12). Candidates work towards teacher certification at the elementary level, subject specific areas at the secondary level and special education (K-12). Professional preparation includes specialized coursework, field experiences and student teaching which leads to licensure in all three areas. Learning experiences are structured in a way that the students develop a comprehensive knowledge of the multifaceted nature of special education and regular education. Graduates of the USF program have a number of teaching options including but not limited to: a. Elementary Education Teacher (Grades K-5) b. Special Education Teacher working in resource or self contained settings within schools (Grades K-5) c. Secondary Education (Middle School and High School) This integrated approach to teacher education promotes a deeper understanding of both content areas so that our teacher candidates will be prepared with the critical skills and knowledges to meet the needs of diverse students in the classrooms of today. Program graduates are in great demand by school districts as they are skilled in the multiple instructional approaches and strategies for responsible inclusion in today’s schools. The Department of Education’s program is designed to meet the expectancies and performance standards of the Indiana Division of Professional Standards and Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC). The University’s program is also accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. Accreditation between Indiana and many states assure that courses taken will be considered for certification in most states. Competency testing is required for Indiana Teaching licenses.