Education

At Castleton University, we know it takes a University and a community of educators to prepare you to be a teacher.

You will have the opportunity to choose a major in the liberal arts and sciences and work toward licensure in elementary education or secondary education. You may also work toward an endorsement in special education in K-8 or 7-12. To support your program planning, you will be assigned two academic advisors: one in education and one in your chosen major.

To further develop as a future teacher, you will also choose a four-course liberal arts concentration that further deepens content knowledge in an area such as math or literature. On occasion, students choose a major by contract in mathematics, history, literature, or the sciences.

Licensure-Track Options

• Students seeking elementary licensure for kindergarten through sixth grades will major in multidisciplinary studies. In consultation with your liberal arts advisor and an education advisor, you will have the opportunity to plan a major course study that is designed to provide you with the knowledge needed across all disciplines taught at the elementary level, as well as the education courses required for licensure.
• Students seeking secondary licensure for 7-12 grades in secondary education typically choose to major in English, history, math, or science. In consultation with your advisers, you will have the opportunity to plan a course of study that provides you with the content knowledge needed in your area of interest.
• Students interested in teaching art must choose elementary or secondary licensure. In consultation with your advisers, you will have the opportunity to plan a major course of study that is designed to provide you with the knowledge needed in teaching art or teaching Spanish as a second language.

Internship & Career Opportunities in Education

The Castleton Education Department presents students with extensive opportunities to gain experience in the field through partnerships with local schools.

Student Teaching

Across all areas of concentration, there are classes that have you work in the field as a component to the course.

No matter your area of interest, you will acquire knowledge through valuable hands-on experiences. Additionally, the department dedicates all senior-level courses to a professional year frame setting. This means you will fulfill two consecutive semesters of work within a classroom setting.

Student teaching gives you the opportunity to apply the strategy, teaching theories, and other lessons learned in the classroom to a classroom experience. Your student teaching will provide you valuable experience, networking with professional educators, and bolster your resume.

Careers in Education

Upon graduation, the opportunities to utilize your Castleton education degree only expand. Many of our graduates remain in local Vermont schools and mentor current Castleton pre-service teachers in their K-12 classrooms. Some out-of-state students return to their home states to become classroom teachers.

Castleton's Education Department prepares its students not only to directly enter the professional world, but also to continue on to further their degrees.

Some attend graduate school programs to major in education or their liberal arts interests while others pursue counseling degrees. There are myriad opportunities available to graduates in the field of education. 

Community Relationships

Castleton pre-service teachers learn to teach through various school relationships and community partnerships that are built throughout your course of study.

Additionally, our local school professionals come to Castleton to study at the master’s level in order to reflect upon and to research educational questions. Castleton University offers graduate programs in Curriculum and Instruction, Special Education, and Educational Leadership.