One of only three schools in Massachusetts to be “Approved with Distinction” by DESE (learn more)
Great teachers are always in demand. Teaching is a rewarding career and the Assumption faculty is dedicated to helping you chart your path to becoming an educator. When you major in education at Assumption, you will develop deep content knowledge and diverse pedagogical skills, as well gain valuable hands-on experience in the classroom. Graduates from our program earn a double major and a Massachusetts Initial Teaching License. Your coursework, fieldwork, and student teaching are designed to prepare you for success in your own classroom. The education department offers intensive and ongoing advising for students within the program to familiarize them with the requirements of the education major, as well as current regulations for teacher licensure. If you choose to pursue a bachelor’s degree in education, you’ll have the opportunity to pair a specific academic major with the education major, which will allow you to immerse yourself in the subject areas you will teach. The education faculty at Assumption are former classroom teachers and scholars who possess a wealth of knowledge and experience that they enjoy sharing with their students. Ongoing collaboration with teachers in local public and private schools allows the University to offer a program that is informed by innovative, current research and explores emerging best practices for effective classroom instruction.
To help you become the best teacher you can be, Assumption believes in providing students hands-on classroom experience. The education courses you will take in pursuit of a teaching degree will include multiple opportunities to engage in Worcester-area classrooms, starting in your first year and culminating in full-time student teaching.
Assumption University offers the following state approved teacher preparation programs for the Massachusetts Initial license in the following areas:
• Elementary [grades 1–6]
• Biology [grades 8–12]
• Chemistry [grades 8–12]
• English [grades 5–12]
• General Science [grades 5–8]
• History [grades 5–12]
• Mathematics [grades 5–8 or 8–12]
• Spanish [grades 5–12]
For undergraduate students interested in Special Education, the Education Department offers a special, five-year program enabling a student to complete both a Bachelor of Arts degree in a liberal arts or science and the Master of Arts degree in Special Education. Students who successfully complete the program will be eligible for a Massachusetts Initial license as an elementary, middle, or secondary teacher as well as a Massachusetts Initial license as a Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities [grades PreK-8 or 5–12].
Assumption education majors interested in teacher licensure generally apply to the education major during their sophomore year. Education students are required to complete an appropriate major in the liberal arts or sciences and must successfully complete the requirements for a specific licensure path.
Learning Goals of the Major in Education
- By the conclusion of their studies in the Education major, Assumption University students will demonstrate:
- conceptually sound lesson planning derived from research-based methods
- effective instructional strategies to meet the needs of all students
- competent subject matter knowledge
- the ability to improve practice based upon self-evaluation of teaching
- a commitment to professional obligations and responsibilities.
Learn about Assumption University’s Mathematics Academy Leadership in Teaching Program.
Samantha Goldman, Ph.D.
An Ideal Place to Learn to Teach
Faculty
Experiential Learning
Assumption's Rome Campus
At Assumption's campus in Rome, Italy, the city and the country become your classroom through daily and weekend-long excursions throughout "the eternal city" and the Italian countryside. This unique study abroad experience will enrich your academic and cultural pursuits as you walk in the footsteps of emperors and gladiators then enjoy delectable Italian cuisine or perhaps a cappuccino after class in a local cafe. (Did you know that your financial aid follows you to Rome?)
Explore the Rome CampusLearn the Skills Employers Seek
Pre-Practicum: Field-Based Experiences
All teacher candidates complete multiple pre-practicum embedded within coursework. Through early exposure to best practices, Assumption’s licensure candidates become better aware of the intricacies associated with teaching in urban and suburban school districts. Required pre-practicum not only span the ages/grades covered by the candidate’s license, but also occur in a variety of settings and include students with special needs and English Language Learners. Elementary and Secondary teacher candidates are granted opportunities to complete 75 hours of observation, practice teaching methods, and reflect upon sustained, authentic feedback from practitioners and methods professors. Field experiences are designed to support students in seeing the connections between theory and practice, and prepare licensure candidates to work with students from diverse backgrounds as well as in high-need areas. Students work with the field-placement coordinator to determine appropriate pre-practicum and practicum experiences and to ensure successful matches to supervising practitioners in the field. Assumption currently partners with:- Worcester Public Schools
- Wachusett Regional School District
- Hudson Public Schools
- Auburn Public Schools
- Shrewsbury Public Schools
- Grafton Public Schools
- West Boylston Public Schools
- Algonquin Regional High School
- Westboro High School
Study Abroad
At Assumption University, the world is your classroom. Students can study and explore abroad in over 50 places from Vienna to England, South Africa, and even our own campus in historic, yet modern, Rome, Italy. Assumption’s study abroad program offers culture, history, and a living classroom for all.Internships
Assumption starts planning for your future the day you arrive on campus. Our Career Development and Internship Center helps students secure exciting and fulfilling internships where you’ll apply knowledge obtained in the classroom in a professional setting, preparing for a future career or additional study. Assumption connects students to internship opportunities in corporations, government agencies, research hospitals, non-profit organizations, and more. Each education major at Assumption completes a 360-hour practicum experience as a capstone.Career Paths
Assumption education graduates are in high-demand from a number of schools throughout the region.
Advanced Math and Science Charter School
Auburn, MA Public Schools
Boston, MA Public Schools
Braintree, MA Public Schools
Chelsea, MA Public Schools
Enfield, CT Public Schools
Hartford, CT Public Schools
Hudson, MA Public Schools
Littleton, MA Public Schools
Marlborough Public Schools
Milford, MA Public Schools
Nashua, NH Public Schools
Pope John XXIII High School, Sparta, NJ
St. Joseph's School, Fitchburg, MA
St. John's High School, Shrewsbury, MA
St. John the Evangelist School, White Plains, NY
St. Peter-Marian Jr.-Sr. High School, Worcester
Shrewsbury, MA Public Schools
Wachusett Regional School District Public Schools
Watertown, MA Public Schools
Wilmington, MA Public Schools
Worcester, MA Public Schools
First-rate Academics in a Catholic University Setting
Assumption University awakens in students a sense of wonder, discovery, and purpose, forming graduates known for their intellectual seriousness, thoughtful citizenship, and devotion to the common good. Students are provided an education that shapes their souls, forms them intellectually, and prepares them for meaningful careers. Enlivened by the harmony of faith and reason, here, students’ minds and hearts are transformed.