A Message from the Dean

Welcome and congratulations on your decision to pursue training with our school.

The School of Education and Human Development is committed to ​innovatively and responsively meeting the needs of a complex society.  We prepare professionals who will serve the fields of education and mental health with the highest level of competence, moral leadership, ​commitment to justice and equity, discernment, and lifelong service to others​.

Our school embodies Fairfield’s Jesuit mission, where intellectual growth in service to others and social justice are primary. The SEHD develops advocates for social change and persons for others. Our School has a rich history and renewed commitment to issues of equity and inclusion for a more just world.  We work closely with our students and community partners to cultivate a spirit of social responsibility and values-based decision-making. Our commitment to community engagement and our strong alumni network allows our faculty and students to engage in meaningful internship and clinical experiences shaped by evidence-based practices.

Whether your goal is advancement in your current field, a change in career, a professional certification, or an advanced degree, we invite you to learn more about what SEHD has to offer and are grateful we have piqued your professional interest.

Evelyn Bilias Lolis, Ph.D.
Interim Dean

Overview

The School of Education and Human Development prepares students for professional roles in public and private schools, behavioral health and human service agencies, and for profit and non-profit corporations. Currently, the School enrolls two-thirds of all graduate students at Fairfield University. Consistent with Fairfield's Jesuit traditions and mission, the School of Education and Human Development reaches out to the community - engaging faculty and students in public service and providing career development programs to professionals in the state and region.

Unit Mission and Conceptual Framework

The School of Education and Human Development advances the mission of Fairfield University by providing advanced education and by preparing professionals to teach, counsel, evaluate, and serve the wider community in ways that reflect Jesuit values. Programs in the School share a commitment to prepare graduates who believe in the inherent worth and dignity of all people; promote the well-being of individuals, couples, families, communities, and organizations; serve a diverse society; possess strong content, pedagogical, and clinical knowledge relevant to their field; understand the impact of informational technologies on the individual, family, and community; and uphold the highest standards of professional conduct. The School promotes and supports the development of intellectual rigor, personal integrity, collaboration, informed decision-making, self-reflection, and social responsibility.

The knowledge base that informs the School’s approach to professional education, and that is central to its conceptual framework, is rooted in four key tenets of the Jesuit tradition found in the Mission of the University. They are:

• Freedom: Belief in the inherent worth and dignity of each person.
• Scholarship: Intellectual curiosity, rigor, critical thinking, and moral analysis.
• Justice: Commitment to greater good through service and advocacy as change agents and/or leaders within the chosen profession.
• Truth: Commitment to research and ethical decision-making.

These four tenets support the fundamental intellectual/ethical commitments that define our various courses of study: The Scholar/Practitioner Component; the Developmental Human Growth and Learning Component; the Reflective Practitioner Component; and the Advocacy for All Children and Families Component. Given the breadth of programs and faculty housed in the School, this knowledge base is diverse, drawing on various theoretical and philosophical perspectives. However, when we look across the programs, we find that our common philosophy and principles stem from core theories, research, and practical wisdom about how people develop, learn, teach, counsel, and serve others.

Disposition Statement

Education, psychology, and mental health professionals are vested by the public with a trust and responsibility requiring the highest ideals of professional service. Central to the mission of the School of Education and Human Development are the personal and professional qualities and characteristics of students who aspire to work in these fields. Therefore, candidates are required to adhere to the highest standards of ethical and professional conduct.

All prospective and admitted candidates of the School of Education and Human Development shall demonstrate personal and professional dispositions which are:

• Embodied in the mission statement of the School of Education and Human Development and articulated in the school's expected student learning outcomes;
• Outlined in the ethical codes, rules, policies and procedures, administrative regulations, and laws applicable to their chosen profession; and
• Mandated by their particular graduate programs and departments as stated in the program handbooks.

If the program faculty and the Dean of the School of Education and Human Development determines that a candidate or admitted student does not meet these personal and professional dispositional requirements, the candidate or student may be denied admission, dismissed from the program following admission, required to withdraw from courses, complete academic remediation and/or undergo appropriate counseling or other intervention as a condition of continued placement in the program.

Students who believe they are treated unfairly by any such determination may appeal the decision by following the academic grievance procedures.

The School

Since its first graduation in 1951, the School of Education and Human Development (SEHD) (formerly the Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions) has awarded over 10,000 master's degrees and 2,500 certificates of advanced study. The current structure of SEHD consists of four departments that house over 20 distinct programs of study. Our programs are state-approved and many lead to initial or advanced certification. Additionally, several of our programs are nationally recognized and accredited by professional organizations. The School has earned the reputation of being a model of excellence and innovation within its various professional communities.

Comprehensive Examinations

The following designations for grading the written comprehensive examination of work offered for the master's degree in the School of Education and Human Development are used:

• Pass with Distinction
• Pass
• Fail

It is strongly recommended that candidates take the comprehensive examination at least one semester before they anticipate graduating. Candidates are eligible to register for the examination after the completion of prerequisite semester hours defined by their program. If the first examination is failed, one retake examination is permitted. Passing the comprehensive examination may be a requirement for all programs leading to the master of arts. Candidates who fail the comprehensive examination twice may be dismissed from their program.

Connecticut State Teaching Certification

Initial certification of any type by the Connecticut Department of Education requires institutional approval as to scholarship, professional preparation, qualities of dispositions, and personal fitness for teaching. Application forms for Connecticut certification can be downloaded directly from the Connecticut State Department of Education website; student information on the first page of the short form application for initial certification should be completed before the application is submitted to the certification officer for completion of the second page (institutional recommendation). No recommendation will be issued until at least 15 semester hours have been completed at Fairfield University. Endorsement for certification depends on fulfillment of the regulations in effect at the time of application for state certification.

Approved certification programs are listed and described in this catalog. All graduates of these programs who are recommended for certification in Connecticut may be qualified for certification in states that are party to the NASTDEC Interstate Contract.

Please Note: The Connecticut State Department of Education Bureau of Standards and Certification sets all requirements for certification. Candidates seeking initial certification will be required to meet all current state certification criteria. This includes any additional coursework, testing, or other requirements enacted by the Connecticut legislature. Any new requirements enacted while a student is completing an initial certification program and in effect when the candidate applies for certification must be met. This may mean additional coursework or testing requirements.

Durational Shortage Area Permit (SEHD)

The Durational Shortage Area Permit (DSAP) is issued by the State of Connecticut Board of Education to candidates in shortage areas in lieu of a certificate or endorsement. DSAP permits may be issued by the State for a period of one year, renewable two times for no more than a total of three years. The purpose of the permit is to authorize the holder to teach while the candidate is completing an approved planned program in order to qualify for the endorsement sought. Certified teachers who have been offered a DSAP position by a school district must be fully matriculated and have completed 12 credits to be approved by the certification officer.

DSAP for Initial Certification Candidates: Initial certification candidates may be eligible to qualify for a one-year DSAP position in lieu of student teaching. To be eligible for the DSAP, the candidate must have completed all prerequisites for student teaching and have passed the relevant Praxis II or ACTFL examinations. Once a recommendation for hire as a DSAP has been secured, the candidate and district officer must complete and sign the DSAP application. The candidate then submits the application to the to the certification officer for approval.

DSAP applications will be considered only by the programs leading to certification in elementary education, secondary education, school counseling, TESOL, world languages, and bilingual education. SEHD does not endorse DSAPs in Special Education given the level of specialized skill required to work effectively with this vulnerable population. No DSAP applications will be endorsed by the certification officer without a program recommendation. Candidates must be enrolled for two semesters (three credits per semester) of University DSAP observation and teaching supervision and a three-credit student teaching/DSAP seminar.

​Accreditations

The Programs in the School of Education and Human Development are also fully accredited by:

• Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE)
• Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
• National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
• Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
• Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)