School of Education

Office of the Dean

Virginia Goatley, Dean
Cheryl Dozier, Associate Dean
Alison Olin, Assistant Dean for Personnel and Planning
Christine Smith, Assistant Dean of Academic Programs, Partnerships and Accreditation, Executive Director of Student Success
(518) 442-4988

Drawing on its rich tradition of excellence, the School of Education’s mission is to enhance learning and human development, in and out of classrooms, and across the life span. The School seeks to advance knowledge about the full spectrum of challenges in learning, development, behavior, and adaptation.

The School of Education brings multidisciplinary expertise to bear on policy and practice about the changing needs of students, professionals, and educational systems, locally, nationally, and across the globe. We view questions of theory, research, practice, and policy as complementary and interrelated, and from this perspective, seek to:

• Discover innovative research-based knowledge and solutions for the problems facing individuals, families, professionals, and educational systems;
• Prepare outstanding professionals for classrooms, schools, communities, higher education, and policy forums;
• Produce rigorous scholars to carry out the next generation of discovery and innovation; and
• Provide visionary leadership for educational policy and change, regionally, nationally, and internationally.

The School of Education offers over 40 different master's, certificate, and doctoral degree programs. The school is organized into four departments: Educational and Counseling Psychology, Educational Policy and Leadership, Educational Theory and Practice, and Literacy Teaching and Learning.

The School of Education offers an undergraduate major in Human Development and a minor in Educational Studies, a minor in Leadership and a minor in Pre-Education. Requirements for the major are outlined under the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology. Requirements for the minors are outlined in the Minors section of this bulletin.

Undergraduate students are advised that to obtain teacher certification at the University at Albany, students must complete a B.A./B.S. with an appropriate academic major and then be accepted into an appropriate M.S. in Education.

All courses in the School of Education are preceded by the prefix letter E.

Pathways Into Education Center (PIE)

Pathways Into Education (PIE) Center is the central office on campus serving undergraduates and prospective students interested in pursuing careers in education as well as graduate students enrolled in degree programs that lead to teacher certification.

The PIE Center:

• Coordinates undergraduate students’ access to programs and opportunities in education, such as the Educational Studies minor, E PSY 390 Community Service, Kappa Delta Pi, and the Future Educator’s Club.
• Serves as the University’s central source for information about careers in education.
• Directs students toward the educational careers best suiting their interests and talents.

Contact the PIE Center at:
(518) 442-3529
[email protected]