School of Education

Purposes

Point Loma Nazarene University’s undergraduate School of Education offers two Bachelor’s degree of academic rigor in an environment of vital Christianity in the Wesleyan tradition: 1) Cross Disciplinary Studies: Teacher Education and 2) Cross Disciplinary Studies: Integrated Education. Our commitment is to prepare thoughtful, culturally sensitive, scholarly professional educators for a variety of teaching/learning environments who utilize the latest research and exemplary methods to ensure learning and achievement. The faculty is committed to equip candidates to become influential moral and ethical leaders in a highly competitive, diverse, and ever-changing society.

Tradition of Excellence

The undergraduate degree in teacher education includes credential courses approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing leading to the following credentials: Multiple Subject, Single Subject, Education Specialist Mild to Moderate and Education Specialist Moderate to Severe. The teacher education credential programs are offered in San Diego (Point Loma and Mission Valley) and Bakersfield. Because undergraduates may take courses toward the teaching credential, the program described in this section refers only to that aspect of the program. Details of the broader education programs are found in the Catalog for graduate studies. Faculty in the School of Education are practitioners and specialists in teaching pedagogy, counseling and leadership. The School of Education articulates with all other academic departments and schools in the university regarding subject-matter preparation of Single Subject and Multiple Subjects teacher candidates. While the primary focus of the School of Education is to prepare teachers, the degrees are also of value to those who are interested in professions such as workplace instructors, social work, family advocacy, curriculum developers, religious studies, and early childhood education.

Career Opportunities

The Cross Disciplinary Studies: Teacher Education coursework prepares candidates for success in a K-12 teaching career. Career options for the Cross-Disciplinary Studies: Integrated Education major are training, instructional design, people management, and workplace instructors outside of the K-12 setting. Throughout the program, methodologies based on current practice and research are modeled and reinforced. The practice and application components of the methods courses are easily facilitated because the School of Education is field-based. Candidates are required to be in classrooms or other professional teaching venues for approximately 100 hours of documented and evaluated observation and participation prior to student teaching.

Admission to the third Education course in the major may be considered Level I admission to the School of Education, requiring passage of prior coursework and the CBEST test of basic skills. However, this neither implies nor guarantees approval for student teaching (Level 2 admission). If, in the opinion of the School of Education, a candidate fails to meet acceptable professional and personal standards, the candidate may be disqualified from attempting to complete preparation for a career in education. Candidates desiring to fulfill the requirements of a credential for public school service must declare their intentions. For the Multiple Subjects Credential candidate, this decision is made during the candidate’s sophomore enrollment at the university. The Single Subject Credential candidate is also encouraged to decide during their sophomore year. Transfer candidates should consult with the appropriate departmental/school advisor immediately upon matriculation.

All prospective teachers should plan their major requirements and those set forth by the School of Education to establish the proper sequence of courses and the fulfillment of all professional requirements. The Credentialing and Educational Placement Office provides a variety of services: transcript evaluation, credential applications, and career services for the candidate. The credential analyst acts as a liaison between the candidate and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

Faculty

Micki Abercrombie-Donahue, Ed.D.
Montana State University

Kimberly Athans, Ed.D.
Sam Houston State University

Heather Bertrand, M.A.
Point Loma Nazarene University

Michael Corke, Ph.D.
Claremont Graduate University

Deborah Erickson, Ed.D., Dean
University of the Pacific

Grace Fantaroni, Ed.D.
Alliant International University

Jill Hamilton-Bunch, Ph.D., Associate Dean-Bakersfield Regional Center
University of California, Santa Barbara

Jennifer Kritsch, Ph.D.
Capella University

Jennifer Lineback, Ph.D., Program Chair for Cross-Disciplinary Studies
University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University

Enedina Martinez, Ed.D.
Northern Arizona University

Patricia Maruca, Ed.D.
Northern Arizona University

Yazmin Pineda Zapata, Ed.D.
San Diego State University

Ray Posey, Ph.D.
Vanderbilt University

Elsie Solis-Chang, Ph.D.
Azusa Pacific University

Dione Brooks Taylor, Ed.D.
Northern Arizona University

Rachel Wong, Ed.D.
Concordia University

Programs

Major

Point Loma Nazarene University offers four baccalaureate degrees: the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), the Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.), the Bachelor of Science (B.S.), and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.). Many of the 50+ major programs also offer in-depth concentrations.

If a second major area of study is desired, all requirements for both majors must be met with a minimum of 24 units distinguishing the two areas of study. While working on a single baccalaureate degree, the maximum number of pursuits is two majors and two minors.

Students should review the majors and minors list in the catalog.

Other Programs

Courses

Education

Multiple Subject Preliminary Credential

Single Subject Teaching Credential

Special Education