Exploring Programs and Research at the UIC College of Education

The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) College of Education (COE) offers a diverse range of programs designed to prepare educators, researchers, and leaders in the field of education. From undergraduate degrees to master's programs, the college is committed to providing students with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in various educational settings. The strength of the graduate programs comes from the faculty’s talents and commitment to students; at least 70% of master’s courses are taught by faculty each year. This article provides an overview of the programs, academic policies, and resources available at the UIC College of Education.

Undergraduate Programs

The College of Education (COE) offers two distinct undergraduate degree programs tailored to students with varying interests in the field of education. These programs provide a strong foundation for future educators and professionals working with individuals across the lifespan.

Bachelor of Arts in Urban Education

The Bachelor of Arts in Urban Education is designed for students seeking a State of Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) in Elementary Education, specifically for grades 1-6. This program equips students with the pedagogical knowledge and practical skills necessary to teach in urban school environments. During the first two years of study, students are provided with opportunities to select courses from the Urban Education Core Curriculum. After candidacy, students will be required to register for specific coursework each semester while enrolled.

Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Learning

The Bachelor of Arts in Human Development and Learning (HDL) caters to students interested in working with individuals from infancy to adulthood, encompassing diverse groups and communities. This program explores the multifaceted aspects of human development and learning processes, preparing students for roles in various educational and community settings. Students in the Human Development and Learning program should consult the Human Development and Learning section for information on meeting this requirement.

General Education Requirements

General Education at UIC is designed to serve as a foundation for lifelong learning. For a description and a list of courses for each General Education Core category, students should consult the General Education section of the catalog.

Academic Policies and Regulations

Students must complete the requirements of the university and college that are in effect at the time of initial registration. It is essential for each student to become familiar with graduation requirements and to keep up to date with any published changes. If requirements are changed, continuing students and those whose attendance at UIC has been interrupted for no more than two years may complete the current graduation requirements or may continue to meet those requirements in effect at the time of initial registration. Students who return to UIC after an absence of more than two years are responsible for meeting the requirements of the university and college in effect at the time of the student’s reenrollment. If courses originally required are no longer offered, the college has the prerogative of specifying substitutes. Coursework that duplicates previous credit does not count toward graduation.

Graduation Requirements

Students declare their intent to graduate online using my.UIC. The deadline for submission to the Pending Degree List is the end of the third week (fall and spring) or second week (summer) of the term in which graduation is sought. Failure to submit the request at this time may delay the awarding of the degree. A final review will be made following the close of the term. Either the first 90 or the last 30 semester hours of degree work must be completed in continuous, uninterrupted enrollment residence at the University of Illinois Chicago. Concurrent attendance at the University of Illinois Chicago and another collegiate institution, or enrollment during the summer at another institution, when approved by the student’s college, does not interrupt the UIC enrollment residence requirement for graduation. Work done at the Springfield or Urbana-Champaign campuses of the University of Illinois does not satisfy this requirement. Courses completed at other institutions may be applied in partial fulfillment of graduation requirements and as prerequisites for courses at UIC. The college determines the transfer hours that apply toward the degree. The College of Education may permit concurrent registration at a transfer institution.

Course Load and Fieldwork

To be considered full time, a student must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 semester hours each semester. During the regular academic year a course load exceeding 18 hours (12 hours in the summer) must be approved in the College of Education. In addition, some education courses require fieldwork, which means that students will spend a significant amount of time participating in other education settings (e.g., local schools, community centers).

Academic Notice and Dismissal

A student in the BA in Human Development and Learning program who is not currently on academic notice or term notice will be placed on term notice at the end of any term in which the student earns less than a 2.00/4.00 grade point average but whose UIC grade point average is equal to or greater than a 2.00/4.00. A student in the BA in Urban Education program who is not currently on academic notice or term notice will be placed on term notice at the end of any term in which the student earns less than a 2.50/4.00 grade point average but whose UIC grade point average is equal to or greater than a 2.50/4.00. For such a student, term notice serves as a warning. A student in the BA in Urban Education program who is not currently on academic notice or term notice will be placed on term notice at the end of any term in which the student earns less than a 3.00/4.00 Elementary Education Concentration grade point average but whose UIC grade point average is equal to or greater than a 2.50/4.00.

A student not currently on academic notice will be placed on academic notice at the end of any term in which the student earns a cumulative or UIC GPA less than a 2.00/4.00. A student on academic notice who earns a GPA of at least 2.00/4.00 in a given term will be removed from academic notice, provided the student’s cumulative GPA in all work taken at UIC is at least 2.00/4.00. The dean of the student’s college determines the conditions of academic notice.

Read also: Future of Education at NAU

A student not currently on academic notice will be placed on academic notice at the end of any term in which the student earns a cumulative or UIC GPA less than a 2.50/4.00 or has an Elementary Education Concentration GPA less than a 3.00/4.00. A student on academic notice who earns a GPA of at least 2.50/4.00 in a given term and an Elementary Education Concentration GPA of at least 3.00/4.00 will be removed from academic notice, provided the student’s cumulative GPA in all work taken at UIC is at least 2.50/4.00 and the Elementary Education Concentration GPA is at least 3.00/4.00. The dean of the student’s college determines the conditions of academic notice. A student who fails to make progress toward a degree may be dismissed.

Dropping Courses

Undergraduate students may drop courses using my.UIC through the end of the second week of classes for fall and spring semesters, the first Wednesday of Summer Session 1, or the first Friday of Summer Session 2. During weeks 3 through 10 of the fall and spring semesters (first Thursday through the third Wednesday of Summer Session 1 or weeks 2 through 5 of Summer Session 2), students may drop courses with the permission of their major college. If the drop occurs between 0 and 2 weeks in fall and spring, there will be no notation on the transcript. If the drop occurs during weeks 3 through 10 in fall and spring (first Thursday through the second Wednesday of Summer Session 1 or weeks 2 through 5 of Summer Session 2), a W is noted on the transcript.

Additional Policies

The class attendance policy is generally stated on the course syllabus. The College of Education encourages students to contact the instructor of the course if class will not be attended on a specific date. Classes that are closed will not be overenrolled. Course prerequisites will not be waived.

In accordance with Illinois Public Act 102-0174, Prior Learning Credit may be awarded to College of Education students after documentation of prior learning has been evaluated and assessed. The College of Education may award a maximum of 12 semester hours of credit for Prior Learning Experience. The College of Education does not permit double majors. Enrollment in an independent study course is limited to students with junior or senior standing. A student may apply a maximum of 8 hours of independent study toward graduation requirements.

Any rule, regulation, or action of the college may be appealed through the use of the undergraduate student petition. These petitions are submitted to the associate dean for student affairs. Petitions are available in the College of Education Office of Student Services, 3145 ETMSW. Please consult the advisor in OSS, 3145 ETMSW, for further information. Licensure program requirements may be appealed through the CTE petition process with proof of extenuating circumstances.

Read also: Navigating Gen Ed Requirements

Course Repetition

Students may repeat a course to increase their knowledge of the subject matter. There are circumstances under which repeating a course is advisable and to a student’s advantage. There are also circumstances where repeating a course may disadvantage a student and narrow a student’s options. Courses with A or B grades may not be repeated. Normally, courses with a C grade may not be repeated. Courses from the Common Core Curriculum with D or F grades may be repeated once. In all cases, the original grade for the course and the grade for each repeat will appear on the transcript. The original grade and the grade for each repeat will be calculated into the grade point average. Only one registration for the course counts toward the total number of credits required for graduation. To repeat a course more than once requires written permission from the student’s college dean. Students who have been dismissed may not appeal on the grounds of intention to repeat courses. The college will evaluate each student unable to graduate because of an academic grade point average deficit. A total of four courses may be excluded, with one course excluded at a time until the necessary quality points are obtained to meet the UIC GPA requirement and/or degree program minimum GPA. In cases where these procedures would impact program accreditation, licensure or similar, colleges may use their discretion to allow the policy.

Transfer Students

Both the BA in Urban Education and the BA in Human Development and Learning accept transfer students. Students wishing to transfer from another college must apply for admission. Consult the previous section. Application information on applying may also be obtained from the OSS, 3145 ETMSW.

Minors

The College of Education offers the following minor. (The specific minor offered is not specified in the provided text).

Master of Education (MEd) Programs

The Master of Education (MEd) programs at UIC are designed for individuals who are currently teachers, aspiring teachers, researchers, and educational leaders. These programs cater to working professionals, with all master's degrees available on a part-time basis. The only exception is the accelerated 12-month program for the Master’s in Science Education (Strand A).

Student Resources and Support

The College of Education is committed to providing students with the resources and support they need to succeed academically and professionally.

Mandatory Advising and Orientation

The College of Education has mandatory advising for all students. Students are required to meet with an advisor each semester and have their coursework approved to be eligible to register. All students admitted to the College of Education are required to attend a mandatory program orientation to become familiar with expectations and student responsibilities. Students must attend the orientation to be eligible to register for first semester courses.

Financial Aid

Once you are admitted, you can apply for scholarships, grants, and graduate assistantships to cover all or part of your tuition. The UIC Graduate College is a great source of information to start learning about the many funding and award opportunities for UIC graduate students.

Honors and Recognition

A student who has demonstrated outstanding academic excellence throughout the undergraduate program may be eligible for graduation with College Honors. Students will be considered for the distinction-graduation with College Honors-during the semester in which minimum graduation requirements are fulfilled. The student must earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.50/4.00. The student must earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.75/4.00. Outstanding academic achievement in the College of Education is recognized by inclusion on the Dean’s List. Eligibility is based on a 3.50/4.00 term grade point average with a program of 12 semester hours of letter grades in a semester. If any additional coursework is taken on a credit/no credit basis, a grade of CR must be earned.

Secondary Teacher Education Programs (LAS)

The University of Illinois Chicago offers several secondary teacher education programs located in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS). Through LAS, the student can study the Teaching of English, Teaching of French, Teaching of German, Teaching of History, Teaching of Mathematics, and Teaching of Spanish. The programs provide for the development of a major field of study with an emphasis on teaching. Teacher candidates wishing to teach in the middle grades (5-8) should take additional coursework, even though the Standard Secondary License states eligibility for teaching in grades 6-12. Please note that the State of Illinois is in the process of revising middle school endorsement requirements and additional coursework may be required. Be advised that changes may occur without notice and will be effective immediately. Additional information may be obtained from the College of Education Office of Student Services, 3145 ETMSW, (312) 996-4532.

College Leadership

Dean: Kathryn B.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: Dr.
Associate Dean for Student Success: Dr.
Associate Dean for Research: Dr.
Program Coordinator of BA in Urban Education: Dr.
Program Coordinator of BA in Human Development and Learning: Dr.

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