Curriculum Department

Welcome to the Web Pages for the Curriculum Department of the School of Education at Clark Atlanta University (CAU). The Departmental faculty and staff hope that you will choose to pursue a degree in education here. We offer several kinds of degree programs. At the undergraduate level, our degree program prepares students to be certified to teach in the field of Early Childhood Education (preschool through fifth grade). We also offer the Master's Degree in Teaching (mathematics and science) for secondary education and the Master's degree in Special Education General Curriculum. Our Postbaccalaureate Certification Program in early childhood education enables those who have undergraduate degrees outside of the field of education to prepare for State certification and to become teachers.

The programs of the School of Education have a two-pronged focus: to address historical inequities in the field of education, and to prepare students to become effective change agents who work to revamp the field to meet the needs of today's learners. To function effectively in the contemporary world, students are prepared to use the cultural diversity of their students as an asset.

CAU graduates have a solid knowledge base, have high levels of self-esteem, can work independently and with others and are leaders able to motivate colleagues and students to higher levels of achievement.

We hope you will choose to become one of our graduates.


Undergraduate Teacher Preparation Programs

The objectives of the Curriculum Department's undergraduate programs are both professional and functional. The professional objective is to provide (1) preservice education for prospective teachers, and (2) background in the principles of education for students preparing for general and social service areas of education. The functional objectives are to create interest in the social and civic functions of education, to conduct research in the field of education, and to study educational problems of the nation, region and State as a basis for formulating a teacher education program which places emphasis on educational problems affecting minorities.

The Department offers a program leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education.

Early Childhood Education Program

The Early Childhood Education Program prepares instructional personnel to direct the education of young children from birth to age ten (preschool - grade five). The goals of this program are to provide prospective teachers with:

• a broad background in the liberal arts, mathematics, and the natural and social sciences
  
  
• familiarity with the field of education and its variety of settings and possibilities
  
  
• opportunities to observe young children in educational settings and to interact effectively with them, using appropriate child study techniques
  
  
• understanding of development, curricula, instructional principles, theory, and research in the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective domains of learning relative to the young child
  
  
• experience in applying psychomotor, cognitive, and affective development principles of curricular and instructional practices
  
  
• practice in integrating the content, methodology, and instructional materials of mathematics, science, social studies, creative arts, and language arts, and
  
  
• experience in planning, implementing, and evaluating the total educational program in early childhood and primary grade settings.

Graduate Programs

The Department of Curriculum offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Arts degree, Teaching, in mathematics and in science, and the Master of Arts degree in Special Education General Curriculum. Leadership in a specific area is the goal of the program. Individuals may qualify for positions of program developers, coordinators and evaluators as well as teaching.