The UCI School of Education is focused on advancing educational sciences and contributing to improved educational opportunities and outcomes for individuals across the entire lifespan. A diverse, dynamic and collaborative institution, the School of Education’s research, community partnerships and programming are dedicated to producing innovative scholarship, addressing the needs of local schools, and inspiring future generations of educators.
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The School of Education began as the Office of Teacher Education in 1967 with three students in the inaugural class. In 1991, it grew into the Department of Education, and in 2012, became the School of Education.
During the early 21st century, the department evolved into a school thanks in large part to the recruitment of dedicated faculty whose strengths were in disciplinary perspectives such as economics, sociology, linguistics and neurosciences. Together, they shared a vision of creating an interdisciplinary, collaborative school of education unlike any other in the country. In fall 2007, our inaugural class of doctoral students began instruction. Since then, the doctoral program has produced graduates who are trained in studying the entire lifespan of human development and the myriad factors that contribute to educational outcomes. Seeing the benefits of the doctoral program’s holistic framework, an undergraduate degree in Education Sciences was established in 2014, the first bachelor’s degree of its kind in the nation. |
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The School of Education has awarded teaching credentials to thousands of aspiring educators over the past 50 years. Our current Master’s of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program enables students to receive their master’s in teaching degree, along with a teaching credential, in 14 months. The robust program features full-time, research faculty leading and mentoring the students.
Today, just ten years after becoming a school, the UCI School of Education is ranked the No. 10 graduate school of education by U.S. News & World Report. Currently, more than 1,000 students are enrolled in our bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. programs. We are the proud alma mater of more than 10,000 alumni, with hundreds more joining the illustrious group annually. |
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We are home to a diverse and internationally recognized group of faculty who are dedicated to research that advances educational science and improves learning outcomes for all students, regardless of background. Our faculty’s research interests are wide-ranging, and collectively they serve as principal investigators on grants funded by the most illustrious agencies in the world – the U.S. Department of Education, National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health, to name a few.
In the 2018-19 academic year, our faculty was awarded more than $36 million in grant money, more than $1 million per full-time faculty. As of March 2022, our faculty served as principal investigators on grants whose combined total exceeded more than $120 million. This represents an all-time high for the school, and is the ninth consecutive year we’ve established a new milestone. |
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In 2018, the Center for Educational Partnerships (CFEP) was integrated into the School of Education. The CFEP is a robust unit that creates collaborations that support student preparation for and success in higher education. Its programs support K-12 teacher and student development, transfer students, and UCI undergraduates from all majors. With the support of the CFEP, the School of Education is creating opportunities for students to achieve the American dream.
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Our campus is located in the heart of Orange County, the nation’s sixth most populous county. Surrounding us is a diverse K-12 student population and dozens of school districts whose goals and demands are rapidly evolving. Through strategic partnerships such as OCEAN, the UCI Teacher Academy, and many more, the School of Education is working with local schools to create tangible improvements for our county’s students and teachers. Together, we are transforming Orange County education.
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Through our teaching, research, and service we are committed to dismantle the systemic barriers of racism and discrimination that have historically permeated schools and other education agencies. We share the priorities of the UCI campus in providing inclusive and transformative learning spaces for our students and to support them to develop into teachers, educators, and scholars who advocate for equity, diversity, and social justice.
"Our School focuses on improving the educational opportunities and outcomes for students of all backgrounds," said Dean Richard Arum. "We are dedicated to producing anti-racist educators who can be change agents in underrepresented communities, which in turn supports not only K-12 students, but their families and communities." |
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In 2018, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation named UCI as the national pilot site for an interdisciplinary team of researchers, led by the School of Education, to study approaches that will improve our understanding of the value of undergraduate educational experiences. Over the next couple of years, we will gather data that captures the student experience at UCI, and create tools so that other universities can undertake similar studies on their campus.
In concert with our community partners, and with the support of a top-10 public university, the School of Education is building a model for what a 21st century school of education can, and should, be. |
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