The Program

The Professional Education Department/Teacher Preparation Program is a candidate member in good standing of the Teacher Education Accreditation Council, a national accrediting body. It holds State of West Virginia approval to prepare students for licensure in the areas of secondary teaching for Biology, Chemistry, English, French, General Science, History, Mathematics, Physics, Political Science, and Spanish. It also has a complete major for Liberal Studies in Elementary Education (K-6). The course of study is designed around the National Board for Teaching Certification standards and includes field experiences, laboratory experiences and a full semester of student teaching in the local schools. Our Partnerships In Education include: Ritchie Elementary, Steenrod Elementary, Middle Creek Elementary, Elm Grove Elementary, Wheeling Catholic Elementary, Wheeling Middle School, and Wheeling Park High School.  Our students work closely with veteran teachers in these schools in a mentoring relationship.

Opportunities

Graduates are licensed in West Virginia and have reciprocity privileges with 44 other states. Starting salaries, depending on the school district, range from $28,000 to $35,000. Our chapter of the international honorary for education, Kappa Delta Pi, is active on campus and permits some of the strongest students in the University to have the recognition and honor they deserve for their academic excellence in both the liberal arts and teacher preparation coursework.

Facilities and Faculty

The department is especially strong in the areas of service learning and community involvement with numerous projects in the local schools including the provision of services to the disabled students and adults and students at risk for economic reasons. Wheeling Jesuit is home to a Challenger Learning Center, the Center for Educational Technologies, and the NASA Classroom of the Future. We maximize technology throughout our teacher preparation program. At present there are approximately 80 elementary education majors and 20 secondary education majors who have classes with our 4 full time faculty and 8 adjuncts who are expert teachers in the field.  The four full time faculty bring a combined total of 120 years of teaching experience to their classrooms, most of which occurred in the public schools.

For more information on how Wheeling Jesuit University can help you realize your potential and own your future, call 1-800-624-6992 or e-mail or visit Wheeling Jesuit online at wju.edu.