Education - Coker University

Coker’s education major combines a strong liberal arts core with the specialized content and professional education courses necessary to excel as a leader and professional in the education field.

The Coker model is unique in that every education course has a corresponding field experience in a real public school classroom, where you’ll observe and work with PK-12 students. These field experiences, which begin in your first year and continue throughout the program, give you real teaching experience from your first methods class (taken during your first or second year). Our program prepares you for certification, but it also prepares you with strong content knowledge and the skills to apply innovative ideas and teaching models that adjust to your students’ individual needs. When you graduate with a Coker education degree, you graduate ready to be not just a teacher, but also a mentor and partner in the learning process.

Key Classes for Your Success

Connecting Home, School & Community

Learning doesn’t happen exclusively in a classroom. In this course, you’ll explore the importance of collaboration between home, school, and the broader community in a child’s education. You will learn about the role of a teacher in building these partnerships, along with the strengths and needs of families in a diverse and multicultural society.

Classroom Pragmatics: Assessment and Management

Having the knowledge and skills to effectively use assessment and create safe, engaging learning environments is an essential part of teaching. In this course, you will learn how to use effective assessment practices to provide the feedback and motivation students need to excel, as well as develop critical classroom management strategies for effective teaching.

Educational Technology

Technology has become part of our everyday lives—and it’s part of our students’ lives, too. In this course, you’ll explore different lessons, applications, and approaches to digital learning. You’ll learn how to integrate technology into the K-12 classroom to support your students and help them be successful.

Which Concentrations Feel Like a Good Fit for You?

Early Childhood Education (PK-3)
An Early Childhood Education major prepares you with the specific tools you need to become an effective and inspiring teacher in preschool through third grade classrooms. You can also combine Early Childhood Education with Elementary Education and become dual-certified, preparing you to teach preschool through 6th grade.

Elementary Education (2-6)
An Elementary Education major prepares you with the specific tools you need to become an effective and inspiring teacher in second through sixth grade classrooms. You can also combine Early Childhood Education with Elementary Education and become dual-certified, preparing to teach preschool through 6th grade.

Art, Dance, or Music (PK-12)
If your interest is specifically in art, dance, music, or physical education, Coker will prepare you to teach your chosen content area in PK-12 classrooms. Guided by the department’s education coordinator, you will follow a structured curriculum to prepare you with base knowledge and teaching methods specific to your content area. In addition, core courses within the Wiggins School of Education cover topics such as assessment and classroom management.

Biology, English, or Mathematics Education (9-12)
If your interest is specifically in biology, chemistry, English, mathematics, or social studies education, Coker will prepare you to teach your chosen content area in high school classrooms. Guided by the department’s education coordinator, you will follow a structured curriculum to prepare you with base knowledge and teaching methods specific to your content area. In addition, core courses within the Wiggins School of Education cover topics such as assessment and classroom management.

One Degree That Opens All These Doors

Teacher (Darlington County, Year 1)

$39,000

Curriculum Coordinator

$49,460

Corporate Trainer

$55,300

Academic Advisor

$41,281

Adult Education Teacher

$43,263

Tutor

$36,857

Meet Your Mentors

Karen Carpenter

Associate Professor of Education; Dean of the Wiggins School of Education; Director of the Teacher Education Program; Coordinator of the Literacy Studies Graduate Program; Coordinator of the Curriculum and Instructional Technology Graduate Program;

Casey Gilewski

Assistant Professor of Education

Gwyn Senokossoff

Assistant Professor of Education; Coordinator of the Elementary Education Program

“I came to Coker University in 2015 after spending 30 years teaching at both the elementary and college levels. I grew up in Charleston, South Carolina, and…

John E. Williams

Associate Professor of Education; Coordinator of the Social Studies Education major

Assistant Professor Of Education; Coordinator of the Early Childhood Education Program

Areas of Expertise My research focuses on culturally responsive pedagogy, English language learners, reading and writing workshop, and rural…

Ryan Higgins

Associate Professor of Education

“Having just graduated with my Ph.D., I drove 11 hours with my husband to complete an onsite interview. As soon as I met the Wiggins School of…