Mission Statement

Consistent with the mission of the College, the Education Department is committed to passing on the time-honored truths of Western Civilization.  We see our role as one of preparing future teachers to be able to go out into the world of P-12 education and promote these same truths.  We believe in a knowledge-centered curriculum that encourages our students to be liberally educated, rather than to be technically proficient in content-free skills.  Whenever possible, we ask students to read classic texts—rather than textbooks—which support this notion of a liberal education.

Overview

The Education Department provides opportunities for graduates who desire to teach children in a variety of school settings—private, charter, classical, parochial, home, and public.  Recently, the Department and Hillsdale Academy established the Liberal Arts Teaching Apprenticeship to prepare Hillsdale graduates to be teachers and administrators in schools modeled on Hillsdale Academy and schools dedicated to the classical liberal arts tradition.  The Education Department also offers a new inter-disciplinary minor in classical education.

Students entering during the fall of 2010 and beyond will not be certifiable via recommendation by Hillsdale College. These students will have instead other avenues toward certification available to them. These alternatives include coordination of teacher preparation with, and certification through, Spring Arbor University, a sister institution located very near to Hillsdale. Only students admitted to the Teacher Education Program by June 30, 2011, will be eligible for State certification through the College.

Hillsdale Academy serves students in grades K-12, and its program has gained national acclaim . . .