Education

The Department of Education at Dartmouth College is focused on exploring the complex connections among human development, learning, and teaching. One of our main goals is to begin bridging the gaps among developmental and educational research, practice, and policy. We believe that the process of education should be informed by findings from scientific research and that scientific research about development and learning should be informed by educators. If we want to understand how children learn and how best to teach children, then researchers and educators need to collaborate and share knowledge. Thus, consistent with the new field of Mind, Brain, and Education, the faculty, classes , and research and outreach opportunities in the Department represent multiple perspectives on learning, development, and education: By weaving together educational science, neuroscience, developmental science, cognitive science, sociology, and linguistics, among other perspectives, we hope to help students build a multifaceted, integrated, interdisciplinary, and deep understanding of the developing child, learning, and education based on critical analysis of theory, practice, policy, and empirical data. 

The Education Department offers both a minor and a teacher certification program; undergraduates may choose either or both options. Students may take Education courses singly, to fill distributive requirements, or in a sequence that will satisfy the requirements for the minor and/or certification. The department does not approve modifications of other majors with Education.

The Human Development and Education minor is focused on human development and learning considered from multiple perspectives. It is designed to help students to build and use an integrated, multilevel understanding of learning and development based on critical analysis of theory, policy, and empirical data from education, neuroscience, and psychology. The minor is composed of six courses: the introductory course EDUC 1 (The Learning Brain: Introduction to Child Development and Education), a culminating seminar numbered in the '80s: EDUC 85 (Independent Reading and Research), EDUC 86 (Independent Reading and Research: Research in the Schools), or EDUC 88 (Human Development and Education), and four courses excluding EDUC 41, EDUC 42, EDUC 43, EDUC 44, EDUC 45, EDUC 46, EDUC 47, and EDUC 48 (the student teaching pre-practicum and practicum courses). A summary of specific requirements is available in the Education Department office and on the department website. Students interested in establishing a minor in Education should talk with a member of the department in order to design a course of study that meets the minor requirements.

Through the certification program (Teacher Education Program), undergraduates have the opportunity to become certified as a teacher at the elementary or secondary level. Students interested in teaching certification should read the requirements for certification in particular teaching fields, as described in the handout available in the Education Department office and on the department website, and talk with a member of the department as early as possible in order to design a course of study that meets certification requirements. The Teacher Education Program at Dartmouth meets the beginning certification requirements for most states.

1.       SAT Reasoning or ACT (with Writing);

2.       2 SAT Subject Test Scores;

3.       The common application essay;

4.       Within the Common Application, Dartmouth’s writing supplement requires that applicants write a brief response to one of the following supplemental essay prompts. Candidates choose one topic and respond;

5.       A counselor recommendation and two teacher recommendations. In addition, a peer recommendation is strongly encouraged;

6.       Resume;

7.       Brief abstract of an independent research project;

8.       IELTS or TOEFL (no minimum scores)

Dartmouth Scholarships are need-based and are given without expectation of repayment. Amounts range from $1,000 to over $50,000, depending on our determination of your eligibility. Some Dartmouth students will be selected as recipients of one or more of our over 750 endowed scholarship funds. These awards are not additional money, but indicate that the aid already awarded will come from a specific endowed fund. No separate application is required. Students who receive scholarships from external sources can use these funds to reduce the loan and/or job portions of their financial aid packages. Veteran's benefits are included as a resource in the determination of eligibility for Dartmouth scholarship awards. Dartmouth College currently participates at 100% in the Yellow Ribbon Program which supplements GI Bill benefits. For U.S. citizens or permanent residents, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the only form required to apply for Federal Financial Aid. The federal government provides Pell Grants to students who qualify on the basis of financial need as determined by their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) are awarded by the College to the most needy students. They vary in amount but do not exceed $4,000 a year. When you apply for financial aid, your parents' country of residence will determine which documents you need to submit. Parents living outside U.S. and Canada should provide income/benefits statement from employer.