St. Joseph Division of Education

Welcome to the Division of Education

Prepared. Confident. Employed.  Those are some of the words our graduates use to describe their experience in the education program at Siena Heights University.  We believe in experience.  At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, candidates acquire significant hours of clinical field experience.  In fact, our candidates are in the P-12 classroom their first semester.  Our full-time faculty have more than 180 combined years of P-20 education experience.

SHU was founded as St. Joseph College in 1919 and focused initially on producing teachers and administrators for Catholic schools. Renamed Siena Heights College in 1939, the institution began expanding undergraduate programs and added graduate degrees. By the 1950s, it was recognized as one of the nation’s 10 best liberal arts colleges for women.  The Division of Education is accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council/Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation and has been approved by the Michigan Department of Education to serve as a preparation institution.

Teacher Education at SHU focuses on education in its broadest vision. We believe teaching is both an art and a science. Students are encouraged to explore various aspects of the teaching/learning process, in addition to the formal preparation required for teaching. 

Through rigorous academic study, clinical experience hours, and continuous reflection on one’s evolving philosophy of education, the Siena Heights education student not only learns from those who have gone before, but creates imaginative and innovative learning activities that will inspire prospective students to wholeheartedly engage in the learning process.

At Siena Heights University, Teacher Education students choose from a variety of teachable majors and minors for either initial certification or additional endorsements. Siena Heights University has authorization from the Michigan Department of Education to recommend certification and/or additional endorsements in a variety of grade levels and content areas, including post BA initial certification and degrees for Master of Arts.

Useful Links & Information

INITIAL TEACHER CERTIFICATION and ADDITIONAL ENDORSEMENT AREAS:

General Information

Office Hours: 8 AM to 5 PM Weekdays
Phone: (517) 264 7920
Email: DivisionofEducation@sienaheights.edu;

Siena Heights University’s St. Joseph Division of Education programs/certificates are stellar!  Professionals emerge equipped with high standards, and current-day skill sets that prepare top selected candidates for employment.

Jill Roberts, 4th grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary