Education Degrees at Aquinas College
Explore Education at Aquinas
Your education should begin where it matters the most: with the learners. That’s why, at Aquinas, we get you into the classroom on day one—because learning to teach is about practice and experience, not just theory.
Here, we strive to prepare teachers who are equipped to make a difference in the world. By incorporating hands-on learning, modeling effective teaching methods, and providing extensive clinical practice opportunities in the field, we ensure that you acquire the skills you need to become an effective educator. In practice, this means getting you into area schools every semester you are in our program, where you can work with classroom teachers and their PK-12 students.
It's Your Time to Learn
Why Choose Aquinas for your Education Degree?
Big change: Michigan now wants future teachers to complete 600 classroom observation hours before
getting certified.
Most colleges: Cram half of those hours into one crazy semester before student teaching.
Aquinas does it way better.
Here’s how: We spread your hours across all your education semesters, so you can connect what you are learning in class directly to what’s happening in real schools.
What you’ll do: Work alongside awesome PK-12 teachers, see what teaching looks like day to day, and start building your confidence early.
The result: By the time you graduate, you’ll be ready to lead a classroom of your own.
“She has done a wonderful job in the classroom with a very difficult group of scholars. I am pleased with her progress this year and feel she has the makings of a master level teacher.”
High School Principal -
“She is a fantastic teacher with skills far above that of a first-year teacher.”
High School Principal -
“He genuinely cares about building relationships, figuring out what each student needs, is eager to learn from colleagues and experiences, and has developed a safe environment with growth mindsets in his classroom.”
High School Principal -
The mission of our program aligns with the social justice mission of the Dominican Sisters when we embrace critical conversations about anti-racism, diversity, and equity in education and strive to prepare educators who are competent, compassionate, and committed to serving all learners.
High-school students who have successfully completed a teacher academy or teacher cadet program while in high school can apply for prior learning credits as a substitute for our EDUC-200 Introduction to Education course. Documentation of at least 30 hours of clinical fieldwork in a PK-12 school is required. Contact the department for additional information at schoolofed@aquinas.edu.
The School of Education at Aquinas College is nationally accredited through CAEP,
the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Programs. CAEP stands on a strong foundation
and rich history of accreditation in teacher and educator preparation. Along with
CAEP, the Aquinas College School of Education seeks to advance excellent educator
preparation through evidence-based processes that assure quality and support continuous
improvement to strengthen P-12 student learning in Michigan.
Catholic School Educators
At Aquinas College, you not only receive high-quality teacher preparation, but you also have the opportunity to simultaneously earn your Catechist certification. Required by most Catholic schools, this certification increases your marketability and lessens the stress on your first year of teaching. Requirements vary by diocese, so consult your diocese for details and expectations.
What will you learn in the education program?
In Aquinas’ Education program, you’ll learn how to create meaningful learning experiences for every student. Coursework and clinical experiences work hand in hand, helping you build skills in curriculum development, differentiation, collaboration, and classroom assessment. You’ll explore inclusive and culturally responsive teaching strategies while gaining real-world experience that connects theory to practice.
“There is so much alignment with what we do in class, with homework, and in clinical experiences. As preservice teachers, we are learning about the importance of observing and assessing. We have discussed it in our courses, and we practice it in our teaching labs.”
Victoria Scovel -
“Aquinas trained us well in curriculum development, differentiation, and collaborating with other teachers.”
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“[Aquinas] did a really good job of providing meaningful and intentional learning opportunities and assignments. They also put a lot of emphasis on diversity in all forms and providing concrete instructional strategies for meeting the needs of diverse learners.”
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“[AQ was] very student-focused and great at communicating with me as I navigated my way through the preparation process.”
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Upon completing a major in education, a student will be able to
- Appropriately engage with learners across developmental stages with insight and skill regarding learning differences.
- Construct learning environments that engage all learners with equity and inclusion.
- Demonstrate knowledge and skill in a variety of instructional practices, approaches to assessment monitoring and decision-making, and planning for instruction.
- Effectively integrate technology into their instruction as well as a student’s construction of knowledge across content areas.
- Demonstrate knowledge and skill regarding discipline-specific tools of inquiry and the structure of the disciplines they teach, and create learning experiences that make learning the discipline accessible and meaningful to students to ensure content mastery.
- Connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem-solving related to authentic local and global issues.
- Engage in ongoing professional learning using evidence to continually evaluate their practice and the effects of their choices and actions on others in the learning community, including clinical experiences and college classroom spaces.
- Collaborate as a professional with learners, families, and colleagues to ensure learner growth and advance the profession.
Student Research
Check out the current and past research that Aquinas students do with faculty to further the world's knowledge.
Alumni Profiles
See how an education degree from Aquinas helped others step confidently into their futures.
Shape your Career with an education degree
Occupational Employment and Wages - May 2023
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Elementary School Teachers, except Special Education
| Employment | Mean annual wage |
|---|---|
| 1,410,070 | $70,740 |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Wage | $46,960 | $51,260 | $63,680 | $81,480 | $104,440 |
For more information, see: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Occupational Employment and Wages - May 2023
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Secondary Teachers, except Special and Career/Technical Education
| Employment | Mean annual wage |
|---|---|
| 1,045,170 | $73,800 |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Wage | $48,040 | $54,290 | $65,220 | $83,340 | $106,380 |
For more information, see: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Graduate Education Programs
Aquinas’ Accelerated M.Ed. (AME) program offers a fast and flexible path to initial teacher certification at the elementary or secondary level.
Employment Resources
The Education Department has compiled resources to help our students find employment post-graduation. Check out local and in-state employment opportunities.
Education Department News
Anna is a widely beloved member of the Aquinas community, and she is every bit as kind as she is diligent. Her story at Aquinas is one of thoughtfulness and heart, traits that run through every chapter of her story, shaping her into the person she is today. Aquinas College recently held the 2024 Student Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Symposium, a twice-annual event that showcases the quality and diversity of AQ's research. Not every teacher gets to return to the high school where they graduated. But for Ingrid Vredevoogd, who earned her Accelerated Master in Education (AME) at AQ this past spring, returning to Grandville to teach felt like returning home. Aquinas College recently hosted its annual Project Unite Event during new student orientation, bringing together incoming students for a community-engaged learning experience. Stacy has recently graduated from AQ with her Early Childhood Education degree and is currently finishing her Accelerated Master’s in Education (AME). 
Finding Her Hive: How Anna Bee Built Community at Aquinas
Student Symposium Creates a Space for Significant Contributions to Academia
Alumni Spotlight: Ingrid Vredevoogd
Serving Our Community through Project Unite
Alumni Spotlight: Stacy Fellows