Experience Education

Gettysburg College is proud to graduate some of the most dedicated, well-prepared young teachers working today. And make no mistake about it: our teachers are not only working in traditional classrooms. They are also extending their knowledge in graduate school, pursuing work in the government sector and in private industry, working in non-profit settings, and doing a whole host of other things that put their teaching skills to the test.

We believe that the ability to conduct, interpret, analyze, and criticize educational research and claims associated with it is not only essential to effective teaching but also a key responsibility of all citizens in a democracy

Request more information

We continually strive to offer students the most challenging and rewarding opportunities for educational growth Gettysburg College can provide, and we seek to fulfill this mission in the most creative way possible. To these ends, we offer a number of special programs and opportunities to students interested in challenging themselves during their time at Gettysburg. Click the links below or to the left to see some of the opportunities available to our students.

Featured courses

Jump to level: All Education courses

by level: 100 • 200 • 300 • 400

EDUC-225 Creativity: Teaching, Learning, and Cross Disciplinary Applications
Examination of traditional and contemporary models of intelligence and creativity, and their effects on learning and leadership. Designed to explore how the creative process transforms professional practices, the course examines creativity from educational, psychological, cultural, arts-based, and neurological frameworks, and addresses learner engagement and motivation. Through the creation of a cross-disciplinary project, students employ research-based principles to design, implement, and assess impacts of the creative process on learning and teaching.
EDUC-240 Special Topics in Education
Study of a topic not normally covered in depth in the regular curriculum of Education. Topics vary and may include education policy, global education, special education, diversity in education, linguistics, or school law. Offered irregularly.
EDUC-260 Globalization, Citizenship, and Education
Examination of changing notion of citizenship and the roles education play in constructing citizens in the era of globalization. The course will cover topics such as global market’s influence on educational policy, curriculum, and teaching practices, international educational competition, educational inequity, migration, and global youth’s creation of learning spaces. Case studies conducted in local contexts both in and outside of the U.S. will be used to explore these topics. Prerequisite: MUS_CLAS 149 or EDUC 199 (must have passed the course with C or higher grade); or permission of the instructor. Additional assignment is given to students who need to take this course as a 300 level.
EDUC-333 Literacy as Agency
Over the past decade, technological advances have exposed society to immense amounts of information via multiple texts. Literacy as Agency is designed to provide a forum where students can investigate the impact technological advances have had on serving literate and illiterate citizens by examining policy, pedagogies, and possibilities. Students will be exposed to literacy through a new lens, context-sensitive literacy that is critical for wide-awake civic engagement, for meaningful social action, and for democracy itself. Prerequisite: EDUC 115, EDUC 199, or EDUC 201; or permission of instructor

Education Department Spotlight

Hart at a school board meeting after receiving his award.
How Gettysburg prepared Readington Superintendent Jonathan Hart ’04 to lead
praxis exams
Richard Huy ’16 earns UChicago Outstanding Educator Award
praxis exams
Feeding curiosity: Ja’Nai Harris ’16 pens children’s book as love letter to her elementary school students
praxis exams
A call-to-action for global citizenship from Fulbright recipient Anthony Wagner ’17
praxis exams
Our Praxis II pass rate—Praxis II is the content-area exam all prospective teachers must pass prior to initial certification—is 100%.

Read More Outcomes

Katie Durr ’14

Art Therapist

Durr currently works as an art therapist at the Center for Autism in Philadelphia,PA.

At the Center for Autism in Philadelphia, Katie Durr ’14 makes a difference in the lives of children who are visibly suffering each day. She has witnessed non-verbal children learn to speak and violent children learn to safely request attention—actions that were previously considered impossible by medical professionals. “I have gotten so many crying phone calls of people thanking me because their child has learned to look at them, or say thank you to them, and a million other little things in between,” Durr said. “Those moments make the hard parts worth it.”

In addition to her full-time job at the Center for Autism, Durr also works at the Creative Healing Center, where she is a primary art therapist for teens suffering from trauma and other mental health difficulties.

Being an art therapist was a dream that came true because of the interdisciplinary studies program at Gettysburg College. Her personalized major, “Therapeutic Visual Arts Studies,” gave her exposure to classes she would take in post-undergraduate education. “I believe that Gettysburg gave me a leg up over my [graduate school] classmates, some of whom had never written a research paper before,” Durr said. “I am not sure I can even put into words how grateful I am to Gettysburg for making me the person I am today.”

Special Programs and Opportunities

Global Study

Global learning is a cornerstone of the Gettysburg Education experience. Students are encouraged to spend a semester abroad, with special arrangements through DIS - Study Abroad in Copenhagen, where coursework may substitute for requirements such as Education 340. Whether through DIS or other Center for Global Education (CGE) programs, you’ll broaden your perspective and gain insights into how education systems function around the world.

Community-Based Learning

Our program partners with local organizations and the Center for Public Service to provide opportunities for community engagement. From after-school programs to educational advocacy initiatives, you’ll put your learning into action while making a real difference in the lives of others. These experiences cultivate your leadership skills and reinforce your commitment to social change through education.

Request more information