Dean's Welcome

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The UMass College of Education (EDUC) is committed to preparing professionals in the field of education since 1932. Home to the nation’s first doctoral program in Social Justice Education established in 1992, we are deeply committed to our value of education for a socially just world. Our college thrives on human connection and unwavering commitment to a world that is more socially just for all. 

The College of Education offers a variety of academic programs to prepare our graduates for today’s educational landscape, underpinned by our firm commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion. Home to 3 departments and 29 licensure programs, we offer an array of program offerings with a deep commitment to teacher preparation and to professional counselors, school psychologists, and education leaders. 918 students completed teacher licensure programs over the past 6 years 62% were employed in public schools in Massachusetts. In support of our vision, we have an ever-expanding undergraduate program and, in 2020, the college’s most popular undergraduate major was established, Community Education and Social Change. We offer advanced degrees offerings to expand research theory and practice in education. For students interested in a flexible schedule or studying from a distance, we offer several of our degree programs online. Our Certificate programs are designed to enhance your knowledge and skill set with the aim of advancing your career.

Our college prides itself on building a sense of community. Students get the best of both worlds – a highly personalized experience with faculty and staff, and resources and support with the highest level of research activity. Faculty in the College of Education are directly involved in fortifying the university’s standing as a national R1 institution. Our research is collaborative, and much of it is also interdisciplinary by nature. Examples of such include the educational technology/STEAM focused work - with projects focused on the use of technology to increase access to high quality instructional practices in schools and in juvenile justice settings through collaborations with experts in computer science. 

Our faculty uphold the values of our college while investigating salient topics including educational assessment, early childhood education, mathematics and science education, school counseling, education policy, and the impact of artificial intelligence in education. Some of the critical areas of educational impact currently being addressed by our college faculty include: anti-racism education, teacher shortages; bilingual and multilingual education, educational technology and STEAM; international education; mental health; and educational assessment. All of these areas carry our college’s social justice vision at its foundation. 

Opportunities for community involvement abound. The Education Club for our undergraduate students provides tangible ways to support our social justice vision through programming and outreach. Home to eight research centers and labs, our faculty and graduate students conduct pioneering research in their respective fields and publish scholarship on a wide range of topics, including racial identity and translanguaging, school psychology, and psychometrics. 

Undergraduate and graduate students have ample opportunities to partner with faculty on high-profile, grant-funded projects. Students gain a wealth of research experience by collaborating with faculty, publishing research and presenting papers at local, regional, and national conferences.

In addition to research centers and labs, the College of Education is home to four academic journals: Comparative Education Review, Equity and Excellence in Education, the Journal of Special Education Leadership, and the Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability. Students have the opportunity to work alongside faculty as journal editors and submit publications to further advance the field of education.

Graduates of our programs come to study at the UMass College of Education from across the globe because of what set us apart: our unwavering commitment to social justice and making advancements in the field of education. Exemplifying this, 37 countries were represented in our graduating class of 2023. Our reach is local, national, and global as we partner and collaborate with universities in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

I am honored to serve as the dean of our extraordinary community of students, faculty, staff, and alumni. I invite you to explore our offerings at the College of Education at the UMass Amherst. We look forward to speaking with you, answering your questions, and helping you arrange an on-campus or virtual visit. 

Welcome to EDUC!

With gratitude, 
Greg