Confirm your calling
“We get them in the schools early and provide them with support and mentorship. We prepare students to become highly effective teachers and they get jobs.”
Teach the Bluffton way
Create communities of learning and respect
Remember the teacher who made you believe in yourself? Who opened your eyes to the possibilities? Who gave advice when you struggled?
Be that person for someone else with a Bluffton education degree.
Relating to struggles
In addition to gaining experience in elementary school classrooms, Morgan Deffenbaugh helped teach the Basic Math class at Bluffton. “I’ll be teaching little kids in the future, but I feel more comfortable because I had this opportunity.”
Filling a need
People kept telling Edward Hardaway that he’d make a good teacher. When he talked to Dr. Gayle Trollinger about middle childhood education, she told him to “take the weekend and talk to God.” “Those words stuck with me. This is the career I want.”
First-year experience
“I actually started as a P-5 education major. I realized that I loved the kids, but didn’t like that they were so dependent on me. At the high school level, they challenge you. They ask, ‘why is that?’ I like going in-depth with their questions.”
Education licensure majors
Reviewed and approved by the Ohio Department of Higher Education and included in the CAEP Accreditation Review
Prepare to teach in a prekindergarten classroom. Students earn PreK education licensure.
Explore the courses required for a
- Major in Early Childhood: Pre-K
- Four-year plan A guideline to completing your degree in four years.
“Being a teacher comes with a lot of sacrifice. I knew that from my dad being a teacher.
I learned that even though you can’t see the impact you make every single day. You
are making an impact without even thinking about it.” - Ella Wiley
Making an impact
The Primary P-5 license prepares you to teach both typically developing children as well as children with mild-moderate disabilities. A particular focus on teaching reading to children in pre-kindergarten through grade 5.
Explore the courses required for a
- Major in middle childhood education
- Earn a middle childhood generalist endorsement by completing additional coursework.
Middle childhood generalist endorsement
Four-year plan
A guideline to completing your degree in four years
“I also help in Basic Math class once a week. It’s another tutoring opportunity, something else I can do to help get more experience teaching math.” – Cael Rose
Calculus tutor >
An AYA teaching license requires completing a major in a content area, licensure requirements for that area and professional education courses. Areas in which an adolescent/young adult license may be earned at Bluffton include:
Four-year plans
Follow a guideline for course selection to complete your degree in four years.
- Integrated language arts even years
- Integrated language arts odd years
- Integrated mathematics beginning with pre-calculus even
- Integrated mathematics beginning with pre-calculus odd
- Integrated mathematics beginning with calculus even
- Integrated mathematics beginning with calculus odd
- Integrated social studies
Employment outlook for high school teachers >
Students may choose a teaching licensure program across a broader age range in visual
arts.
Explore courses for
Four-year plans
Follow a guideline for course selection to complete your degree in four years:
“I wasn’t sure about going to college, but my mom said, ‘I think intervention specialist
is your thing. Working with people with disabilities may be your calling,’ and she
was right.” – Ella Meyers ’26
Helping others succeed
Intervention specialists are responsible for assisting students with their social, behavioral and educational
needs in a school setting.
What is an intervention specialist >
Explore courses for a:
- Major in intervention specialist
- Minor in special education
Three and four year plans
Follow these guidelines to complete your degree in either three or four years.
- Intervention specialist 4-year
- Intervention specialist & primary P-5 4-year
- Intervention specialist 3-year
A special education minor is offered for students who are interested in working with people with disabilities. Whether in their major field or as a service.
4+1 Bachelor and MAEd Program
Earn your Master of Arts in Education in 13 months after graduating with an education degree from Bluffton University. Primary P-5 and Intervention Specialist majors have the opportunity to complete their bachelor’s degree in three years.More about the accelerated bachelor/master degree program >
minors, endorsements and non-licensure major
The education studies minor fulfills initial course requirements for the Alternative Pathway to Licensure.
The Alternative Pathway to Licensure provides students interested in teaching a high school subject (other than history, English, mathematics, visual arts or as an intervention specialist) a path to a career in education.
With completion of the education minor and additional requirements. A person may teach for four years while working toward professional teaching licensure.
Students who plan to work in settings where there are educational opportunities (e.g. training, tutoring, program development, religious education, etc.) may also benefit from an education studies minor.
The child development major provides opportunities to study young children in a variety
of settings. Coursework includes developmental curriculum, preschool classrooms and
nutrition and opportunities to gain experience in various infant/toddler/early childhood
environments.
Students also gain knowledge about working with young children outside the traditional
classroom setting, such as day care, Head Start and other child development centers.
Explore the courses required for a
- Major in child development
- Four year plan
- Complete the child development major in four years by following these guidelines.
- Special education minor For students interested in working with people with disabilities whether in their major field or as a service.
- TESOL endorsement Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
- Pre-K special needs endorsement Add this endorsement to an intervention specialist or Primary P-5 licensure.
Markers of excellence
Bluffton graduates are among the best qualified in the nation. Reflected in the Ohio Educator Preparation Performance Report and in the reputation our graduates enjoy once they enter the teaching profession.
Bluffton received a 10-year national accreditation in 2018. This recognition of excellence is awarded for meeting rigorous standards.
To contact the education department:
Email: education@bluffton.edu
Phone: 419-358-3331
Fax: 419-358-3074
Request information Admissions application
Confirm your calling
“We get them in the schools early and provide them with support and mentorship. We prepare students to become highly effective teachers and they get jobs.”