School of Education

The School of Education at Azusa Pacific University equips teachers, counselors, school psychologists and administrators for excellence and leadership in educational settings.

The School of Education at Azusa Pacific University equips teachers, counselors, school psychologists, and administrators for excellence and leadership in educational settings. The school provides an EdD program in Educational Leadership, EdS degrees in School Psychology, master’s programs, teaching credentials, and specialist credentials in special education, school counseling, and school psychology. The school also offers an undergraduate major and minor in liberal studies.

For a full listing of programs and affiliated faculty, visit the appropriate department or division pages: Educational Leadership, School Counseling and School Psychology, and Teacher Education.

Mission Statement

Based upon Christian values and principles, the APU School of Education prepares educators to be creative, collaborative, critical thinkers and scholars for diverse educational settings.

Learner Goals

The School of Education seeks to prepare:

  1. Ethical professionals who understand and articulate the integration of a Christian worldview in their communities of practice.
  2. Responsive educators who practice reflective, creative, critical thinking in their engagement with diverse communities of learners.
  3. Informed scholarly professionals who are dedicated to collaboration, professional growth, and lifelong learning.

Affiliated Programs

APU offers a number of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC)-approved subject-matter programs for candidates completing their bachelor’s degrees. The following programs can be used to meet the subject matter authorization requirement for a preliminary teaching credential:

In collaboration with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the School of Education offers the Integrated Bachelor’s/Credential Program to undergraduate students seeking to earn a preliminary teaching credential in hard-to-staff areas (e.g., science, math, special education) during their undergraduate degree program.

Graduate Physical Education Programs

APU offers programs in graduate physical education. The Master of Arts in Physical Education and Single Subject Teaching Credential, Master of Arts in Physical Education with an Added Authorization in Adapted Physical Education, and the Adapted Physical Education Added Authorization programs are approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). For more information, visit the School of Behavioral and Applied Sciences section of this catalog.

School Nurse Services Credential

APU offers a program in school nursing services. The School Nurse Services Credential (SNSC) is approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). For more information, visit the School of Nursing section of this catalog.

School Social Work and Child Welfare and Attendance Services PPS Credential

APU offers a Pupil Personnel Services credential program in school social work and child welfare and attendance services, which is approved by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). For more information, visit the Department of Social Work section of this catalog.

Professional School-Level Dispositions

The School of Education has adopted a set of professional dispositions that represent the attitudes and behaviors expected of all education professionals, and reflect the values that are central to the School of Education mission. In addition to maintaining satisfactory academic progress, candidates are expected to demonstrate these dispositions throughout all education programs. Candidates who fail to meet the dispositional requirements will be evaluated for fitness to practice in the profession.

Credit Hour

The School of Education follows the university credit hour policy, except when clinical experience expectations from our professional accrediting bodies have expectations for more clock hours. Clinical experience expectations are guided by our professional accrediting bodies.
 
Department of School Counseling and School Psychology
  • School Counseling – The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) requires a minimum of eight hundred clock hours of supervised fieldwork/internship. This equates to eight units of fieldwork/internship within the program.
  • School Psychology – The CTC requires a minimum of four hundred and fifty clock hours of practicum experience. This equates to three units of practicum within the program. Additionally, the CTC requires a minimum of twelve hundred clock hours of supervised fieldwork/internship. This equates to ten units of fieldwork/internship within the program.
  • Applied Behavioral Analysis Specialization – The Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) requires a minimum of 1,500 clinical hours for individuals applying for Certification before 1/1/2022 and 2,000 clinical hours for individuals apply for Certification 1/1/2022 and after. The ABA program includes two fieldwork courses that have assignments that must be completed in the field under the supervision of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) or School Psychologist. The time necessary to complete the assignments equates to approximately two hundred hours of fieldwork clock hours. These fieldwork courses support students toward meeting their clinical requirements for the BACB, and these courses equate to two units of fieldwork within the program.
Division of Teacher Education
  • Preliminary Teaching Credential Programs – The CTC requires six hundred clock hours of clinical experiences. A minimum of sixty hours of early field experiences are embedded in foundations courses, while a minimum one hundred and forty hours of early clinical practice and four hundred hours of culminating clinical practice is completed at student teaching or internship. This equates to four units of clinical practice within the program.

Faculty

Associate Dean for External Partnerships

Kent Bechler, PhD

Assistant Dean for Academic Planning and Accreditation

Rebekah Harris, MS

Professors

Lewis Bonney, PhD

Jennifer Courduff, PhD

Michelle Cox, PhD

Randy Fall, PhD

Paul Flores, PhD

Ying Hong Jiang, PhD

Gregory Kaiser, PhD

HeeKap Lee, PhD

Robert Martin, PhD

David R. Morrison, EdD

Associate Professors

Tammy Bachrach, PhD

Richard Barsh, EdD

Cynthia Dollins, EdD

Ie May Freeman, EdD

Angela Guta, PhD

Stacy Kula, PhD

Regula Schmid, EdD

Assistant Professors

Catherine Hahs Brinkley, EdD

Julia “Judy” Johnson, EdD

Maureen E. Latham, EdD, Superintendent in Residence

Amber Lynwood, EdD

Heather Maguire, PsyD

Gregory Plutko, EdD, Superintendent in Residence

Michael Salce, EdD

Robert Taylor, EdD, Superintendent in Residence

Instructor

Susan Hall, MA