Office of the Dean
Clement Hall, Room 105
Telephone: (404) 880-8505

When Clark Atlanta University was created on July 1, 1988, by the consolidation of Atlanta University and Clark College, the education programs of the two institutions became a single unit. The University’s School of Education, as a result, inherited the historical missions and achievements of its parent institutions, where the advanced level programs offered by Atlanta University and the basic programs offered by Clark College were combined and adjusted to offer education programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels of study. Their parallel development and many contributions have established an enviable track record. The creation of structured, organizational units provided the autonomy and flexibility for the development of new degree programs and rapid adjustment of courses and programs to meet changing social and educational needs. Over the years, the School has maintained a positive impact on P-12 education by responding innovatively to meet their shifting demands.

The School of Education seeks to prepare leaders who are educators, researchers, and motivated critical thinking change agents dedicated to affecting the optimal manifestation of education in a multicultural society punctuated by international dimensions. Students are stimulated by an action-oriented, problem-solving curriculum designed to produce teacher candidates and teaching professionals who move innovatively to meet the shifting social and educational needs that occur in private and public schools, and learning organizations. In addition to developing future educators and administrators, the School has garnered a reputation as a producer of educational leaders and specialists who are competent and transformative in a systemic approach that embodies the core of social justice and fosters critical thinking.

The mission of the School of Education at Clark Atlanta University is to prepare highly competent, autonomous, critical-thinking candidates for P-12 schools and various educational settings serving all students, particularly those belonging to culturally and linguistically diverse groups. The vision of the School is to continue to drive and elevate the discourse in seeking answers to societal problems and challenges endemic in local, national, and global scholastic environments. The School provides undergraduate and graduate level educational study and advanced learning opportunities through the departments of Curriculum and Instruction, Counselor Education, and Educational Leadership. The Department of Curriculum and Instruction offers undergraduate degrees in Early Childhood-Elementary Education and Educational Studies to accommodate the training interests and requirements of all students devoted to the discipline of education and teacher certification.

The School of Education is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). This accreditation covers Elementary Education, Elementary Education Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, Secondary Mathematics and Science, Special Education-General Curriculum, Counselor Education, and Educational Leadership. However, the accreditation does not include individual education courses that the institution offers to P-12 educators for professional development, re-licensure or other purposes.

The School’s Educator Preparation Programs in Elementary Education, Elementary Education Post-Baccalaureate Certificate, Secondary Mathematics and Science, Special Education-General Curriculum, Counselor Education, and Educational Leadership are approved by the Georgia Professional Standard Commission (GAPSC).

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), has granted accreditation to the following School of Education’s programs in the Department of Counselor Education at Clark Atlanta University: Community Education (MA) and School Counseling (MA)