Mission, Vision, and Who We Are

• As the region's only comprehensive university, FGCU's College of Education (COE) prepares graduates for a wide range of careers from traditional Pre K-20 education to museum programs, programs for children with special needs, instructional design, educational media, e-Learning, and will experience research and leadership with undergraduate and graduate programs.

• Our programs are fully and nationally accredited, including the doctoral program for teachers, educational administrators, and other professional school personnel; we also have one of the first Educational Technology Certificate programs endorsed by the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT).

• Our undergraduate education programs are integrated with common courses and experiences that provide prospective teachers with skills to meet the needs of second language learners and students with special needs.

• Employment rate for teaching graduates is 100% and employment rate for all the College of Education Graduates is 88-100%.
• Average starting salary of our undergraduates in Southwest Florida is $41,000 and $55,000 and above for our Master's and Doctoral graduates.

Positions Our Proud Graduates Hold:

Our mission is to provide diverse environments of excellence that support dynamic learning experiences. In these environments, faculty and students reflect upon and engage in the applications of theory, research, and emerging technologies. These environments support the construction of knowledge, skills, and attitudes through collaboration and inquiry. As a result, faculty and students are empowered to create an enhanced quality of life within their respective communities.

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We envision our graduates, and those they influence, as the learners and leaders of today and tomorrow. As learners, our graduates will continue to grow and develop as leaders within their field. As leaders, they will build upon the diverse backgrounds and perspectives they encounter to ensure that all individuals are able to construct the understanding necessary to become successful.

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Greetings and welcome to the College of Education at Florida Gulf Coast University. It is my privilege to serve as the Dean of the College.

If you are interested in pursuing future careers in PreK-20 education, curriculum, research, and leadership, I highly encourage you to explore our numerous and exceptional undergraduate and graduate programs of study we offer.

The College’s mission is to provide diverse environments of excellence that support dynamic learning experiences. In these environments, faculty and students reflect upon and engage in the applications of theory, research, and emerging technologies. These environments support the construction of knowledge, skills, and attitudes through collaboration and inquiry. As a result, faculty and students are empowered to create an enhanced quality of life within their respective communities.

The College offers a broad range of fully accredited graduate and undergraduate programs including a Doctoral program (with cognate areas) for teachers, educational administrators, and other professional school personnel. Students from across Florida, the nation, and around the world seek educational opportunities within our mission driven dynamic learning environment.

Our faculty members deliver field-integrated and research-informed teaching with the highest standards, conduct research at the cutting edges of their respective fields, and are deeply committed to social justice and transformative education through community engagements in collaboration with diverse community partners, including our proud alumni. Our faculty and staff are also committed to excellence in effective advising with a deep sense care for individual student’s academic success.

We believe that teaching, learning, research, assessment, leadership, and service go hand-in-hand and inform each engagement for further and continuous improvement. We appreciate our geographical location in southwest Florida and we value the relationships we have established with our coastal, urban, and rural counties as each provides diverse populations, traditions, and cultures. These counties provide rich environments for teaching, learning, research and service, and numerous opportunities for students and alumni to grow personally and professionally. As a result, we are confident that those who complete our programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels are capable of meeting the needs of our diverse constituents.

Please explore the websites of our academic departments and programs. Come and meet our academic advisors and professors, talk with students enrolled in our programs, sit in on a class session, and even stop by the Dean’s office. You will find that this is the place where people are prepared to lead the future, and transform lives for equity and social justice through multifaceted educational practice and leadership.

Please let us hear from you if you have any questions or need additional information.

Thank you for your interest in FGCU and this dynamic College of Education. Again, welcome and all the best!

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Please click the link provided below to schedule your advisement session with our advisors at the College of Education.

Online Appointment Scheduling