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4+1 Pathways Program

Accelerate Your Teaching Career with Action Research

For Current Education Students Earning a Major or Certification

Ready to enhance your teaching skills and dive deeper into action research? Our 4+1 Pathways Program allows you to take graduate courses while completing your certification and continue into a focused action-research sequence in your second year.

Program Highlights:

  • Take up to four graduate courses: You can take up to four graduate-level courses during your junior and/or senior year. These courses are the graduate-level versions of classes already included in your program of study—meaning you’re not adding more courses to your schedule, just leveling up the ones you're already planning to take.
  • Seamless Transition: Transition directly into the Teacher Action Research series in your second year to deepen your research skills and reflect on your practice.
  • Action-Research Focus: Engage in meaningful research that will enhance your teaching strategies and contribute to educational change.

Program Structure:

  • Year One:
    • Four courses at the graduate level that are already part of your program of study 
  • Year Two (following your graduation year)
    6-Course Teacher Action Research Sequence:
    • Fall I: EDUC 504 A Historical and Theoretical Foundations of Education
    • Fall II: EDUC 506 A Teacher as Researcher
    • Winter: EDUC 701 Writing a Review of Educational Research
    • Spring I: EDUC 702 Reflective Practice Seminar
    • Spring II: EDUC 704 Action Research Thesis
    • Spring: EDUC 705 Action Research Thesis

Requirements: 

  • Students should reach out to your 4+1 advisor, Dr. Bess Collins Van Asselt your sophomore year to express your interest 
  • Maintain a *3.5 GPA 
  • Get advisor approval from your education advisor 
  • Fill out pathways program application 

*Lower GPAs will be considered if the student showcases adequate academic growth in their education courses or if there are extenuating circumstances. Your education advisor and Dr. Van Asselt will discuss whether or not the program is the right fit for you.