Accreditation
The Old Dominion University Professional Education Unit (teacher and other educator preparation programs in the Darden College of Education, College of Sciences, and College of Arts and Letters) is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), www.ncate.org. This accreditation covers initial teacher preparation programs and advanced education preparation programs. Programs were reviewed in 2004 and the next review is scheduled to occur in 2012.
The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education is a national accrediting body for schools, colleges, and departments of education recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). NCATE determines which schools, colleges, and departments of education meet rigorous national standards in preparing teachers and other school specialists for the classroom.
NCATE accreditation responds to the public's expectation that colleges of education produce teachers and other school specialists who meet rigorous standards, and who can help students learn. To achieve accreditation under NCATE's standards, universities and colleges must offer intellectually rigorous programs which are relevant to the needs of today's classrooms. NCATE wants to know "what do candidates know and what are they able to do?" NCATE accreditation assures students and the world at large that Old Dominion University Professional Education Unit has high-quality programs staffed by well-qualified faculty, and that the students who graduated from these programs are fully prepared to be excellent teachers and other school specialists.
What NCATE Accreditation Means to the Public:
- the Old Dominion University Professional Education Unit underwent rigorous external review by professional;
- candidate performance is thoroughly assessed throughout the program and before he or she is recommended for licensure;
- the programs meet standards set by the teaching field at large, including classroom teachers.