Commitment to the Liberal Arts
What makes our program distinctive is our commitment to a philosophy of education rooted in the liberal arts. We believe that habits of inquiry cultivated by a liberal arts education are the best foundation for the intellectual and practical demands of teaching. We also believe that we do our best thinking and growing as teachers and learners in collaboration with others. We embody this ideal in our program.
We are a small, flexible program devoted to providing students with opportunities to deeply engage with faculty, each other, and practicing educators around the core challenges of teaching and learning. Some aspects of our program that make it unique include:
- Research opportunities with faculty
- Our January term Urban Educational Fellowship in New York City, Chicago, and Boston
- Project Coach, an opportunity to support urban youth through developing coaching skills that they share with younger students
- The Pistoia Program
- Our Museums Concentration
We Help You Develop Your Potential
Preparing for a teaching career is foremost among the reasons for studying education. No undertaking is more challenging than teaching well. Our goal is to help students develop the ideas and tools they will need to address the challenges they will face. Teaching is not the only reason to study education.
Other student interests that have motivated study in education include the history of education; educational publishing; children's literature; curriculum and instructional development; museum and corporate education; reading; learners with special needs; urban and multicultural education; science, mathematics and engineering education; and guidance and counseling.
Smith College Laboratory School
Smith College boasts one of the largest and well-supported education departments at any liberal arts college. Students have many opportunities to work closely with faculty in a variety of research and school-based projects. The college's laboratory school, The Smith College Campus School has been in existence since 1926 and represents an enormous commitment to excellence in the study of children and teaching.
The education of teachers was a stipulation in the will of Sophia Smith, the college's founder, and Smith graduates have been making an impact on the lives of students ever since.
