EDUCATION (SECONDARY), Bachelor

Central's unique developmental model, one-of-a-kind programming, and curriculum are designed to  open minds . Open-minded teachers are leaders in creative problem solving, compassionate collaborators, and fierce advocates. Open-minded teachers embrace opportunities to gain common ground and pursue learning outside of the classroom.

You will become a highly prepared teacher when you use the "I Understand, I Can, I Am" developmental model. It will provide you with various field experiences in diverse settings and ultimately ready you to become a highly qualified teacher in a global world. This model aligns with the InTASC standards for teacher preparation and provides fundamental, developmentally appropriate coursework and experiences.

In addition to rigorous coursework, Central education majors are expected to immerse themselves in their chosen field–whether through a short-term faculty-led trip to work in schools in Puerto Rico or the Central Teacher Academy, where students gain hands-on experience with a local K-12 mentor teacher.

Students can also get involved with a development-focused mission trip to Sierra Leone, Africa, or students in inner-city Chicago or on one of Central's international study abroad programs.

Education students pursuing graduate school typically do so after several years of teaching in the field. Educational leadership, reading, special education, and content-specific areas are typical graduate school studies for education graduates. Central education students have attended graduate school in varying states across the United States.

Central College (Central) in Pella, Iowa, is a private, four-year liberal arts college. Central is known for its academic rigour, leadership and character formation, global experiential learning, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), sustainability education, athletics, and service. The Central experience is rooted in exploration and self-discovery and enhanced with life in a residential community of 1,150 students. Central College values its long-standing relationship with the Reformed Church in America.

Central College is a residential liberal arts college dedicated to helping students discover and develop their greatest potential. Guided by its ecumenical Christian tradition, the college community engages in vigorous, open inquiry to pursue academic excellence.

The college nurtures the development of the mind while fostering spiritual and emotional maturity and physical well-being. Central integrates career preparation with the development of values essential to responsible citizenship, empowering graduates for effective service in local, national, and international communities.

The Central College academic community is dedicated to educating undergraduate students. Nearly 100 faculty and 350 staff members, full- and part-time, serve approximately 1,100 undergraduates, who hail from Iowa, 30 other states, and countries worldwide. The power of the Central global network through alumni, parents, donors, and corporate partners brings significant opportunities for the college and its students.