In addition, university middle grades faculty has offered in-service courses in the areas of science and mathematics using Eisenhower funds. The English Education program has pioneered the concept of a discipline-based professional development faculty. Instead of working with all the teachers in a particular school, this program has worked with selected faculty across many schools. Professional development of the participants is tied to an inquiry ethic. Other educational professional training programs in the college have pioneered other models of collaboration.
All programs require multiple field experiences of various kinds and durations.
Because of the size of the college, there is not a single pattern for all candidates. Candidates in Early Childhood Education must show evidence of having at least fifty hours of work in a school or child-related activity prior to being admitted into the program. Student teaching lasts for ten weeks. During student teaching, each candidate works full time in a middle grades classroom for twelve weeks. Thus, each teacher candidate spends a minimum of 480 clock hours in a middle grades classroom during student teaching.