College faculty include Kellogg and Fulbright fellows, who bring an international perspective to their work. A number of centers and institutes in the college allow for specialized opportunities in such areas as American Indian education, technology in education, student teaching abroad, and adult literacy. Students can participate in service activities such as an alternative spring break, student professional societies, and the college student council. Job placement is facilitated through a large career fair, usually held in the spring, and supported by the Office of Career Services. Job prospects are especially strong for students with excellent academic records, expertise in special education, technology, math, and science, and a willingness to locate where the need is most urgent.
Salaries vary depending on the school district, but are quite competitive.
Even first-year students can seek out the experiences that will best enhance their career opportunities. There are several scholarships available to students in the college through the support of an active alumni council. It is possible to obtain teacher certification while enrolled in other colleges at Penn State. Other colleges have teaching options attached to their major curricula, for instance in mathematics, physics, and German, which require similar courses. Finally, students may pursue a field of interest, such as history or human development, that does not offer an explicit path to certification and, by careful consultation with the College of Education, gain certification along the way.