Help Students Reach Their Potential

In small classes and through amazing field experiences, you’ll work closely with Dominican’s outstanding faculty in the School of Education and our Department of Physical Sciences. Develop leadership skills, master the latest educational technologies, and study the subtleties of lesson planning, classroom management and human growth and development.

Take a deep dive into chemistry courses in a curriculum anchored in the liberal arts. Explore a variety of teaching styles, prepare to support and challenge students who learn in different ways, and gain a deep understanding of the profession’s key values of scholarship, leadership and service.

Dominican is a tight-knit community. Every student, worker and professor is here to help. Any question you may have, someone will find an answer for you. This was something that drew me in and got me excited to attend class."

Luis Urquiza
Dominican University Graduate

Amazing Opportunities

Our alumni often return to Dominican to share their knowledge with current students or to further expand their career preparation. The School of Education offers post-graduate opportunities in special education, bilingual education, English as a second language, and additional high-demand fields.

 The university works to ensure that academic commitment, not family wealth, opens doors. More than 95% of our students receive financial aid. Education students also are eligible for special grants from the Illinois Future Teachers Corps Program, the Minority Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program, and the TEACH Grant Program. We’ll be happy to guide you through the application process.

More than 30% of Chicago-area students speak a language other than English at home. Knowing a language such as Spanish will expand your professional options. You can major or minor in Spanish at Dominican.

Hands-on, Practical Research Starts Here

DU students are making discoveries and setting the foundation for future careers

More Ways to Grow—On Campus and Beyond

Practical, hands-on experience is built into Dominican’s curriculum. Observe teachers at different grade levels as they engage students across a wide range of cultural backgrounds. As a senior, you’ll spend a semester teaching a high school class, with your professors’ guidance and support. Enter the teaching profession with the full set of skills and knowledge to create a caring, stimulating and effective classroom environment.

The State of Illinois requires teachers to earn a Professional Educator License with Secondary Endorsements in a specific area of study. Dominican offers state-approved programs in the following key STEM subject areas:

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Mathematics

To address the shortage of diverse secondary STEM teachers in the Chicagoland area, the National Science Foundation has awarded Dominican University a Noyce Grant for the project STEM Stars: Strengthening the STEM Teacher Pipeline in Metropolitan Chicago.

You also can earn endorsements and approvals that will enable you to teach additional subjects. Our faculty will work closely with you to ensure that you obtain the best possible preparation for your teaching career.

The solid foundation in science that I have today first started in my experience at Dominican when I was a student in the school’s robust science program. Like many who attend Dominican, I learned to appreciate that the faculty were so willing to help us. Their doors were always open.” 

Dr. Patrick Hughes
Dominican University Graduate

Prepare for Meaningful Work in a Vital Profession

As a Dominican graduate, you’ll be prepared not only for your first teaching job but also for a lifetime of intellectual and professional competence. Our alumni work across the United States in a remarkable range of educational settings. They know how to develop the talents of students with a wide spectrum of learning, social and personal needs. They connect with their students in important, transforming and lasting ways.

Learn more about Dominican's Chemistry major

Learn more about Dominican's Secondary and K-12 Education major

Career Opportunities

You’ll find graduates of our School of Education working across the nation as teachers and administrators in urban, suburban, public, private, faith-based, multicultural and charter schools. Some of the top employers include:

  • The Chicago Public Schools
  • An extensive array of suburban school districts
  • Private independent schools
  • Parochial schools of the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Dioceses of Joliet, Rockford and Springfield.

Wherever and whatever you choose to teach, the School of Education will prepare you for a lifetime of learning, leadership and service.

For more information,
please contact:

Josephine Tabet Sarvis, PhD
Professor and Director
School of Education
jsarvis@dom.edu(link sends email)

Other Programs That May Interest You

Ready for your next steps?