Educator Preparation Program

“Of all the civil rights for which the world has struggled and fought for 5,000 years, the right to learn is undoubtedly the most fundamental.”
- W.E.B. DuBois

The Educator Preparation Program (EPP) at Winston-Salem State University offers a unique learning environment for students committed to elevating communities through transformative systems of education. We are passionate about developing teacher candidates who are committed to acquiring the requisite knowledge and skills to effectively model social justice education in a diverse 21st century learning environment. We seek students who are committed to excellence in learning; students who have a genuine appreciation for cultural and intellectual diversity; students who are willing to engage in issues of equity and social justice to take deliberate actions that lead to reduction in the persistent academic achievement gap among students and the high rate of school suspension among students of color; students who are curious about the world; and students who are eager to contemplate different perspectives.

Welcome to our Educator Preparation Program (EPP) web pages! We congratulate you on your decision to join the honorable profession of teaching! Winston-Salem State University has an extended and proud history of preparing teachers to meet the challenges and opportunities of a changing society. We remain steadfast in our commitment to the preparation of educators who model social justice in diverse, dynamic, and global 21st century learning communities as expressed in the Educator Preparation Program Conceptual Framework.

EPP Conceptual Framework Theme

"WSSU is committed to the preparation of school personnel who effectively model social justice in a diverse 21st century learning community.”

As candidates evolve into teachers who model social justice for all students, they demonstrate the following Core Propositions:

• Teachers are committed to students and their learning.
• Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students.
• Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning.
• Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience.
• Teachers are member of learning communities.
• Teachers are committed to and demonstrate social justice in their teaching, administration, and professional practice.

As leaders of social justice, Winston-Salem State University is committed to providing teacher candidates with a responsive educator preparation curriculum that values the role of community and culture in the educational achievement of students. EPP faculty, staff and administration are intentional and purposeful about ensuring that state, national, and professional standards are met within a culture of evidence that documents the quality of our programs. We encourage candidates to be creative and innovative, to ask important questions, to use data to make decisions, and to advocate for and model social justice in the classrooms and beyond.

Hallmarks of our transformative educator preparation program include relevant, research-based areas of study, a strong liberal arts foundation, robust clinical experiences, and high-impact educational practices. We welcome candidates who believe – as we do – that every student is capable of learning and that a highly effective teacher can make it possible for every child to be successful.

Educator Preparation Programs Offered