Established in 1905, the College of Education at Florida State University is part of the oldest continuous site of higher education in Florida.
With 10 programs on Gradschoolmatch, ranging from a nationally acclaimed Sport Management program to online degrees for current educators, the College of Education provides a variety of unique opportunities for prospective students.
Learn more about the student-focused approach at the FSU College of Education from Assistant Director, Jennie Harrison.
GSM: What does your role look like within FSU’s College of Education?
Jennie: I oversee the Office of Communications and Recruitment in the FSU College of Education. As the “face” of the College, my office serves as the portal for information and expertise sought by the media, for faculty, staff, and students wishing to publicize their accomplishments, and for anyone seeking the latest College of Education news.
We also aim to recruit the best and brightest students to both our undergraduate and graduate programs. We have been experiencing a decline in enrollment in many of our programs due to economic conditions, and are working to reverse this trend.
GSM: What tools do you typically utilize to recruit students?
Jennie: We utilize social media quite a lot—we have 7 different platforms that we maintain, which you can find via our website. We also regularly attend graduate recruitment fairs both on campus and at other institutions, as well as professional organizations’ recruitment events, such as Educators Rising and Florida Future Educators of America.
GSM: How useful is Gradschoolmatch to you and your program as a recruiting tool?
Jennie: So far, Gradschoolmatch has proven to be a great way to reach students we wouldn’t normally be able to. It provides us with the opportunity to connect with students all over the country from our desks in Tallahassee. By being able to see a snapshot of his/her interests and background, we are able to tell fairly quickly if a student would be a good fit for our programs. This type of information is much more difficult and time-consuming to obtain through other mediums we’ve traditionally used, such as e-mail and recruitment fairs, so we see a lot of value from using the platform.
GSM: The College of Education recently launched a new website. How has that aided in recruiting efforts?
Jennie: We have been receiving an increased number of e-mails and inquiries since we launched this summer. As a result of our redesign, contact information and content are now more streamlined and accessible. We’re excited about the new site launch, and think it will be a huge help in our ongoing recruitment effort.
GSM: What are some of the unique strengths of programs in the FSU College of Education?
Jennie: We offer a number of graduate programs online that accommodate working professionals. Those programs, which can be found on Gradschoolmatch, include:
- Curriculum & Instruction (MS)
- Educational Leadership/Administration (MS, EdS, and EdD)
- English Education (MS—within the online C&I program)
- Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies (MS)
- Learning and Cognition (MS)
- Special Education (MS—within the online C&I program)
Housed in a newly renovated building, we offer the latest technology and multimedia devices to enhance teaching and learning. Because of our location in Tallahassee, College of Education students and alumni have access to career opportunities not found anywhere else in the state; our students and alumni play an integral part in shaping Florida’s educational system and legislation. Students in our teacher education programs are able to get experience in a variety of classrooms via field experience and internships in school districts all over the state.
GSM: One of your newest programs, an online master’s in Curriculum and Instruction, is launching this fall. What does that program look like?
Jennie: The online master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction (C&I) is designed for current educators who are looking to improve their instructional effectiveness and become teacher leaders. Online core courses are designed to accommodate teachers’ varied work schedules. The following majors are available within the program:
- Elementary Education
- English Education
- Foreign and Second Language Education
- Mathematics Education
- Reading Education/Language Arts
- Science Education
- Social Studies Education
- Special Education
The program requires a minimum of 33 credit hours of graduate coursework (11 courses) that can be completed on a part-time basis in approximately 2 years. Students can tailor their coursework to accommodate their interests and areas of focus. Aside from the 5-6 required core classes, the remainder of the program of study will be determined by the student and his/her faculty advisor from the major area of study.
GSM: What are some typical career paths for students following graduation, and what types of professional development resources are available to prepare them for those roles?
Jennie: Career paths generally depend on the major. For the most part, students graduating from School of Teacher Education programs go into the classroom, though some work in school district offices or other education-related settings. Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies grads work in a wide variety of settings, including business and industry, military, HR, education, and more. Sport Management grads generally pursue careers in the sports industry, such as event management or sports marketing. Of course, many students in doctoral programs continue their paths in academia as professors.
GSM: What is some advice you would give to prospective FSU College of Education graduate students?
Jennie: If you’re interested in our programs, reach out to us! We’re happy to help answer questions and provide you with as much information as we can. Most everything a prospective student is looking for can be found on our website, so that’s the best place to start.
We also encourage students to connect with us on social media. It’s a great way to keep up with announcements, events, and other information about the College.
The best advice comes from fellow students, though. Prospective students will find some interesting stories and testimonials of current and former COE students on our website.
GSM: What does the path to application look like for prospective FSU College of Education students? Where is the best place for them to get more information?
Jennie: Admissions and application information can be found on our website. Each program’s page has specific information related to their admission requirements and application deadlines. A full list of our graduate programs can be found at our website. We’re also happy to help answer any questions that may arise. Our email address is education.communications@fsu.edu.
