Department of Education

The Department of Education and Leadership offers degree programs and certifications for prospective and current teachers. Degrees are offered at the undergraduate and doctoral levels.

Teachers and administrators who graduate from Rivier are in high demand for their dedication, competence, and wide-ranging practical experience. Our students are taught and mentored by professors who are widely recognized, both regionally and nationally, as experts in special education, school management, and learning styles, among other areas.

Hands-on Learning

Our undergraduate programs offer extensive hands-on field and student teaching experience. Through a focus on experiential learning and field experience beginning in their first year, students can build their confidence in the classroom as well as their resume. Students learn to connect theory with practice and prepare to play a valuable role in the lives of today’s students.

Advance Your Career

Our distinguished Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Leadership and Learning provides educators with an understanding of the social, cultural, economic, and political influences and forces in society that affect education. Our doctoral program seeks to prepare leaders who anticipate the need for effective policies, practices, and interventions based on current research to promote and enhance leadership in learning and teaching.

Home to the Division of Education and Leadership, Benoit Hall underwent renovations in 2025, transforming it into a state-of-the-art facility designed to enhance the preparation and training of future educators.

Read More

Become a Certified Teacher

Candidates who earn an Elementary Education degree are eligible for licensure to teach children in grades K-6 or K-8. They also complete a disciplinary concentration.

Upon completion of this program, you may be eligible for licensure in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories, as well as Department of Defense Schools, Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario, per the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement.

Partnerships

In addition to providing laboratories for students needing field-based practica and pre-practica, Rivier has partnerships with some of the finest school districts in our state. These partnerships offer opportunities for specialized classes and many meaningful cross-age formal and informal activities. Some of our current partnerships include:

Industry professionals, including Rivier alumni, serve on the University’s Education Advisory Council, providing insight into the development of academic programs that serve the needs of school districts and communities.

Doctoral Program | Education

Our Ed.D. program allows learners to engage in doctoral study in their current employment while developing their career goals, meeting their personal aspirations, and expanding their professional networks.

Department of Education and Leadership