Help shape society as a teacher or as an education policy-maker.
Josh Talley ’19 with his students from his fourth grade class from Chatham (Illinois) Elementary School at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois.
Educational studies students, faculty, and Central Intermediate School teachers learned about the ecology of place on a trip to Teton Science Schools in Jackson, Wyoming.
Central Elementary students research local history with help from elementary education major Jordan Cortez '18.
Why do we do it this way? Will this homework ever be relevant to my life? Who gets to decide what’s included in a textbook, anyway?
If questions like that provoke your curiosity (or your frustration), and if you believe the answers can help shape society for the better, you’re well on your way to finding a home in the Educational Studies Department — a training ground for teachers and education policy makers.
At its core, education is about growth and change
Our students envision change in themselves and want to inspire growth and change in others. Our instant support network of educators and community advocates support students from day one. Our strong, close-knit community works together to help you develop and jump-start your vision for education.
Mariah Garzee '22 discusses science with local elementary students in the geodome at the Monmouth College farm.
Lots of hands-on opportunities
We offer pathways to teacher licensure in a variety of subject areas and grade levels, and we also offer a unique major in educational studies for those interested in education but want a role outside of the classroom.
Get experience leading community impact projects with our place-based school network, lean on experienced teacher mentors as part of our rural teacher corps, or interview local legislators and historians to understand the context of your place through our educational studies major. Our Educational Farm & Garden is open to all students and offers a great setting for hands-on teaching and learning for any subject.
Through our programs, students discover the many opportunities you only find in a small, rural town with a big educational mission.
<blockquote class="callout-quote"><div class="callout-quote-text"><p> “I discovered that the classroom was where my heart’s deepest gladness had met the world’s deepest hunger.”</p></div><footer class="callout-quote-footer">Courtney Gillen ’18 2nd grade teacher at United West Elementary School</footer></blockquote>
<blockquote class="callout-quote"><div class="callout-quote-text"><p> “To become the educator I am today, it took a lot of dedication, perseverance and a passion for music. Finding the right place to reach my goals was crucial, and Monmouth was that place.”</p></div><footer class="callout-quote-footer">Luke Pratt ’18, music teacher in Elmwood (Illinois) School District</footer></blockquote>
<blockquote class="callout-quote"><div class="callout-quote-text"><p> “Although Chicago provides a much different scenery than Monmouth, there are many things I have learned while attending a small college like Monmouth that I can apply while teaching in a large city. One of the most important practices I have learned is the necessity for teachers to take their time in building meaningful relationships with their students. The professors in the Educational Studies Department modeled how to build healthy relationships with students, and I will always be thankful for that!”</p></div><footer class="callout-quote-footer">María Magallón ’18, elementary education and French major with a Spanish concentration; second grade bilingual teacher, Peck Elementary School in Chicago</footer></blockquote>
<blockquote class="callout-quote"><div class="callout-quote-text"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Monmouth College is one of the top institutions we look to for quality educators that are ready to face the challenges of the teaching profession. They are educationally and socially ready to lead our district into the future. Monmouth College uniquely prepares each student for the professional world.”</span></p></div><footer class="callout-quote-footer">Toby Vallas ’98, Director of Student Services, Farmington (Illinois) Central CUSD #265</footer></blockquote>
<blockquote class="callout-quote"><div class="callout-quote-text"><p> “Monmouth’s theatre education major gave me the skills I need for the classroom and the director’s chair.”</p></div><footer class="callout-quote-footer">Natalie Stortoni ’16, drama teacher at Gage Park High School in Chicago</footer></blockquote>
<blockquote class="callout-quote"><div class="callout-quote-text"><p> “The educational studies courses I took allowed me to become more empathetic to the needs and challenges of diverse groups of students. I learned to truly think and teach outside of myself — which should be the ultimate goal of any college student, regardless of their primary major.”</p></div><footer class="callout-quote-footer">Taylor Ewald ’19, history major and educational studies minor; outreach educator at Adirondack Experience, Blue Mountain Lake, New York</footer></blockquote>
<blockquote class="callout-quote"><div class="callout-quote-text"><p> “I chose educational studies because I knew that I wanted to be involved in education, but I realized that the classroom wasn’t for me. I found that higher education really interested me after working in the College’s Alumni Office. I am so grateful that the ed studies major was created so I could explore education in a new way that really means something to me.”</p></div><footer class="callout-quote-footer">Rylee Mann ’21, educational studies major and women’s studies minor</footer></blockquote>
<blockquote class="callout-quote"><div class="callout-quote-text"><p> “I could not have chosen a finer institution than Monmouth College. The Educational Studies and Music departments provided me with early hands-on experiences that reinforced my urge to join the profession, offered invaluable guidance to meet my scholarly needs, and taught me how to best serve every student based on their individual needs.”</p></div><footer class="callout-quote-footer">Katie Yelm ’17, music teacher in Monmouth-Roseville School District</footer></blockquote>
<blockquote class="callout-quote"><div class="callout-quote-text"><p> “Attending Monmouth College has been one of the best decisions I have made. The Educational Studies Department is doing wonderful things for rural communities and schools.”</p></div><footer class="callout-quote-footer">Kylee Payne ’19, fourth grade teacher at Glen Oak Learning Center, Peoria Public School district</footer></blockquote>
<blockquote class="callout-quote"><div class="callout-quote-text"><p> “As a PE major at Monmouth College, I was 100% prepared to teach physical education when I stepped into first official teaching position. The education the faculty provided was exactly what I needed to prepare me for the real life teaching world.”</p></div><footer class="callout-quote-footer">Michael Smith ’17, Physical Education major</footer></blockquote>
Many of our students are Golden Apple Scholars. This state-funded program isa teacher preparation and tuition assistance program for high school seniors, and first- and second-year Illinois college students who have the determination and drive to be excellent teachers in Illinois schools-of-need.
The TEACH Grant is a federally-funded program that provides up to $4,000 a year in grant assistance to a student who agrees to serve for at least four years as a full-time teacher in a high-need field in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families.
The State if Illinois sponsors a scholarship for students of designated minorities who are pursuing teaching as a career through the Minority Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program. In exchange for the $5000/year scholarship, students agree to serve for at least three years as a teacher in a school of 30% minority. enrollment,
Monmouth is the only college in the United States to have formal partnerships with two national organizations – the Teton Science Schools (TSS)and the Rural Schools Collaborative (RSC). These partnerships have allowed our Educational Studies Department to create a rural teacher corps program (TARTANS) and provide place-based education opportunities at local schools (PLACE). If you have longed to be a teacher who has a dynamic vision of change and wants to give back to others, then find out more about Monmouth’s distinctive program designed to revitalize rural schools and communities by contacting professor Craig Vivian.
We want you to have a range of experiences that will prepare you best for your teaching career. Therefore, we want to place you in a setting for your student teaching that will broaden your experiences. We typically do not place people in districts where they went to school. We place students in schools that are within a 60-mile radius of Monmouth, or students can student-teach with the ChicagoSemester program. This is the time to try something new and challenging!
Many of our students are Golden Apple Scholars. This state-funded program isa teacher preparation and tuition assistance program for high school seniors, and first- and second-year Illinois college students who have the determination and drive to be excellent teachers in Illinois schools-of-need.
The TEACH Grant is a federally-funded program that provides up to $4,000 a year in grant assistance to a student who agrees to serve for at least four years as a full-time teacher in a high-need field in a public or private elementary or secondary school that serves students from low-income families.
The State if Illinois sponsors a scholarship for students of designated minorities who are pursuing teaching as a career through the Minority Teachers of Illinois Scholarship Program. In exchange for the $5000/year scholarship, students agree to serve for at least three years as a teacher in a school of 30% minority. enrollment,
Monmouth is the only college in the United States to have formal partnerships with two national organizations – the Teton Science Schools (TSS)and the Rural Schools Collaborative (RSC). These partnerships have allowed our Educational Studies Department to create a rural teacher corps program (TARTANS) and provide place-based education opportunities at local schools (PLACE). If you have longed to be a teacher who has a dynamic vision of change and wants to give back to others, then find out more about Monmouth’s distinctive program designed to revitalize rural schools and communities by contacting professor Craig Vivian.
We want you to have a range of experiences that will prepare you best for your teaching career. Therefore, we want to place you in a setting for your student teaching that will broaden your experiences. We typically do not place people in districts where they went to school. We place students in schools that are within a 60-mile radius of Monmouth, or students can student-teach with the ChicagoSemester program. This is the time to try something new and challenging!
Yes! We have had many graduates who earned their teaching degree at Monmouth and then moved to another state upon graduation. Often states’ requirements differ slightly, so you will likely be granted a provisional license for your first year while you take any classes that might be required (typically only one or two). After you have completed those requirements, you will be granted a full teaching license in the other state. For more information, contact professor Tom Sargent.
Yes!The educational studies major is designed for students who feel a connection to education and who want to learn about the teaching and learning process, but they are not interested in pursuing an Illinois teaching license at the moment.Contact professor Brad Roweor see our educational studies major/minor page.
How our chemistry degree is different from schools like us.
Kieft Scholars is a prestigious academic and scholarship program offered exclusively to our chemistry and biochemistry students. Beloved professor “Doc” Richard Kieft left his $2.3 million estate to our chemistry department.
This endowment funds chemistry-specific academic scholarships, cutting-edge research opportunities, and travel to the annual National American Chemical Society Meeting for our students to present their work.
In 1867, the founders of Pi Beta Phi formed the nation’s first women’s fraternity, right here at Monmouth. Three years later, the founders of Kappa Kappa Gamma did the same thing.
With over 25% of our student body involved in seven active chapters, Monmouth has a rich Greek life history.
