DANBURY, CT – Western Connecticut State University announced that its Education and Educational Psychology Department, housed in the School of Professional Studies, was recently granted accreditation by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) after a rigorous on-site review and study.
Dr. Katherine Roe, chair of the Education and Educational Psychology Department, noted that “Accreditation is absolutely critical in higher education. Our students need accredited programs to receive financial aid, and to become certified in Connecticut and in many other states, so we are delighted in the news.”
“CAEP agreed with us that the education provided by our Education and Educational Psychology Department offers a successful multidisciplinary program that integrates theory with practice to prepare our students to become competent and effective professionals that will contribute to the community upon graduation,” Roe said. She added that those graduating from this accredited WCSU program will have their degrees, skills and competency recognized by educational institutions, employers, professional organizations, licensing boards, government agencies and more.
WCSU’s Education and Educational Psychology Department earned the important accreditation by meeting several standards set by CAEP, including proficiency in content and pedagogical knowledge; candidate quality, recruitment and selectivity; and program impact.
CAEP, widely considered the top teaching program-specific accreditation, is responsible for the oversight on accredited programs and ensures the proper teaching standards are fully implemented for its accredited programs. CAEP is the only accrediting body for educational programs currently recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
According to the CAEP, “Accreditation makes sure that educator programs prepare new teachers to know their subjects, their students and have the clinical training that allows them to enter the classroom ready to teach effectively … (and it) provides a framework that has pushed educator preparation programs to continually self-assess and conduct evidence-based analysis of their programs and their efficacy.”
WCSU’s Education and Educational Psychology Department received accreditation for both the initial-licensure level and advanced-level this fall, which will remain in effect until the next CAEP review in spring 2028.
WCSU’s Education and Educational Psychology’s undergraduate and graduate programs develop innovative and creative education and counseling professionals who go on to lead, innovate and create environments where all students can learn for today’s diverse classroom in K-12 education. Students are prepared for professions including teaching, counseling and instructional leadership. WCSU also leads the region in innovative programs for professional licensure on the graduate level. For more information about the undergraduate and graduate programs offered in WCSU’s School of Professional Studies, go to www.wcsu.edu/education/.
