Strategic plan outlines direction for college

The MU College of Education continually aspires to new heights: Innovative programs inspire student achievement and improve education throughout our collective communities, endowed positions recruit and retain top-notch faculty, technology opens the door to unlimited learning and merit- and need-based scholarships create a wealth of opportunity for students.

While each of education's programs encourages discovery, teaching and learning for all, it is important to note certain priority areas. Five of the college’s priorities are renewed from an earlier plan and the remaining five are new priorities identified for your attention.

"As we move forward," says Carolyn Herrington, dean of the MU College of Education, "we focus on supporting these 10 priority areas, which are core to our mission to educate Missouri, the nation and the world."

Ongoing Priorities

  • Partnerships — Expand the college’s professional collaboration within and across groups of individuals in all fields, including education, business, medicine, arts and science, and engineering.
  • Mathematics and Science Education — Enhance MU’s mathematics and science education programs and our partnerships with engineering, which shape the way these subjects are taught nationwide. Improve student understanding of complex, real world mathematics, science and engineering problems.
  • Information Technology — Expand the college’s current infrastructure to ensure current students, graduates, faculty and staff members can share their IT expertise with community members and colleagues.
  • Teacher Development — Ensure continued teacher preparedness in that students gain knowledge of what they need to value, know and be able to do to meet the needs of all learners. Attract more men to education through the Mizzou Men for Excellence in Elementary Teaching.
  • Academic Research — Faculty research shapes the way educators understand and deliver coursework. Supporting research — or the discovery of innovative learning and teaching — is making a promise for a brighter future.

New Priorities

  • Literacy — Lead a cross-campus collaboration to improve the way young children learn to read and understand literature, especially among at-risk children and youth.
  • Internationalization — Increase student exchange and research partnerships with international programs.
  • Urban Initiatives — Increase the college’s enrichment activities and research partnerships with the St. Louis and Kansas City urban school districts.
  • Graduate Students — Strengthen doctoral programs to ensure students are the most sought in their field after graduation.
  • Diversity — Enhance diversity in the composition of the college’s students, faculty and staff by offering student scholarships and endowed faculty positions.
Supporting these priorities ensures MU’s College of Education will be a top destination for future generations of educational professionals and looked to as a leader among colleagues around the world.