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What is special about the Stanford University School of Education
Deborah J. Stipek, Dean
 At the Stanford University School of Education, internationally distinguished scholars examine fundamental and practical issues in education in homes and the community as well as in schools. We define education broadly, to include home, religious and other community settings, business and industry, and the broader cultural context. It may be mediated by television and movies, newspapers, magazines, and computer technology as well as by books, journals, and classroom discussions. Education is concerned with the development of physical and interpersonal skills, emotional and attitudinal predispositions, character formation and work habits, as well as cognitive abilities and subject-matter expertise. Hence, although the improvement of schools is a major focus of our scholarly and teaching activities, it does not exhaust the range of educationally relevant challenges that interest our faculty and students. Faculty probe the ways education environments in the United States and in other countries are affected by larger economic, social, and political contexts. They pursue theoretical issues related to the goals of education, the nature of learning, and uses of technology in promoting learning, social equity, and cultural diversity. Others conduct research addressing teaching and curriculum development; professional development for educators; testing and evaluation; school organization and finance; and school reform.
Faculty eschew the traditional research-practice dichotomy, integrating practice and research by maintaining close collaborations with administrators, teachers, and policy makers. They frame policy discussions and serve as advisors at the state, national, and international levels. The School is committed to developing new knowledge, that can be used to improve education, and to make education more equitable in the U.S. and abroad. To ensure the usefulness of the knowledge produced and to enhance training opportunities for students, we run our own pre-K – 12 charter school in an economically disadvantaged community. We also have sustained collaborations with organizations serving youth in several Bay Area communities and ongoing partnerships with district and school leaders. The advantage of these ongoing practical connections for our students is the opportunity to be exposed to real world challenges and to be involved in problem-solving collaborations with practitioners and policy makers.
The programs at the Stanford University School of Education prepare students for leadership roles in groundbreaking, cross-disciplinary inquiry that shapes educational practices around the globe. Students have considerable latitude for tailoring programs to fit very specific intellectual and professional interests, and the small size of the programs foster in-depth collaboration, both among students and between students and faculty. Students are also able to draw on the resources of the culturally diverse local community and of Stanford University, including an education library and a broad array of computer and academic support facilities. Students become some of the nation's most outstanding leaders in the field of education, as would be expected of graduates of one of the top schools of education in the country.
If you share our goal of enabling all people to reap the rewards of a quality education, thereby improving themselves and the society of which they are part, I encourage you to consider the Stanford University School of Education as a place of study.
Advantages for doctoral students
- SUSE has an enviable reputation for producing educational research that is both rigorous and relevant. Doctoral students work closely with faculty in apprenticeship roles as part of a research team, taking on increasing responsibility and becoming independent researchers.
- Doctoral students co-author research publications with their peers and members of the faculty and make presentations at national and international conferences. Students often tie their research interest to their professional knowledge--either through fieldwork that takes them out to schools or the community, or through workshops and collaborative activities that the school organizes with practitioners.
- Doctoral students develop deep disciplinary expertise by taking a minor in a department outside the School of Education; many students complete a cognate master's degree in a department such as anthropology, economics, history, philosophy, psychology, or sociology.
Advantages for master's students
- Stanford's master's programs are unusually small, thus providing an intimate setting for academic inquiry. The programs rarely exceed twenty students, and each fits a specific intellectual and educational niche, fostering individual contact with faculty. Most courses are taught by regular faculty members and many master's students join faculty members' research groups or pursue individual research projects.
- Master's students have the opportunity to work alongside doctoral students, taking the same classes or working on the same research projects.
- Many master's students participate in internship programs and in school districts, youth organizations, research organizations, or Silicon Valley firms. These experiences enhance students' education and prepare them for careers.
- The School’s deep and sustained connections with research organizations, schools, districts, community organizations and policy makers, as well as an extensive network of alumni, are important resources for students when they are searching for employment.
Advantages for those seeking a teaching credential
- Unlike teacher preparation programs that afford little time in the classroom, the Stanford Teacher Education Program (STEP) immerses students in a classroom experience from the first day of the program.
- Instead of teaching assignments in scattered school classrooms, STEP students are heavily concentrated in Professional Development Schools, where they are supervised by mentor teachers who are working with Stanford faculty on school reform initiatives.
- Many students are involved in the charter school run by Stanford in East Palo Alto, a predominantly African American and Latino community. The school serves as a model program for teacher training and professional development, promotes ongoing collaborations between researchers and practitioners, and explores effective strategies for meeting the educational needs of low-income, minority youth.
- STEP students are prepared to be mentors and leaders in school and district reform initiatives, as well as excellent classroom teachers.
- STEP graduates are in great demand because they are known to be outstanding teachers and teacher leaders who promote high student achievement and positive development outcomes.
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