Susan W. Parker, Ph.D.
Department Head, Education
Associate Professor of Education
Early childhood education, social issues related to children with disabilities
Interdisciplinary Studies B.S. or B.A.
/**/
The B.S. and B.A. degree programs in Interdisciplinary Studies are designed for students wishing to take courses in a broad range of interconnected disciplines. Flexible requirements make it ideal for transfers, degree completion candidates, and students who prefer to design programs of study that meet their individual needs.
Structured Literacy
The certificate program in structured literacy is accredited through the International Dyslexia Association and is designed for teachers, reading specialists, speech language pathologists, and others who work with children in literacy. The 7-credit program provides the skills necessary to implement systematic, explicit multisensory phonics instruction to children with dyslexia and other reading differences. This certificate is offered at the graduate level.
Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification
/**/
Are you ready for a career change? If you now want to pursue a career in education and have already earned a bachelor degree, the RMU post-baccalaureate teacher certification program is for you. Robert Morris University offers several non-degree post-baccalaureate teacher certification program options, and each option prepares our teacher candidates for an amazing career as a teacher.
The following seven program options are available:
Reading Specialist
The reading specialist program provides teachers with a comprehensive background in literacy. Through a blend of evening coursework and a 3-credit practicum with ELL or students with special needs at RMU’s on-site clinic under the direct supervision of an instructor, candidates are fully prepared for the Praxis exam and certification as reading specialists from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. This certificate is offered at the graduate level.
Principal Certification
The principal certification program is for educators who have at least two years of teaching experience and wish to pursue career opportunities in school administrative positions. The program can be taken as a standalone for certification by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, or as part of an M.S. in Instructional Leadership. This certificate is offered at the graduate level.
Department of Education
Educators need to be dynamic communicators with a passion to make a difference. RMU’s Department of Education strives to produce highly effective teachers, specialists, and administrators who can make a positive impact on their schools and their pupils. The department promotes student success through an innovative and challenging curriculum, discipline-based research, and actual practice.
Instructional Management and Leadership Ph.D.
RMU announces an online Ph.D. program for Instructional Management and Leadership. The next cohort begins June 24, 2024.
- Convenient: Complete your doctorate in 3 years online
- Flexible: Synchronous and asynchronous format allows for life-work balance
- Excellence: Become a leader in your field
- Relationship Building: Network with colleagues and leaders in your field
- Innovate: Generate new ways of leading with faculty mentors
Literacy M.Ed.
The M.Ed. degree program in Literacy with Reading Specialist certification provides classroom teachers with the tools to better manage resources in the classroom for students with literacy needs. The program offers both a theoretical and applied approach to working with students' literacy problems in the classroom. Candidates learn to assess reading difficulties, implement appropriate literacy instructions, and use data-driven instruction to plan school-wide literacy programs.