Department of Education
Join Otterbein’s community of educators who are passionate about teaching, innovating, and changing the future. Your instructors care about preparing teachers, and they will show you how to implement cutting-edge developmentally and culturally responsive teaching methods.
Your field experiences begin with your first class. Otterbein’s ideal location allows you to experience many different schools and classrooms.
Otterbein offers licensure programs in Primary Education (PreK-5), Middle Childhood Education (4-9), Adolescence to Young Adult (7-12), and PreK-12. Licensed teachers can add a license or endorsement or consider a Master of Arts in Education degree.
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Programs of Study in Education
B.S.E
PreK-5 Primary Education with optional PreK-5 Dual License Intervention Specialist
Become an exceptional elementary school teacher. Otterbein’s program emphasizes literacy-reading and writing, as well as technology, science, and mathematics literacy aimed at maximizing every student’s potential. With a few extra classes, students can earn a dual P-5 Elementary/Special Education license.
B.S.E
Middle Childhood Education (Undergraduate, Post-Baccalaureate)
Otterbein’s Middle Childhood (4-9) candidates learn to integrate content through a comprehensive middle childhood philosophy, preparing them to teach in their own classrooms from Day one. Middle Childhood teachers can teach two content areas from the following choices: Language Arts & Reading, Math, Science, and Social Studies.
Licensure
Adolescence to Young Adult Education
Interested in teaching adolescents and young adults? Complement your content area bachelor’s degree with a teaching license (grades 7-12). Learn how to integrate technology in your teaching and implement a variety of instructional strategies, assessments, and materials unique to teaching secondary and multi-age curriculum.
B.S.E.
K-12 Special Education (Intervention Specialist)*
Intervention Specialists see the potential in every child. We will provide you with the knowledge, tools, and skills you need to meet the needs of every student. This license can be earned in two areas, “mild/moderate” or “moderate/intensive.”
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Educational Studies
Educational Studies is for those interested in education (as corporate trainers, museum docents, pre-professional preparation as school counselors or psychologists, etc.) but not as teachers. Students can major or minor in Educational Studies and explore education from diverse disciplinary perspectives with unique opportunities for internships outside of the classroom.
B.M.E
Multi-Age Music Education
Students in the Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E.) take coursework that develops musicianship skills and competencies in the field of education. This program leads to Music Multi-Age licensure and prepares the student for teaching instrumental and vocal music in the public and private schools, grades PreK-12.
Licensure
Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure
Passionate about education? Otterbein offers non-degree licensure programs for students with a bachelor’s degree who want to become licensed teachers. Licensure programs include PreK-5 and PreK-5 Intervention, Middle Childhood (grades 4-9), Adolescence to Young Adult (grades 7-12), K-12 Special Education (pending state approval), and Music Education.
M.A.T.
Middle Childhood and Special Education/Intervention Specialist
Make a difference in the classroom with our Master of Arts in Teaching programs (M.A.T.) in either Middle Childhood (4-9) or Special Education (K-12). Otterbein’s M.A.T. programs offer a graduate route to initial teacher licensure for students with a bachelor’s degree in another field. Students will experience embedded field placements, flexible scheduling, and expert instruction. Contact Amy Featherstone for more information.
M.A.E.
Master of Arts in Education in Curriculum and Instruction
The M.A.E. Curriculum and Instruction program at Otterbein empowers teachers through study, research, and reflection. Teachers complete their Capstone projects transformed and ready to lead and make a difference in their schools and classrooms.
Endorsement
Reading Endorsement
Add the valuable PreK-12 Reading Endorsement to your current license and enjoy flexible scheduling and expert literacy instruction and mentorship. Our four-course sequence* allows students to start in the spring and finish during the summer, ending with our unique community-based onsite reading clinics that put your knowledge into practice.
Endorsement
TESOL Endorsement
Take the next step at Otterbein and add the PreK-12 TESOL Endorsement to your current license. Our graduate blended courses offer both the convenience of online work and the power of collaboration with professors and classmates. Students can put their knowledge into practice during the summer mentored TESOL field practicum.
Student, Faculty, and Alumni Spotlights

We prepare you for success! Otterbein connects you with local school districts for student teaching and annual events including the HR Round Table and Education Interview Day. Teacher candidates at Otterbein become exceptional teachers, and they are ready to teach at any school, from day one!
Join Otterbein’s professional student organizations to make friends with your future colleagues. Our student organizations are open to all education majors and provide opportunities to attend conferences and workshops, engage with renowned speakers, and attend social events.

Department Features and Student Opportunities

Travel Experiences
Travel with Middle Childhood educator Dr. Diane Ross for a transformative teaching experience in Uganda. This life-changing opportunity is open to all education majors.

Summer Reading Clinic
Otterbein’s unique Summer Reading Clinic pairs students in our Reading Endorsement courses with children in the community seeking additional literacy instruction.

Teaching Talent Awards
These Education scholarships are awarded annually to incoming education students who have early exposure to teaching in their High School Teacher Academy or Career Center.
Education Department News

Five Questions with Education Alumna Emma Gill ’21
News - December 16, 2022
Name: Emma Gill Title: Intervention specialist at the Hilliard City School District Preschool Major: Early Childhood Education (Early Childhood Intervention focus) Class Year: 2021 Emma Gill Tell us about your career journey after graduation? After graduating in December of 2021, I got a wonderful opportunity to be a long-term intervention specialist substitute in Hilliard City Schools for the remainder of the 2021-2022 school year. Then I was given the opportunity to work as an intervention specialist at the Hilliard City…
Recent Otterbein Alumnus Lands Dream Job as Columbus City Schools Spanish Teacher
News - February 18, 2022
By Bridget Oder ’23 When Alex Natividad graduated from Otterbein with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Latin American studies and education, he already had his dream job lined up. He has been teaching at Columbus City Schools since August 2021. Otterbein prepared Natividad for success in the classroom in many ways. Otterbein understood that he came from an urban school with a K-12 education. Therefore, they strategically placed him in schools different than his own schooling experience to have…
Otterbein Teacher of the Year’s Enthusiasm and Passion for Education Sets Students Up for Success
News - May 28, 2021
The Otterbein University 2021 Teacher of the Year award has been awarded to Dee Knoblauch, professor of education. This peer-nominated award is given to Otterbein faculty members after three years of teaching who exemplify excellence in five principles of teaching: knowledge, design, praxis, relationship, and assessment. Professor Dee Knoblauch "Professor Knoblauch is so passionate about teaching,” said a student commenter in the award nomination. “She makes all her students so excited to be teachers one day. I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to learn from her. As…Contact Us
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Academic Administrative Coordinator
Gaby Miller
614-823-1214
gmiller@otterbein.edu