Wheelock College's founding and enduring mission is
to improve the quality of life for children and their
families. Established in 1888, the College is considered
a premier post-secondary institution offering professional
education in the fields of early childhood and elementary
education, human development, special education, child
and family studies, and social work. Wheelock College
provides strong professional education, contributes
to the knowledge of professionals in the field, and
generates and shares new theoretical and applied knowledge
relevant to the development of social policy. The
College is strategically positioned to excel at educating
and preparing professionals to work with children
and families. Professional knowledge is integrated
throughout the curriculum and theoretical and practical
innovations are translated into practice.
Accreditation
and Awards
Wheelock College is chartered by the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts and accredited by the New England
Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
(NCATE). Teacher preparation programmes at the graduate
level are approved by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Department of Education and the Interstate Certification
Compact. They are also recognised by the following
national specialty organisations:
• National Association for
the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
• Association for Childhood Education International
(ACEI)
• Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
• International Reading Association (IRA)
Wheelock College's focused commitment,
coupled with solid academic programmes, has won it
a national reputation for leadership, innovation,
and excellence. For example, in 1997, the National
Centre for Restructuring Education, Schools and Teaching
(NCREST) ranked Wheelock College among the top seven
schools for teacher preparation in the U.S. In 1998,
Parents magazine honoured Wheelock College as an outstanding
teaching institution with its first Education Award
at their National Child Care Awards presentation.
In making this award, they noted that Wheelock College
"is one of only a few colleges in the country
that includes a focus on preparing professionals for
preschool education, and the College is widely recognised
for the excellence of its graduates."
In keeping with established standards,
all programmes offered by the Centre for International
Education, Leadership, and Innovation are consistent
with the educational objectives of the institution;
maintain the same academic standards as courses and
programmes offered on the Boston campus; receive sufficient
support for instructional and other needs, and have
reasonable access to appropriate learning resources.
Wheelock College maintains direct and sole responsibility
for the academic quality of all aspects of all programmes
and assures adequate resources to maintain high quality.
Faculty and administrators have a substantive role
in the design and implementation of all off-campus
programmes. All programmes and courses are reviewed
extensively and every course is designed for the needs
of an individual country. Learners are admitted to
degree programmes through the Wheelock College Office
of Admissions using the same criteria as other Wheelock
College programmes.
In 1998, as standards were first
being established for international programmes, Wheelock
College's Master of Science degree programme in Bermuda,
Sponsored by The Centre for International Education,
Leadership, and Innovation in collaboration with The
College of the Bahamas, was the first to be evaluated
and approved for accreditation by the Commission on
Institutions of Higher Education of the New England
Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). This
voluntary accreditation serves the dual purpose of
quality assurance and quality improvement. The New
England Association is recognised by the U.S. Department
of Education and by the Council on Higher Education
Accreditation as being a reliable authority on the
quality of institutions of higher education. Other
degree programmes offered by the Centre for International
Education, Leadership, and Innovation are designed
to meet all standards established by relevant accrediting
bodies.
The Centre
for International Education, Leadership, and Innovation
Wheelock College's Centre for International Education,
Leadership, and Innovation was established in 1992
to deliver globally a range of academic degree programmes,
innovative seminars, and professional development
programmes. The Centre coordinates all Wheelock College
endeavours outside of the United States, including
its most significant degree-granting programmes to
date, in Asia and Bermuda.
The Centre's most distinctive feature
is its capability to offer associate of science, bachelor
of science, and master of science degree programmes
that lead seamlessly from one level to the next. The
Centre collaborates with ministries of education and
health, universities, junior colleges, trade unions,
and others to implement state-of-the-art educational
programmes. Working with these partners, the Centre
designs and delivers relevant programmes tailored
specifically for the professionals enrolled. Programmes
are structured to allow an individual to study while
continuing to work and live in their own country.
Learners are able to pursue an accredited master of
science degree and, if desired, subsequently pursue
a doctoral degree in the country of their choice.
The Centre invites senior professors to assist and
enhance the learning process. These professors have
extensive experience educating adult learners and
hold doctorates in their fields of expertise, including
early childhood education, lifespan development, curriculum
development, special education, inclusionary practice,
programme evaluation, literacy, and numeracy.
