What Are the Top-Rated Colleges for Education?

Those interested in studying education should consider attending a top ranked program.

Most education programs at teacher's colleges offer a variety of undergraduate, master's and doctorate degrees in areas such as elementary education, education administration and special education. U.S. News & World Report provides a comprehensive list of the top ranked education programs in the nation for students interested in pursuing a degree in education.

Overall Education

U.S. News & World Report ranked Vanderbilt's Peabody School of Education as having the top overall education program in the nation in 2011. Vanderbilt, located in Nashville, Tennessee, offers education degrees in special education, teaching and learning, and psychology and human development. The school is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. College Crunch, whose rankings are based on how well a college's graduates get teaching jobs after college, ranks Michigan State University as the top school for education.

Top Elementery Teacher Education Schools

Michigan State University is ranked by U.S. News & World Report in 2011 as having the top elementary teacher education program in the nation. The school is located in East Lansing and is accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation council. The school offers a bachelor's degree in elementary education and offers courses in reflections on learning, elementary mathematics for teaching, and responding to children's literature.

The Teacher's College at Columbia University and The University of Wisconsin at Madison were ranked as having the second and third best elementary teacher education programs in the nation, respectively.

Curriculum and Instruction

U.S. News & World Report ranked the University of Wisconsin at Madison as having the best curriculum and instruction program in the nation. The school offers a master's of science degree in curriculum and instruction; graduate students can chose between a number of specialties including art education, literacy studies and mathematics education. Michigan State and Stanford were ranked as the second and third best curriculum and instruction programs in the nation, respectively.

Higher Education Administration

Pennsylvania State University is ranked by U.S. News & World Report as having the best higher education administration program in 2011. The school offers a Master of Education, doctor of philosophy and joint master of education and juris doctorate degree in higher education administration. Graduate students will need to complete at least 30 credits of coursework in courses such as curricula in higher education, community college administration and educational mobility in comparative perspective. The University of Michigan and The University of California at Los Angeles were ranked as the second and third best schools for higher education administration, respectively.

References

• Penn State University: Higher Education Administration
• U.S. News and World Report: Top Education Administration Programs
• U.S. News and World Report: Top Curriculum Instruction Raknings
• University of Wisconson at Madison: Curriculum Instruction
• U.S. News and World Report: Top Schools for Elementary Teacher Education
• Michigan State University: Elementary Education

Resources

• U.S. News and World Report: Top Education Programs
• Vanderbilt University: Peabody College of Education
• College Crunch: Top 20 Colleges for Education Majors