A New Era of Education at Seattle University: Graduate Programs Rooted in Purpose and Equity

Education is entering a time in which schools are being asked to manage more with a higher level of care. Districts are navigating academic recovery, while student well-being remains a daily concern.

The National Center for Education Statistics reported that 48% of public schools said they could effectively provide mental health services to all students who need them, while more than half identified staffing or funding as barriers.

At the same time, teacher shortages continue to shape careers in education, with the Learning Policy Institute reporting that at least 411,549 teaching positions were either unfilled or filled by teachers who were not fully certified for their assignments during the 2024–25 school year.

At Seattle University’s College of Education, graduate education is shaped by those realities and by programs grounded in purpose. The work is deeply influenced by cura personalis, care for the whole person, and a commitment to justice that helps students connect professional preparation with real human impact.

“We do much more intentional work in both of our Master's programs to model providing holistic social-emotional well-being support to our own students and help them develop plans and strategies for doing so for their own students,” says Dr. Carol Adams, Associate Teaching Professor and Program Director of Graduate Teacher Education.

How Seattle University's College of Education Is Shaping Education

Graduate education changes when programs are designed around the realities students bring. Some students are already working in schools, while others are preparing to step into teaching, counseling, or school psychology after meaningful work in their communities.

Seattle University’s Graduate Education Programs reflect that purpose through pathways in areas such as:

• Teaching
• Counseling
• School Psychology
• Education Leadership

“Across professions, our work is getting more complex,” says Dr. Ashli Tyre, Professor and Program Director in School Psychology. “It's getting more challenging.”

More than ever, students need coursework that builds professional knowledge and support that helps them move with care when the work feels demanding.

Graduate Pathways Built for Careers in Education

In the Teacher Education Graduate Programs, students can pursue the Master in Teaching program or the hybrid Master of Education in Transformational Teaching and Learning. The Master in Teaching program offers a one-year, full-time path into the profession, while the hybrid MEd supports educators who want to keep learning while remaining connected to their school communities.

Seattle University’s Counseling Department offers Clinical Mental Health Counseling and School Counseling specializations, with both available in person or online. The School Psychology, EdS program prepares students to support diverse learners through ethical professional practice.

Together, these pathways show how a master’s in education or educator preparation programs can meet the needs of today’s students while staying grounded in the values that bring them to this work.

Dr. Adams describes the shift in students’ needs since the COVID-19 pandemic. “We've placed much more emphasis on the holistic well-being of educators and students in the school system,” she shares.

The new era of education asks future educators and student-support professionals to acknowledge academic progress alongside well-being. It also asks them to understand how care and equity connect in the daily life of schools.

How Hybrid and Accelerated Programs Impact the Student Experience

Hybrid and accelerated learning pathways make graduate study more accessible for students balancing education with work or caregiving. Many students are preparing for careers in education while continuing to serve their current communities.

“We're trying to make it as accessible as possible for folks,” Dr. Adams says.

That accessibility matters when students cannot step away from their lives to study full-time. Flexible programs allow them to keep building their professional future while staying connected to the places where their learning will matter.

“To come to campus four days a week is not sustainable for them,” insists Tyre. “If we can ensure that we use technology where it's appropriate to support their learning, then we can have them coming to campus one or two days a week, and it makes it a much more sustainable path to a career.”

That balance is especially important in fields where students need both knowledge and real-world experience. Some learning pathways benefit from in-person connection, especially when students are developing relationships or hands-on skills. Other parts of graduate study can be completed online, giving students more control over their time.

Applied Learning That Connects to Real-World Education Practice

Flexible formats can also deepen learning for students already in schools. Coursework becomes immediately connected to the questions they are seeing in classrooms.

“They'll be able to immediately apply things that they're learning here to their practice,” says Dr. Adams.

That relevance helps students practice bringing new strategies into their daily work. It also makes graduate learning feel more connected to purpose because students can see how their growth affects learners and the communities they serve.

Flexible learning can help students:

• Continue to work while pursuing graduate study
• Apply coursework in current school settings
• Build relationships through intentional in-person time
• Move toward careers in education with steady support

This flexibility allows students to engage fully while staying connected to the settings where their learning will have an impact.

How the College of Education Fosters a Supportive Community

Graduate education prepares students to do fundamentally human work. This means that support matters from the very beginning, and it often becomes one of the most memorable parts of the student experience.

Faculty Relationships that Strengthen the Student Experience

“The intimacy with our faculty and our students means that students always have faculty that they can go to,” Dr. Adams says. “We develop really strong relationships with our students and support them in those ways.”

That kind of connection is evident in the student experience at Seattle University. Students describe how faculty support them as whole people and prepare them for meaningful work in their communities.

Advising, Career Preparation, and Support for Education Careers

Support also comes through advising and career preparation. In the School Psychology program, students have a consistent faculty connection throughout the program experience.

“We provide every student with a core faculty member as their advisor,” Dr. Tyre explains.

That advisor helps students think through coursework, professional goals, and challenges that may arise. Students also find support through cohort relationships and field preparation.

Common sources of support include:

• Faculty advising
• Career preparation
• Cohort connection
• Field placement guidance

Students also describe faculty mentorship as one of the factors that helped them grow during real-world preparation. That care is a fundamental part of the learning culture across the College of Education.

Inside Mission-Driven Learning at Seattle University

Mission-driven learning becomes clear in how students view and appreciate their own work. At Seattle University, students are asked to consider who they are becoming as professionals and how their choices affect the people they serve.

Equity-Centered Teaching and Leadership

Dr. Adams describes the Teaching for Equity Project, a portfolio experience that helps teacher education students reflect on their growth. “The Teaching for Equity Project is, first and foremost, students telling their story of becoming a teacher for social justice,” she explains.

The project provides students with a structured way to reflect on their development and connect their learning to justice.

“Justice is at the heart of everything that we do in every single class that our students take,” says Dr. Adams.

That commitment also appears in the hybrid MEd, where students develop teacher leadership skills through action research connected to their own school communities.

Reflective Practice That Builds Professional Identity

In counseling, mission-driven learning invites students to bring lived experience into reflection while learning how to engage with others ethically.

“Our students can bring in their experiences, their knowledge, their thoughts, and their beliefs in the classroom through the discussions,” says Dr. Juquatta Brewer, Assistant Clinical Professor in Seattle University’s Online Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.

That approach honors what graduate students bring into the classroom while helping them examine how their own values shape professional practice.

“We're very intentional in how we are training counselors,” Dr. Brewer shares.

In School Psychology, mission-driven learning is connected to everyday decisions. Systems-level change can be slow, yet professionals still make choices each day that affect students and families.

Mission-driven learning helps students develop:

• Reflective practice
• Ethical judgment
• Equity-centered leadership
• Professional confidence

These habits prepare students to enter the field with a strong foundation and a deep respect for the people they serve.

What’s Next for Seattle University’s College of Education

The next era of education will continue to require flexibility and thoughtful innovation. Graduate programs must be able to respond to student needs while staying grounded in their purpose.

“We will see more use of hybrid and online training in the programs that prepare educators,” Dr. Tyre says.

That growth can make graduate education more accessible to those preparing to enter education or continuing their development while working in the field.

Innovation in Education Grounded in Human Care

Partnerships will also shape what comes next. Seattle U’s Jesuit identity creates meaningful opportunities to support educators across the region.

“We are bolstering our relationship with the Seattle archdiocese and Catholic schools in the area,” Dr. Adams says.

Technology will influence the future as well, especially as schools consider how emerging tools can support professionals without replacing the human work at the center of education.

Prepare for a Purpose-Driven Career in Education at Seattle University

Seattle University’s College of Education is helping students prepare for purposeful leadership in an ever-changing field.

Through flexible graduate programs, applied learning, and a deep commitment to justice, students build the foundation to meet real needs in schools and communities.

Whether students are beginning a master's in education, entering an educator preparation program, or preparing for a student-support role, they join a learning community shaped by care.

Shape your future with Seattle University. Discover flexible, mission-driven graduate programs built for today’s educators and leaders.