RUTHERFORD, NJ – The Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) has granted full 7-year accreditation to Felician University’s teacher preparation programs following a rigorous self-study, peer review process, and evaluation that determined all required standards were met. Felician University’s School of Education is the first university in the state of New Jersey to receive this recognition. The accreditation was issued with an acknowledgement of the excellent institutional and administrative support in the School of Education, Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Operations, and the administration, including President James W. Crawford, III, and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Michael Markowitz.

President Crawford remarked, “AAQEP’s recommendation is a testament to the overall excellence and Felician Franciscan core values that are the hallmark of Felician University. The highly skilled graduates of the School of Education bring subject matter expertise and values-based character to our New Jersey school districts. Ultimately, our communities are the beneficiaries of the excellence acquired through a Felician University education experience.”

This recognition comes after a two-year process coordinated by the School of Education under the leadership of Dr. Stephanie McGowan, Dean. The accreditation will result in a publicly available Quality Assurance Report. Headquartered in Washington, AAQEP promotes “excellent, effective, and innovative educator preparation that is committed to evidence-based improvement in a collaborative professional environment.”

Dr. Markowitz added, “The AAQEP accreditation validates the high standards of our programming in the School of Education and the preparedness of our graduates to affect positive change in the schools and educational environments they will serve. We are exceedingly proud of the work of our faculty and staff across all four schools at Felician University.”

The Felician University School of Education prepares compassionate, skilled, and dedicated teachers with an understanding of the diverse needs of learners. The School of Education strives to help students advance their careers by preparing them with the knowledge needed to work in a dynamic range of educational settings. The clinically rich programs offer experiential learning models with coursework that respectively satisfies the New Jersey Department of Education’s requirements for endorsement and certification.

For more information on the School of Education’s programs, contact Dean Stephanie McGowan at mcgowans@felician.edu.

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About Felician University

Felician University inspires and engages more than 2,100 undergraduate, graduate, and adult education students through programs in the Schools of Arts & Sciences, Business & Information Sciences, Nursing, and Education. Over the past five years, Felician University has ranked 3rd among private institutions in New Jersey for best value according to payscale.com and #1 Safest College Campus in New Jersey according to niche.com. The Master of Science in Nursing program is ranked one of the best online graduate nursing programs in the nation by U.S. News and World Report. Felician University was designated as a Military Friendly School (Gold Status) for the ninth year recognizing its strong support for Veteran students.  The university is recognized for its diversity as an HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) and MSI (Minority Serving Institution), having underrepresented students comprise more than half of the student population. With campuses in Rutherford and Lodi, New Jersey, the Franciscan values of social justice, compassion, and respect for human dignity serve as an inclusive foundation for transforming the lives of tomorrow’s leaders. For more information, please visit https://felician.edu.