School of Education

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Deborah L. MacCullough, Ph.D., Dean

Distinguished Professor

Martha E. MacCullough, Ed.D.

Professor

Dianne K. Alexander, Ed.D., Chair, Early Childhood and Elementary Education
C. Richard Beach, Ph.D., Chair, Health and Physical Education
Patricia L. Cook, Ed.D., Chair, Special Education
Sheryl A. Vasso, Ed.D., Chair, Education Program
Debbie L. Wolf, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Jason D. VanBilliard, Ed.D., Chair, Secondary Education

Assistant Professor

Paula L. Beach, M.S.
Christopher J. Palladino, M.Ed.
Ann C. Rivera, M.S.Ed.

Part-time Faculty

Gary L. Donahue, M.Ed., Chair, Educational Leadership and Administration Program
Charlotte L. Gleason, M.L.S.
Diane K. Kloth, M.Ed. 
Barbara Underhill, M.Ed.

Adjunct Faculty

Richard Bucko, Ed.D.
Victoria J. Chandler, M.Ed.
John L. Cooley, J.D.
Stephen P. Dill, Ed.D.
Daniel J. Egeler, Ed.D. 
Rachael Joye, M.A.
Sue E. Knickerbocker, M.Ed.
Pamela McCullough, M.S.
Melody Nichols, M.Ed.
David Sandowich, M.S.
Judy E. Severns, M.Ed.
David K. Wilcox, Ph.D.
Karen Wrobbel, Ed.D.

In a day when traditional and progressive educational philosophies continue to play tug-of-war and modern and postmodern worldviews vie for the public mind, Christian educators need to develop educational moorings to form the basis for intellectually coherent and professionally informed practice.  The School of Education exists to provide the best in teacher preparation and school leadership and administration.

The Graduate Education program of Philadelphia Biblical University began in 1992 with the distinct purpose of providing a quality education for teachers and administrators in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the nation, and the world.  The core curriculum, integrating a biblical worldview into professional areas of study, promotes academic excellence, celebrates wise and innovative practices, and champions a global perspective and human diversity.

Core Values of the Graduate Education Programs

The faculty and staff in the School of Education hold to the following core values:

Relationship with God
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.

Human Relationships
Love your neighbor as yourself; this includes friends, colleagues, students, and people everywhere, all of whom are made in the image of God.

Scholarship
An education that prepares toward excellence, the mind, the heart, and actions. Knowledge and pedagogical skills go hand-in-hand.

Global Perspective and Diversity
Knowledge and skills to prepare instructional events that meet the needs of diverse people groups and individuals.

Worldview Integration
All of life and learning are viewed from a biblical theistic worldview and our philosophy of education is informed by that view.

Distance Learning

It is possible for students to pursue a graduate degree with Philadelphia Biblical University even if they live a distance from the main campus in Langhorne.  Several options are available.

E-Courses, Conferences, and Weekend Courses  Some courses are offered via the internet in an e-course or hybrid format. Every year several courses are rostered at regional, national, or international conferences and/or on weekends on the main campus.

International Sites
It is possible to take the M.S. in Education program through summer modules in Kandern, Germany, at the Black Forest Academy; or in Hong Kong, on the campus of the International Christian School of Hong Kong.  Careful planning may allow students to take courses in both locations or combine the program with courses on the main campus.  Core courses in the M.S. in Educational Leadership and Administration program are also available at these international locations.

International Convention Courses
The Graduate Education programs offer courses at the ICEC conferences sponsored by the Association of Christian Schools International.  Courses have been taught in Germany, South Korea, Hungary, Malaysia, Ecuador, Kenya, Philippines, and Hong Kong.

Independent Research
The Action Research Project and Instructional Design Project are culminating projects in which research is conducted and completed by students who are assigned an advisor/reader.  For candidates for the PA K-12 Principal certification, the ARP is completed under the internship mentor in a school. These projects are highly practical and are the culmination of the professional experience at PBU.

Internships
In the M.S. in Educational Leadership and Administration program, students may take a three-credit K-12 administrative internship at an accredited school or organization under the mentoring of an approved administrator. The internship covers all levels of administration, K-12. The internship is required for those desiring to obtain the PA K-12 Principal certification or the ACSI K-12 Principal certification and requires a total of 360 hours that includes the Action Research Project and intervention.

International Program

The Graduate Education programs began offering an M.S. in Education degree with an International Education specialization in Kandern, Germany, in 1997.  This program uses the facilities of Black Forest Academy. Kandern is located approximately twenty-five minutes north of Basel, Switzerland, and fifteen minutes from Alsace, France.

The second international program began in the summer of 2001 in Bangkok, Thailand.  It is now offered on the campus of the International Christian School of Hong Kong. Hong Kong provides a convenient campus for educators throughout the Pacific Rim.

Certification

Twelve areas of teacher certification are offered through the School of Education. Master of Science in Education students who are not already certified may work toward PA Instructional I or ACSI certification in a blended master’s and certification program.

K-12 school principal certification is available to qualified candidates in the Master of Science in Educational Leadership and Administration program. Both PA public school K-12 and ACSI private school K-12 certificates may be earned through the program.

Diversity

A strength of the Graduate Education programs is the diversity represented in every class.  Strategic interactions with educators who share unique experiences and wisdom provide a dynamic learning environment. Students in the programs are evangelical, yet come from varied church backgrounds.

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