Purpose & Mission

Welcome to the School of Education and Human Development. Our School is committed to preparing professionals to serve children, youth, adults, families, communities, and organizations. Our range of program offerings originates from a combination of faculty expertise and a commitment to the needs of our community partners.

In this way, the School of Education and Human Development is committed to innovatively and responsively supporting the needs of a complex society by preparing master's and advanced degree professionals to serve in the critical fields of education and mental health with the highest level of:

• Competence 
• Moral leadership 
• Commitment to justice and equity 
• Discernment and intentionality
• Lifelong service to others

We Offer Transformative Professional Studies

We offer transformative programming that:

• Delivers curriculum that is tailored to adult learners with the health and success of students in mind
• Is curated with sensitivity to the students' availability as well financial investment including competitive pricing and time to completion
• Emphasizes care for self and others 
• Is focused to deliver the necessary training and skills to meet the demands of the field   

We Provide Transformative Preparation

SEHD graduate students conclude their journey at Fairfield evolved and different. Our graduates hone their abilities to discern, problem solve, and relate to the world around them as a result of studying with us through: 

• Identifying and solving pressing social problems and becoming advocates for social change in their industry and field
• Leading with cultural humility and global-mindedness from learning from and contributing to the global world
• Engaging in continuous self-reflection in order to develop a keen and deepened awareness of themselves and others

Our Graduates Pursue Transformative Careers

Our alumni report success in the following ways:

• Become leaders in their field including positions in K-12 schools, as consultants, in clinical practices, and more 
• Take advantage of available Summer Institutes that support early teachers and clinical career lifestyles with a focus on areas including burnout prevention: 
• Further advance their careers by returning to pursue through advanced degrees or professional certificates
• Remaining committed to supporting our school by serving on our boards, directing/supervising our students in the field, and/or supporting the school finically through gifts.

Whether your goal is advancement in your current field, a change in career, professional certification, or an advanced degree, we invite you to learn more about what the School of Education and Human Development has to offer.

Evelyn Bilias Lolis, PhD
Interim Dean
Associate Professor

Purpose

Guided by the belief in the inherent worth and dignity of each person, respect for diversity, and a commitment to equity and inclusion, we prepare compassionate and forward-thinking education and mental health leaders committed to service to others, who empower those who have been marginalized to transform individuals, families, organizations, and communities.

Mission

The School of Education and Human Development (SEHD) is committed to innovatively and responsibly meeting the needs of a complex world by preparing professionals who serve fields dedicated to human flourishing with the highest level of competence, moral leadership, commitment to equity and justice, discernment and intentionality, and lifelong service to others.

Together, the departments of the School encompass a variety of perspectives which include preparing educators, psychologists and allied mental health professionals who:

• believe in the inherent worth and dignity of each person
• promote the well-being of individuals, couples, families and communities
• commit to serve a diverse society
• understand human behavior at individual, organizational and community levels
• understand the impact of information technologies on the individual, the family, the community, the nation and the world
• uphold the highest standards of professional conduct

The School strives for excellence in education, not only seeking knowledge for its own sake, but the application of that knowledge to the betterment of all. The overarching goal of the School is to promote and support our graduate students in the professional attributes of intellectual rigor, personal integrity, collaboration, informed decision-making, self-reflection and social responsibility in their commitment to those whom they serve.