Introduction

The vision and mission of the professional education unit are consistent with the vision, mission, and goals of the University of Alabama at Birmingham and are seen throughout the conceptual framework.  This consistency ensures that professional education candidates have a wide general knowledge, a deep knowledge of the content they will teach, and a deep understanding of how individuals learn.  We envision the UAB School of Education as a recognized leader in preparing professionals to meet the needs of a diverse society throughout the 21^st Century; therefore, programs in the professional education unit at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have been designed to support and fulfill the University’s mission to discover, teach, and apply knowledge. 

The mission and purpose of the professional education unit is to prepare and support skillful, reflective professionals who improve the quality of life in diverse communities.  We accomplish our mission through implementation of learner-centered programs that are developmental, inquiry-focused, and standards-based. 

The conceptual framework of the professional education unit, “Reflective Professionals Prepared for Success in Diverse Communities,” provides coherence to the unit’s operations and academic programs at both the initial and advanced levels.  The coherence among initial and advanced curriculum, instruction, clinical experiences, and assessments reflects the unit’s shared vision and mission.  Faculty endorse and promote the mission statement as philosophy and practice and are passionately committed to empowering professional education candidates who provide all learners with essential values, knowledge, and skills for the 21^st Century.