April 5, 2022 – Ferrum College has expanded its graduate degree offerings with two new programs: a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Athletic Coaching.

Both programs will be 100% online and can be completed in one year. The M.Ed program will begin on June 20, and the M.S. in Athletic Coaching will begin in the fall.

President David Johns, who is in his fifth year at Ferrum College, notes that this is a strategic move for the College. “This is an important step for us as we grow this part of Ferrum College. With these new programs, we are aligning our academic offerings to student interest and jobs that are in demand in the marketplace,” says Johns.

The new graduate degree programs also represent areas of strength and growth at the institution. Ferrum College boasts a 100% placement rate for its Teacher Education graduates and athletics has been an instrumental part of the Ferrum College experience dating back to its time as a Junior College.

“The M.Ed. can act as a standalone program for teachers that want to increase their knowledge base and work in the classroom, and it serves as a bridge program between our undergraduate Teacher Education program and the Ed.S. program,” says Sandra Via, dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies, who notes that the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that curriculum and instructional coordinators’ employment will continue to increase at a rate of six percent over the next ten years.

Similarly, employment opportunities for coaches are expected to grow twelve percent over the next ten years, says Via. “The M.S. in Athletic Coaching takes a holistic approach to athletic coaching so that students that earn this degree will be able to support and mentor the whole student-athlete,” she says.

Ferrum College launched its graduate school in the fall of 2020 with a Master of Science in psychology and an Education Specialist Degree (EdS) in teacher leadership.

Learn more about Ferrum College’s graduate programs here.

On November 12, 2020, Ferrum College received full approval to become a Level IV institution that will allow the College to offer a variety of masters and specialist level programs. This approval came after a Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) review team determined that Ferrum is 100 percent in compliance with every standard and made no additional recommendations.

“We have all worked very hard over the last few years to reshape the College, to encourage leadership, to build positivity, and to dream big. The excitement we feel today is a direct result of a daily commitment to our students, of putting our motto, Not Self, But Others, into practice, and of working together, side by side, for the good of Ferrum College and for a better tomorrow,” wrote President David Johns in a campus-wide email announcing the College’s accomplishment.

In January 2020, SACSCOC approved Ferrum to begin offering two graduate programs in the fall of 2020: a Master of Science in psychology and an Education Specialist Degree (EdS) in teacher leadership and coaching. Prior to then, Ferrum had educated students first as a training school, then as a junior college, and finally as a four-year institution.

This is the second time that a SACSCOC review team has evaluated Ferrum College in less than two months. The first evaluation occurred in September 2020 and assessed the institution’s programs and operations in order to approve reaccreditation, a process that is completed every 10 years. SACSCOC’s initial visit also resulted in a glowing report and gave no additional recommendations. 

In his email, Johns noted how rare it is for an institution to receive final SACSCOC reports that find a college to be 100 percent in compliance and make no additional recommendations: “…We have accomplished it not once, but twice…and during a global pandemic,” he wrote.

Learn more about Ferrum College’s graduate programs here. 

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After more than a century of educating students as a training school, junior college, and four-year institution, Ferrum College will now offer graduate degree programs, which will begin in fall 2020 and will be administered as online courses.

The Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges has approved Ferrum College as a level four school, allowing the addition of two graduate programs: a Specialist in Education (EdS) in teacher leadership and coaching, and a Master of Science in psychology.

“This is an important and historic moment for Ferrum College,” said President David Johns. “We have been listening to our students and to our region, and as we have in the past, we grow and change when there is need. We are part of this community, and we are committed to helping the community thrive.”

“Ferrum College is excited about offering graduate-level programs which will provide access to advanced education in the areas of psychology and teacher education. In the coming weeks and months, the faculty will be creating additional programs and certificates to meet the needs within our community,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Aimé Sposato.

Alumna Sandra Via has been named director of the School of Graduate and Online Studies. Via is a 2004 graduate of Ferrum College and has served the College for ten years as an adjunct professor, an associate professor of political science, and as the program coordinator of international studies. She will direct the implementation and logistical coordination of the graduate programs.

Via earned her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Ferrum College. She holds a Master of Arts in political science from Virginia Tech and a doctorate in planning, governance, and globalization, also from Virginia Tech.

“I am honored and excited to be able to implement Ferrum College’s first graduate programs,” said Via. “Our new graduate degree programs embody our mission by promoting the intellectual, ethical, and civic growth of students into leaders that serve their community and the world. Like our undergraduate programs, these graduate programs incorporate a personalized learning experience, specialized and caring attention from faculty, and an experiential learning experience for which Ferrum College is known.”

The Master of Science in psychology will attract graduate students who wish to prepare for research and teaching careers that require an advanced degree, such as working at non-profit organizations, for-profit companies, governmental agencies, social services agencies, educational institutions, and community outreach organizations.

The Education Specialist degree is geared toward students who already hold a master’s degree and wish to advance their professional knowledge in either teacher leadership or coaching.

Both programs could also serve as a stepping stone to a doctoral program in either discipline.

Ferrum College will begin accepting applications for enrollment in its graduate programs in January. The College plans to launch additional graduate degree programs within the next two years.

Learn more about the graduate programs here.

Read the article that appeared in The Roanoke Times here.

More about Ferrum College’s history:

Ferrum Training School was founded in 1913 as many young people in the Blue Ridge area had no access to public education. The training school’s first classes began in September 1914 under the leadership of its first principal, Dr. Benjamin Beckham. In 1939, the Virginia Department of Education accredited Ferrum Junior College and its name officially reflected this level change in 1948. Ferrum Junior College was then accredited by the Southern Association of College and Secondary Schools in 1960 and instituted a two-plus-two four-year academic structure in 1974. The first four-year degree was awarded in 1976.