2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog
Simmons School of Education and Human Development
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 Return to: Simmons School of Education and Human Development
The Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development comprises research institutes, undergraduate and graduate programs, and community engagement centers that focus on teacher preparation, school leadership, higher education, counseling, sport management, applied physiology, sport performance leadership, applied social sciences, and conflict resolution. The mission of the school is to integrate the theory, research, and practice of education and human development; to promote academic rigor and interdisciplinary study; to prepare students for initial certification and professional practice; to advance knowledge through research; and to nurture collaboration across the academic community.
The school’s graduate degree programs include four doctoral degrees, nine master’s degrees, and a number of graduate professional-preparation programs. Undergraduate programs include baccalaureate degrees and minors in educational studies, applied physiology, sport management, and sport performance leadership. The School’s academic departments are Teaching and Learning, Applied Physiology and Sport Management, Education Policy and Leadership, Counseling, and Human-Centered Interdisciplinary Studies.
The school is housed in Annette C. Simmons Hall and Harold C. Simmons Hall, which are among many LEED-certified buildings on the SMU campus. Key features include an integrated physiology laboratory; an applied physiology laboratory equipped with a data acquisition system, an environmental research chamber, and teaching pods; and the Center for Virtual Reality Learning Innovation that supports both research and teaching through the design and use of virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality simulations and resources, including virtual avatars.
In an annual awards ceremony, the Simmons School recognizes its students, faculty and staff members who are regarded as leaders among their peers. Awards are given to students who have excelled academically, demonstrated uncommon leadership or engaged in community service in unique and meaningful ways. Faculty and staff members who have distinguished themselves through research pursuits, teaching activities, or professional accomplishments are honored. Additionally, University alumni who have made significant contributions of their time and resources to the school during the year are recognized.
The Department of Teaching and Learning represents SMU’s commitment to the professional development of educators through innovative, research-based undergraduate and graduate programs that are grounded in behaviorist, cognitive, social-constructivist and sociocultural perspectives and approaches to scholarship. All Teaching and Learning programs prepare educators who are scholars and leaders, experts in high-quality differentiated instruction, and able to translate research into practice. The department’s undergraduate and post-baccalaureate curricula prepare students for initial teacher certification. Master’s programs provide a solid foundation in research and theory and encompass areas such as technology-enhanced learning, STEM, early and late literacy, the learning sciences, education diagnostics, special education, learning therapy, bilingual education, ESL, urban education, and mathematics. A variety of enrichment opportunities serve the continuing education needs of practicing educators, and certification preparation programs are available in the areas of reading and learning therapy. Department faculty engage in high-quality research that combines quantitative and qualitative methodologies, contributes to scholarship, and influences pedagogical practices in early childhood through grade-12 schools. The Teacher Development Studio trains students to become effective teachers through the use of computer avatars that simulate K-12 classroom environments.
The Department of Applied Physiology and Sport Management offers undergraduate and graduate degrees. Undergraduate baccalaureate degrees and minors are offered in applied physiology and health management, sport management, and sport performance leadership. The department offers an M.S. in sport management and an M.S. in health promotion management, both of which are offered in collaboration with SMU’s Cox School of Business, and a Ph.D. in education with an emphasis on applied physiology. Students in the undergraduate and graduate programs have access to the department’s three laboratories. The Applied Physiology Laboratory is a teaching and research laboratory that utilizes experiential learning and comprises three complete and functional exercise physiology laboratories (teaching pods), a biochemistry lab, in-ground force plates, and a temperature- and humidity-controlled environmental chamber. The Integrative Physiology Laboratory engages in research that measures cardiovascular, neural, and thermoregulatory function in human health and disease.
The Department of Education Policy and Leadership is dedicated to the preparation and continued development of education policy and administrative leaders; the promotion of research, development, and analysis; and the translation of research into policy and practice at the local, state, national and international levels. Coursework and systematic applications of knowledge ensure that education leaders are able to implement and sustain effective organizational practices. In service to this mission, the department offers an M.Ed. in higher education leadership, an M.Ed. in PK-12 school leadership, an Ed.D. in higher education, an Ed.D. in pre-K through grade-12 education leadership, and a principal certification program.
The Department of Counseling offers the M.S. in counseling, which includes specialties in clinical mental health counseling; marriage, couple, and family counseling; and school counseling—all of which prepare students for professional licensure and certification. Concentrations are available in addiction counseling, child and adolescent counseling, trauma counseling, and LGBTQ+ affirmative therapy. Additionally, the counseling program operates the SMU Center for Family Counseling, which serves as a hands-on training clinic for graduate students and provides low-cost counseling services to the surrounding communities.
The Department of Human-Centered and Interdisciplinary Studies offers several interdisciplinary, skills-based master’s, doctoral, and certificate programs, including the Doctor of Liberal Studies, Master of Liberal Studies, Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution, Graduate Certificate in Dispute Resolution, Executive Leadership Coaching, Certificate of Advanced Graduate Liberal Studies, and Healthcare Collaboration and Conflict Engagement Certificate–all of which broaden students’ perspectives, insights, and understandings of the world. At the heart of the department’s curricular offerings is the belief that people can continue to grow intellectually, personally, and professionally throughout their lives.
The Simmons School’s research-intensive Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program prepares graduates to work in academic areas; to perform research; and to make significant contributions to research, policy, and practice in their fields of interest. Research concentrations include education, applied physiology, and education policy and leadership.
The Addy Foundation Center on Research and Evaluation
www.smu.edu/CORE
Annie Wright, Executive Director
The Addy Foundation Center on Research and Evaluation (CORE) at SMU conducts collaborative research and comprehensive evaluations of educational initiatives spanning early childhood through career readiness. The Center focuses on improving programs and rigorously demonstrating their outcomes, with an overall aim of empowering educational change makers to achieve lasting impact. CORE collaborates with clients on all facets of research and evaluation design, which can include developing the orienting questions that the study will answer, explaining how the program or intervention will produce the intended outcomes, and developing or selecting the proper instruments to accurately measure implementation and outcomes. CORE specializes in developing appropriate methodologies and “best-fit” designs to answer questions without creating burden for programs or participants. CORE acknowledges the wide range of evaluation tools and strategies available to evaluators and researchers. We emphasize continuous improvement, focusing on understanding what works, for whom, under what circumstances.
Research in Mathematics Education
www.smu.edu/RME
Leanne Ketterlin Geller, Director
RME conducts and disseminates high quality, evidence-based research to improve students’ mathematics and STEM performance in Texas and across the country. Formed in 2011 under the direction of Dr. Leanne Ketterlin Geller, RME is committed to engaging in research and outreach that will make a significant and lasting difference at the student, classroom, school, district, state and national levels. RME’s mission is to cultivate positive change by educating and empowering teachers and administrators through the provision of evidence-based practices and systems to support mathematics and, more broadly, STEM achievement through academic growth and development of all students. Key focal areas include:
- Creating systems of formative assessment to inform teacher decision-making.
- Designing evidence-based interventions for students struggling in mathematics.
- Designing and delivering professional development to support teachers’ and administrators’ implementation of best practices.
- Offering a dynamic community where researchers and educators can collaborate and share ideas and resources.
Through participation in research activities and conferences, engagement with professional development courses, dissemination of materials through the RME website, and collaborations with other organizations and publications, RME has reached thousands of educators since 2011.
The Budd Center: Involving Communities in Education
www.smu.edu/CCE
Karen Pierce, Executive Director
The mission of The Budd Center is to equip schools and nonprofits with the tools and information necessary to work collaboratively on projects that address the extraordinary social, emotional and educational needs of children living in poverty. The Budd Center uses the following strategies to accomplish its mission:
- Fosters partnerships that drive collaboration between school systems, nonprofits, community organizations, and SMU to co-design and implement impactful programs and solutions.
- Supports nonprofit Professional Learning Communities in utilizing individualized student data to create culturally relevant curricula and tailored intervention plans that reflect the needs and assets of local communities.
- Promotes community-based research and participatory practices that position students, families, and local partners as key contributors to knowledge generation and problem-solving.
- Connects SMU faculty and students to teaching, learning, and research opportunities that emphasize collaborative, place-based inquiry and actionable research.
Center for Family Counseling
www.smu.edu/FamilyCounseling
Tara Godhwani, Clinic Director
The Center for Family Counseling offers a variety of mental health counseling services to members of the community, including adults, adolescents, children, groups, couples, and families struggling with personal, social or career-related issues, while providing SMU graduate counseling students with meaningful training experience via supervised therapeutic interactions.
College Access
www.smu.edu/CollegeAccess
LeChelle Cunningham, Director
Since 1966, SMU College Access has assisted low-income students, potential first-generation college students, and underrepresented students prepare for college success. College Access programs include Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math Science, Talent Search, McNair Scholars, and College Knowledge.
Institute for Leadership Impact
http://www.smu.edu/ILI
Eric G Bing, Executive Director
The Institute for Leadership Impact helps emerging and established leaders in education, health, and social enterprise develop the skills necessary to lead organizations and solve real-world problems. The Institute was founded in 2016 with the mission of increasing access to practical leadership-development opportunities specifically designed for leaders who seek to create social impact in education, public health, social services, and related systems. The Institute focuses on helping individuals, teams, and organizations maximize their leadership abilities through a variety of in-person, online, and hybrid learning formats.
The Center for VR Learning Innovation
www.smu.edu/Simmons/Research/Center-for-Virtual-Reality-Learning-Innovation
Anthony Cuevas, Director
The Center for Virtual Reality (VR) Learning Innovation is dedicated to the advancement of interdisciplinary research and innovation in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and game-based learning (GBL) for education, health, and human development applications. The Center focuses on innovative immersive educational interactions in augmented and virtual reality environments using commercially available technologies to address global challenges.
Return to: Simmons School of Education and Human Development
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