Duke University. Dept. of Education.

By the charter of 1851, graduates of Normal College (the precursor to Trinity College) were recognized by the North Carolina legislature as qualified to teach in the common schools of the state. In 1859, President Braxton Craven introduced a teacher training curriculum. The Department of Education was formed at Trinity College in 1907, and teacher training programs, particularly those offered during the summer, enrolled many students. Prior to 1952, most students preparing to teach in the secondary schools majored in education. During the 1950s, this began to change; students could major in the subject they planned to teach, and be advised by members of the Department of Education. In 1954, a program leading to the degree of Master of Arts in Teaching was started, and throughout the 1950s, a number of special and cooperative programs were established. The 1960s saw an increase in the number of students seeking graduate training. By the late 1970s, the number of undergraduates intending to teach had begun to decline. The department was eliminated December 31, 1981 and replaced by a Program in Education in the College of Arts and Sciences, which enables undergraduates to meet state certification requirements. The Master of Arts in Teaching Degree continues to be offered.

The Dept. of Education at Duke University formed in 1907, and prepared both undergraduate and graduate students for careers in education. The Department dissolved at the end of 1981.