Moore School of Education
Piedmont International University exists to educate individuals for a variety of educational and ministry settings. The Moore School of Education contributes to this cause by offering degrees in early childhood, elementary, secondary education, and Deaf Studies. PIU is committed to providing programs that prepare dedicated Christian individuals to meet the professional requirements necessary for certification in these fields.
Teaching and interpreting are not viewed as just career choices. These are ministries that can eternally impact the lives of children and adults. Graduates from these programs are qualified by education and experience to work in Christian, private, and/or public school environments, including interpreting opportunities in a variety of settings.
The Moore School of Education offers the following degrees:
Bachelor of Science degrees, which also include a Bible major, are offered in the following areas of educator preparation:
- Elementary Education (K-6)
- Elementary Education, Missions Emphasis (K-6)
- Health and Physical Education (K-12)
- Secondary English Education (6-12)
- Music Education (K-12)
A two-year Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education (birth to 5 years) is available for students interested in training for a preschool setting.
A Bachelor of Science degree in Deaf Studies with concentrations in Deaf Community Services and Sign Language Interpreting is available for individuals who wish to work within the Deaf community. This degree can be completed entirely online, or in a combination of residential and online courses.
Each program consists of a Bible core, a general education core, a professional studies, and/or specialty area core. The School of Education has a set of competencies that can produce individuals marked by professionalism and excellence. Additional program information, academic requirements, and professional testing requirements can be found in the Moore School of Education Handbook.
The educator preparation programs are designed to equip graduates to do the following:
- Articulate a biblically-based philosophy of education
- Construct lesson plans and learning activities that integrate biblical principles
- Define and explain the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor factors that promote learning
- Compare and contrast the philosophy and operation of Christian and public schools
- Evaluate and demonstrate the use of curricula, materials, technology, and pedagogy in the appropriate content areas
- Formulate and incorporate a variety of assessment tools and evaluation methods
- Recognize various exceptionalities and integrate suitable teaching and learning strategies
- Teach students according to accepted professional standards
- Recall basic legal and legislative issues that impact a school environment
Admission to the Educator Preparation Program and Deaf Studies
When students initially enroll in the University, they must declare their intentions to study in the Moore School of Education. Once students complete their first two years of coursework and field experience, they are evaluated for formal admission to the School of Education, either in the educator preparation program or the Deaf Studies program. This is a major step in progressing through the program to become a graduate. It signifies academic competence and a commitment to success that is essential in moving forward in the program. Students who fail to accomplish this admission are unable to continue in the Moore School of Education. The process and the associated requirements are described in the Moore School of Education Handbook.
| Number | Name | Policy |
| SL101 | ASL I | Will accept any transfer credit from any accredited college. If a student has a background in sign language, a challenge exam can be taken. |
| SL102 | ASL II | Will accept any transfer credit from any accredited college. If a student has a background in sign language, a challenge exam can be taken. |
| SL201 | ASL III | If a student wishes to transfer ASL 3, a B or higher must have been earned at the original institution. An institutional transfer portfolio can be used to determine transferability. |
| SL202 | ASL IV | If a student wishes to transfer ASL 4, a B or higher must have been earned at the original institution. He/she must take the ASLPI or the SLPI:ASL and earn a score of 2 or Intermediate (respectively). |
| SL221 | Deaf Ministry | Deaf Ministry or Religious Interpreting can be accepted to fulfill this requirement. |
| SL240 | Introduction to the Interpreting Profession | A first-level Introduction to Interpreting or Foundations of Interpreting (or similar title) can be accepted to fulfill this requirement. |
| SL301 | ASL V | If a student wishes to transfer ASL 5, he/she must take the ASLPI or the SLPI: ASL and earn a score of 2.5 or Intermediate Plus (respectively). |
| SL302 | Interpreting in Specialized Settings | Interpreting in Specialized Settings or Technical Settings can be accepted to fulfill this requirement. A Technical Vocabulary class CANNOT be accepted to fulfill this requirement. It must be an interpreting class. A grade of B or higher must have been earned at the original institution. |
| SL339 | Interpreting Process | A variety of classes could be considered for this. This will need to be considered on a case by case basis. |
| SL341 | English to ASL | If a student wishes to transfer English to ASL, an accompanying EIPA score of 3.5 would be accepted to transfer the class. If there is no EIPA score, an institutional transfer portfolio can be considered. |
| SL342 | Education Interpreting | Educational Interpreting can be accepted to fulfill this requirement. A grade of B or higher must have been earned at the original institution. |
| SL344 | Interactive Interpreting | If a student wishes to transfer Interactive Interpreting, an accompanying EIPA score of 3.5 would be accepted to transfer the class. If there is no EIPA score, an institutional transfer portfolio can be considered. |
| SL345 | ASL to English | If a student wishes to transfer ASL to English, an accompanying EIPA score of 3.5 would be accepted to transfer the class. If there is no EIPA score, an institutional transfer portfolio can be considered. |
| SL400 | ASL Linguistics | ASL Linguistics can be accepted to fulfill this requirement. A grade of B or higher must have been earned at the original institution. |
| SL460 | ASL Literature | ASL Literature can be accepted to fulfill this requirement. Potentially an ASL 5 or 6 could contain similar content and could be considered for transfer. A grade of B or higher must have been earned at the original institution. |
| SL488 | Fieldwork | Fieldwork cannot be transferred. All students must take Fieldwork through PIU. |
Teaching Internship
The Teaching Internship is the capstone event for all students in the Bachelor of Science program in Educator Preparation, and is done during the senior year. Students seeking licensure from the State of North Carolina must complete their assignment in a public school. Students not seeking state licensure may, depending on circumstances, complete student teaching at a public, private, or Christian school. Students in Deaf Studies and the Associate of Arts programs will perform an internship at one or more approved local facilities as part of their capstone coursework. If required by the host institution, students may be required to have a background check completed. If so, the cost is borne by the student. See the Moore School of Education Handbook for additional details.