Mission

BGSE’s mission is to promote a healthy, educated, and civil society by encouraging lifelong learning and enhancing quality of life through the preparation of professionals who educate, serve, and lead in an ever-changing world. As a professional school, BGSE is committed to critical inquiry, reflective practice, and social responsibility. These commitments are reflected in its core goals of promoting excellence in teaching and professional competence; upholding ethics, integrity, and professional dispositions; fostering collaboration among community stakeholders; and leveraging instructional and educational technology to improve learning and outcomes.

Guided by a vision of a world that values knowledge, education, and health as essential contributors to human flourishing, BGSE prepares professionals who are equipped to address complex challenges, create meaningful opportunities, and enhance the lives of individuals, families, schools, and communities.

The BGSE coordinates professional education across these departments:

Together, the departments of Counseling, Human Development, and Family Science (CHDFS), Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (ELPS), and Theory and Practice in Teacher Education (TPTE) form a comprehensive educator and human services preparation ecosystem within the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. United by a commitment of community engagement and to advancing well-being through education, leadership, research, and service, these departments prepare the professionals who strengthen individuals, families, schools, and communities across Tennessee and beyond. Through their collective expertise and impact, they exemplify CEHHS’s mission of transforming lives and shaping a better future for Tennessee and beyond.