1915
Auburn’s Board of Trustees establishes the Department of Education to offer professional courses to teachers. Graduates from the department receive a bachelor of science in agricultural education. More than 50 students register in the first year. Zubulon Judd (pictured) heads the new department.
1918
The Department of Education becomes the School of Agricultural Education, following the Smith-Hughes National Vocational Education Act of 1917. The school offers three types of degrees: nonvocational education, agricultural education and liberal arts.
1920
The School of Agricultural Education becomes the School of Education. Zebulon Judd becomes the dean of the School of Education. The school awards its first bachelor’s degrees in education.
1925
Extension courses for teachers’ in-service begin. The school awards its first graduate degree in education.
1953
The Doctorate of Education program is approved.
1955
Dean Zebulon Judd is succeeded in the role by Truman Pierce (pictured).
1957
Floreine Hudson becomes the first woman to earn a doctorate from the School of Education.
1962
The Learning Resources Center is established to support the production of educational materials and the use of technological aids in teaching.
1966
Josetta Matthews receives a master’s degree in secondary social science education. She becomes the first African-American student to graduate from Auburn University. Later, she would become the first African-American student to earn a doctorate from Auburn.
1967
Construction of Haley Center begins.
1969
Haley Center opens. The School of Education moves there from Thach Hall. The School of Education establishes the Secretarial Service Center, a word-processing system that is the first of its kinds.
1975
After 20 years in the role, Truman Pierce retires from his deanship. Jack E. Blackburn (pictured) replaces him.
1981
The Department of Elementary Education and the Department of Secondary Education merge to become the Department of Curriculum and Teaching. The Sun Belt Writing Project begins. The project, a College of Education program, helps K-16 educators improve their students’ writing performance.
1982
The Truman Pierce Institute is founded. The institute, a research and outreach unit devoted to the study and improvement of teaching, learning and leadership, focuses on schools and their communities.
1983
The Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) begins. The SEP is a six-week program that enhances early childhood education through a project-based curriculum and that allows undergraduate students to learn about the art of teaching.
1984
The East Alabama Regional Inservice Center (EARIC) is created by the Eduation Reform Act of 1984. Andrew Weaver, of the Department of Curriculum and Teaching, wrote the act.
1987
The Department of Educational Media becomes the Department of Educational Technology. It merges with the Department of Foundations and the Department of Educational Leadership to become the Department of Educational Leadership, Foundations and Technology. The college begins the following doctoral programs: Counselor Education, Counseling Psychology and School Psychology, Curriculum and Teaching, Health and Human Performance and Rehabilitation and Special Education.
1990
Richard K. Kunkel becomes the dean of the college.
1999
The college begins to offer distance education courses.
2001
Frances K. Kochan becomes the interim dean of the college.
2002
The college adopts the keystone as its symbol.
2003
The college publishes the first issue of its Keystone magazine.
2005
Frances K. Kochan becomes the dean of the college — the first woman to serve in this role.
2007
The Department of Health and Human Performance becomes the Department of Kinesiology.
2008
The Department of Counseling and Counseling Psychology and the Department of Rehabilitation and Special Education merge to become the Department of Special Education, Rehabilitation, and Counseling.
2010
Betty Lou Whitford becomes the college’s dean.
2013
The Department of Kinesiology becomes the School of Kinesiology. The new building to house the school opens, and the school moves from the Beard Eaves Memorial Coliseum into the new building.
2015
The college celebrates its centennial year.
2018
The Education to Accomplish Growth in Life Experiences for Success, or EAGLES, program is established as a comprehensive transition program for students with intellectual disabilities.
2020
Jeffrey T. Fairbrother is named dean of the college.
2022
The Auburn University Board of Trustees approves the construction of a 167,000-square-foot, three-story building for the College of Education at the intersection of West Samford Avenue and Duncan Drive.
2025
The new Education building is set to open for classes in fall 2025.
