At the College of Education, we’re continuing NIU’s 125+year tradition of preparing educators for the region and nation. Our more than 55,000 alumni continue to make an impact on the educational landscape in Illinois and beyond. Their success is proof of the high quality of our programs, which are nationally recognized for their excellence.
U.S. News and World Report ranked us among the best education schools in the nation for several consecutive years. They’ve also ranked our programs among the best online graduate education programs in the U.S. for more than a decade.
Faculty in the Department of Counseling and Higher Education have received the prestigious 2025 Robert Frank Outstanding Counselor Education Program Award from the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision. This national honor recognizes programs that embody excellence through rigorous standards and forward-thinking innovation.
Money.com recognized us in its inaugural ranking of Best Education Master’s Programs for Your Money. This ranking was based on affordability, employment outcomes and typical graduate earnings.
Since 1954, our programs have been continuously accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP, formerly NCATE), a mark of distinction for meeting national professional standards.
Individual programs have received additional accreditation:
MAC Fellow
Fulbright Scholar
Board of Trustee Professor
Distinguished Teaching Professor
Distinguished Engagement Professor
Presidential Teaching Professor
Presidential Engagement Professor
Distinguished Graduate Faculty
Excellence in Online Teaching
Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching
Honors Great Professor
Office for Student Success
Academic Advising and Student Engagement
815-753-1948
coestudentsuccess@niu.edu
Gabel Hall 138
Academic Departments
Program Information
cahe@niu.edu
cidepartment@niu.edu
knpe@niu.edu
lilt@niu.edu
seed@niu.edu
Dean's Office
General Information
815-753-1949
cedu@niu.edu
Graham Hall 321