Appalachian State University’s Reich College of Education (RCOE) prepares educators, counselors, scholars, and leaders for work in schools, colleges, libraries, organizations, and communities. Across five academic departments and three centers, the college connects professional preparation with research, partnerships, and a commitment to the people and places it serves.
A Legacy Rooted in Education
App State's commitment to preparing educators dates to its beginnings as Watauga Academy in 1899. Established in 1968 and named for benefactor Lois Reich in 1987, RCOE carries that legacy forward while extending its work into a broad range of fields connected to education and human development. Today, the college enrolls more than 2,000 students annually and graduates over 400 teachers each year. Nearly all 100 counties in North Carolina employ an App State teacher, educator, or administrator.
Our Community
The RCOE community extends beyond a single campus or classroom. Faculty, staff, and students engage in teaching, learning, research, and professional practice across App State's Boone and Hickory campuses, through online programs, and in schools and organizations throughout North Carolina. This geographic and disciplinary reach brings together people with varied experiences, perspectives, and professional interests.
The college's academic programs serve students at different stages of their educational and professional journeys, including traditional undergraduate students, transfer students, working professionals, and individuals pursuing advanced degrees or professional credentials. Through academic programs, advising, field experiences, research collaborations, and community partnerships, RCOE creates opportunities for connection across disciplines and locations.
Alumni, donors, and community advocates also remain actively engaged in the life of the college through initiatives such as the Rhododendron Society, helping strengthen connections among RCOE, its graduates, and the communities they serve. In fiscal year 2026, this engagement contributed to a record fundraising year, with $4.38 million in gifts and commitments benefiting scholarships, academic programs, and strategic initiatives across the college.
This breadth is an important part of the college's identity and underscores the value of sustained communication, collaboration, and engagement among its faculty, staff, students, alumni, and partners.
Our Academic Departments & Programs
RCOE offers pathways at the bachelor's, master's, specialist, and doctoral levels, as well as certificates and professional licensure options. Its Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership was App State's first doctoral program. Graduate programs are housed in the college’s academic departments and supported in collaboration with the university's Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies. Campus-based and online options help serve students at different career stages.
Each of our departments brings together distinct disciplines and professional pathways, from early childhood education to advanced study in educational leadership. Beyond teacher preparation, RCOE offers programs that prepare professionals for careers in counseling, higher education, organizational leadership, and other fields across educational, nonprofit, and organizational settings. Offerings such as the B.S. in Organizational Leadership and Learning and graduate certificates in Trauma-Informed Leadership and Applied Educational Research reflect the college’s commitment to preparing professionals for diverse leadership and service roles.
Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education: The Department of Child Development, Literacy, and Special Education (CLSE) brings together complementary disciplines to advance interdisciplinary teaching, research, and clinical practice. Through initiatives such as the Anderson Reading Clinic, Lucy Brock Child Development Lab, and Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program, faculty and students connect professional preparation with service to children and families. Current areas of growth include flexible educational pathways, community-engaged learning, and partnerships addressing regional workforce needs. The department is also home to the Spangler Distinguished Professorship of Early Child Literacy, reflecting its longstanding commitment to literacy research, teaching, and community engagement.
Counseling, Family Therapy, and Higher Education: The Department of Counseling, Family Therapy, and Higher Education (CTH) prepares students for helping professions across counseling, marriage and family therapy, and higher education. Faculty bring substantial practitioner experience, active scholarship, and leadership in professional associations, licensure boards, and university service. Recent accomplishments include published and forthcoming scholarly books, interdisciplinary collaborations, new enrollment pathways, and expanding community-based clinical services.
Leadership, Library and Information Science, and Research: The Department of Leadership, Library and Information Science, and Research (LLR) prepares educational leaders, information professionals, and scholars for work in schools, colleges, universities, and libraries. Its graduate offerings include school administration and principal licensure, library science, and App State's Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership. Across its programs, faculty emphasize reflective inquiry, the integration of theory and practice, and leadership grounded in research and professional experience.
Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum: The Department of Learning, Teaching, and Curriculum (LTC) prepares teachers and curriculum specialists through undergraduate, graduate, and licensure pathways, including elementary and middle grades education. Its programs emphasize research-based instruction, authentic classroom experiences, and reflective practice. The department has also expanded access through offerings at App State's Hickory campus, including a K–9 STEM education pathway and a part-time evening elementary education program designed for working students. These initiatives connect teacher preparation with regional workforce needs.
Media, Career Studies, and Leadership Development: The Department of Media, Career Studies, and Leadership Development (MCL) offers programs spanning career and technical education, media, technology and learning design, and organizational leadership and learning. Its emphasis on applied learning, internships, and community partnerships connects academic preparation with professional practice. Emerging initiatives include new graduate and certificate offerings, interdisciplinary collaborations, and flexible course formats designed to support student success and respond to evolving workforce needs.
Educator preparation at App State extends beyond the Reich College of Education, with programs and concentrations housed in colleges across the university. These include secondary and language education in the College of Arts and Sciences; art and theatre education in the College of Fine and Applied Arts; health and physical education in the Beaver College of Health Sciences; and music education in the Hayes School of Music. Through close collaboration with these academic partners, RCOE provides foundational education coursework, coordinates student teaching experiences, and offers additional support to students pursuing teacher licensure across disciplines. These partnerships reflect a university-wide commitment to preparing educators and meeting the diverse needs of schools and communities.
Connected to Communities and Practice
RCOE's work extends beyond degree programs. Faculty and students collaborate with schools, families, and community organizations through research, field and clinical experiences, lab schools, clinics, and programs supporting educators and educational leaders. These relationships connect the college's teaching and scholarship to educational needs across Western North Carolina and the state.
The college also convenes educators, researchers, students, and community partners through a range of summits, symposia, and professional learning events that create opportunities for dialogue, collaboration, and the exchange of ideas across educational sectors.
Western North Carolina provides a distinctive context for the college's teaching, research, and service. The region encompasses rural mountain communities, small towns, and growing regional centers, each with different educational strengths, resources, and needs. Geographic distance, access to postsecondary education, and the recruitment and retention of qualified educators can shape opportunities for students, families, and schools. At the same time, the region benefits from strong community relationships and longstanding connections among educational institutions, local organizations, and the people they serve. These circumstances inform RCOE's approach to educator preparation, professional development, research, and community engagement. Through sustained partnerships, the college works alongside regional educators and organizations to develop educational opportunities that reflect local priorities while contributing to broader statewide needs.
About Appalachian State University and the UNC System
The Reich College of Education is part of Appalachian State University, a comprehensive public university whose identity is shaped by its longstanding commitment to educator preparation, educational access, and the communities of Western North Carolina. Rooted in its rural mountain heritage, App State advances teaching, research, and public service through its Boone and Hickory campuses and expanding online programs. In 2025, App State earned Carnegie's Research 2 (R2) designation, reflecting increased research activity and doctoral degree production. This milestone provides an important foundation for expanding scholarly activity, graduate education, and research partnerships while maintaining the university's historic commitment to high-quality teaching and community engagement.
As one of 16 public universities in the University of North Carolina System (UNC), App State is also part of a statewide network of institutions committed to advancing educational opportunity, knowledge, and the well-being of North Carolinians. The UNC System provides a broader framework for institutional governance, academic planning, resource stewardship, and public accountability. Through the UNC Board of Governors, System Office, and institution-level leadership, member universities operate within shared policies and statewide priorities while maintaining distinct institutional missions. Membership in the System also creates opportunities for collaboration across institutions, including transfer pathways, academic partnerships, research initiatives, and coordinated responses to the educational and workforce needs of North Carolina.
For RCOE, this institutional context creates an important connection between regional commitments and statewide responsibility. The college's work preparing educators, counselors, researchers, and educational leaders contributes directly to North Carolina's public education and workforce needs. At the same time, its partnerships with schools, community colleges, universities, and community organizations allow RCOE to respond to the distinctive needs of Western North Carolina. As part of both App State and the UNC System, RCOE is positioned to connect locally grounded teaching, research, and service with broader opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and public impact.