The People's College
The College of Education and Human Development college makes a real difference in people's lives. We are driven by a sustained belief in the value of each child, each person, as an individual with unique talents and challenges; an understanding that research and collaboration with community professionals will lead to solutions that will improve lives; and a dedication to preparing educational and human service professionals to carry the values and knowledge discovered here into the world to make it a better place.
CEHD faculty, staff, and students are changing the world and improving lives through teaching and learning, research and discovery, and public engagement and outreach.
Dean Michael C. Rodriguez
Rankings
CEHD offers nationally ranked programs across psychology, education, and human services and development.
*U.S. News & World Report, 2025; **U.S. News & World Report, last ranked in 2022; ***National Academy of Kinesiology, 2023
About our students
2023-24 Student data
By the numbers
Retention rates of first-year students
89.4% of first year students returned to CEHD after their first year, including 85.5% students of color
Graduation rates of students at CEHD
66.2% of students who started at CEHD after high school graduated within four years
Degrees awarded in 2023-24
- Bachelor's: 628
- Master's: 559
- Doctoral: 90
Undergraduate students at CEHD
Total enrollment: 2,455 students
Undergraduate majors: 10
First generation enrollment: 33.9%
Undergraduate students of color: 36.5%
Undergraduate international students: 78 students from 24 countries
Graduate students at CEHD
Total enrollment: 1,700
Programs: 76
Graduate students of color: 27.9%
Graduate international students: 223 students from 55 countries
Workforce development
CEHD supports the people of Minnesota by preparing graduates to serve as education leaders as well as mental health and direct support professionals.
- 91% of alumni employed or pursuing additional education after earning bachelor’s degree
- Since 2006, provide action-based professional development to school leaders through the Minnesota Principals Academy
- National leader in workforce development reducing turnover of direct service professionals supporting people with disabilities
- More than 2,000 graduates each year
- 74% of employed alumni with bachelor’s degrees work in Minnesota
- Over 58,000 alumni living and working in Minnesota
Teacher preparation
The best teacher programs are backed by research. We prepare future teachers to understand the research behind how people learn.
- 92% employment rate for CEHD teachers across all programs
- 100% of special education graduates work in Minnesota
- We prepare teachers to employ the five pillars of the science of reading to meet the unique learning needs of each student.
Research and outreach
We make discoveries that help improve lives throughout Minnesota and beyond.
- At the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain and the Institute for Child Development, we host the largest long-term study of early brain and child development with a goal of using brain scans for early autism identification to guide early intervention.
- Center for Applied Research and Educational Innovations partners with the MN Department of Education to identify literacy curriculum and screeners based on the science of reading, in support of the MN READ Act.
- Aspiring to take MN from 48th to 1st in the U.S. for computer science education with Northern Lights Collaborative for Computing Education.
- MN Child Welfare Training Academy has 5,000 members, a collaboration between the Child Safety and Permanency Division at the MN Department of Children, Youth, and Families and the University of Minnesota Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare.
Innovation
Educational Technology Innovations (ETI) is a software design/development shop embedded in the college that increases the scale and impact of our research by translating research to practice with digital applications. Since 2015, over 30 applications have been launched, including:
PRESS
A tier II K-5 reading professional development and resource environment that provides specific, intentional reading interventions based on a child’s exact needs of support which has been used internationally since 2017.
DEXALYTICS
A dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan body composition software solution for collegiate and professional athletic programs.
IM4
A social, emotional, behavioral intervention system which has been utilized in schools across the country since 2018.
BRIDGES2FAMILIES
A telehealth platform for neurodiverse children and rural families with specific emphasis on military personnel.
CHECK&CONNECT
A student engagement program designed to reduce dropout rates and improve school completion by focusing on building relationships, and providing personalized interventions.
GLAM
A game-based Learning Avatar navigated Mobile app—to learn about the importance of HPV vaccination for survivors of childhood cancer.
