The purpose of the School of Education’s (SOE) major in Educational Studies is to provide students the opportunity to develop their understanding of current educational practices and the complex interactions among the social, economic, political and legal forces that influence and shape educational policies, to consider options for careers in the broader context of education independent of teaching, and to become better consumers of educational services as citizens. The Educational Studies major is designed for students interested in educational processes, institutions, and policy issues.
The educational studies major consists of the satisfactory completion of 45 credit hours in courses identified for the program. The major in educational studies is created with a sequence of coursework that includes foundational courses as well as elective courses, including opportunities for hands-on learning experiences in educational settings. Students pursuing the major will learn about current educational systems today (accountability, choice, charters, high stakes testing, educational disparities, etc.) and their relationships to other social systems. Through this major, students will gain a broad and comprehensive understanding of the educational landscape around them. Students pursuing the major may select from a variety of courses that may focus on a particular interest or may sample across aspects of the curriculum. Specific areas of interest that are reflected in the course offerings include, but are not limited to: special education, literacy and language, curriculum and teaching strategies, educational research, and educational topics.
Note: The Educational Studies major does not lead to teacher licensure.
Major Requirements
The following series of foundational courses are required for all students interested in pursuing the Educational Studies major. Students choose six additional courses from the menu of electives/minors. There are courses that focus primarily on the social foundations of education, some of which include a “promising practices” component, which affords students the opportunity to experience hands-on learning opportunities in partnering schools and other educational settings. There are also courses that focus primarily on understanding educational practice. The common theme of learning about educational systems today is embedded in all of the core coursework.
