Selected Studies in Education:
A Program for Cultural and Social Transformation
Contact Richard Shin, 260 Huntington Hall, 315-443-9646; rqshin@syr.edu.
Designed for Syracuse University students who are interested in education careers but not currently pursuing a teaching certificate, selected studies in education offers a path to a bachelor’s degree through a program tailored to a student’s individual interests and aspirations. Selected studies in education is for students planning to enter fields that contain strong educational components, including educational media, international education, counseling, instructional design and evaluation, higher education, child advocacy and youth programming, education and family law, museum studies, disability
studies, corporate settings, and related fields.
Curriculum Guidelines
Students must complete the following requirements, including at least 42 credits at the upper-division level:
- 30 credits in education (including a minimum of 18 credits in one of the four selected studies individual focus areas, outlined below)
- a minor or major in a liberal arts field related to the course of study;
- liberal arts distribution requirements (The liberal arts major or minor plus distribution requirements and liberal arts electives must total at least 60 credits.);
- at least 6 credits in a language other than English (All students are required to take at least two semesters of language other than English while at Syracuse, even if they have previously developed competence in another language through high school preparation or by some other means.);
- one semester of study abroad or an intensive semester experience in Syracuse or another part of the U.S. that would broaden the student’s experience with diversity in a distinct way;
- at least 6 credits in research methods (this requirement can be satisfied with courses taken as part of the required 30 credits in education);
- an internship or several intensive experience projects that allow the student opportunities to apply and enhance skills learned in the program (minimum of 6 credits).
Core in Education
Students are required to complete the following core courses in education (15 credits):
| EDU 200 |
Education for Cultural and Social Transformation |
3 |
| EDU 310 |
American School |
3 |
| EDU 300 |
International Education for Cultural and Social Transformation |
3 |
| CFE 444 |
Schooling and Diversity |
3 |
| EDU 400 |
Research and Theory in Education for Cultural and Social Transformation |
3 |
Individual Focus Areas in Education
Students must choose at least 18 credits of coursework from approved courses in education based on their thematic or career focus. Students satisfy this requirement by taking courses listed in any of the focus areas below. Students may make substitutions with the approval of their advisors. The four focus areas to choose from are:
Cultural Foundations of American Schooling: Schooling and Diversity
This focus is suitable for students who may want to pursue any of the following career interests: seek a teaching career at a future point; work with youth in non-school settings; enter the educational media field; or work in public policy settings that focus on public schooling. Students interested in this focus area might also want to choose courses from the pre-teaching focus or the education, technology, and media focus.
Pre-Teaching: Study of Teaching, Learning, and Inclusion
This focus is suitable for students who may wish to pursue a career in teaching after completing their undergraduate program. Courses in this focus area may include the study of early childhood, elementary, or secondary education, as well as issues of diversity, disability, regular education, special education, and inclusion within schools. Students in this focus area will have significant experiences in public schools during the course of study. Students interested in pre-teaching may want to consider taking relevant courses from other focus areas.
Education, Technology, and Media
This focus is ideal for students who have an interest in the integration of media and technology in various learning contexts. Students learn media literacy skills and gain an understanding of how popular culture influences the promotion and transmission of cultural values within our society. Students interested in this focus may want to consider taking relevant courses in the cultural foundations of American schooling focus.
Post-Secondary and Human Services Fields
This focus is suitable for students wishing to work in a variety of educational settings, including the workplace, higher education, international education, and as non-teaching personnel in primary and secondary schools. Whether students are interested in pursuing a graduate degree in a human services field or in seeking employment immediately after undergraduate studies, this focus area will provide an introduction to the general study and provision of human and social services to individuals, families, and communities in public and private human service agencies and organizations. The focus provides a strong foundation for graduate work in such fields as counseling, social work, marriage and family therapy, psychology, and higher education. Students interested in this focus might also want to consider taking relevant courses in the education, technology, and media focus.
Liberal Arts Distribution Requirements
All students in the Selected Studies in Education program are advised to complete a set of liberal arts requirements. These are:
| Two mathematics courses |
6 |
| Two science w/lab courses |
8 |
Three writing courses (WRT 105, 205, and 307)
|
9 |
Two foreign language courses
|
6-8 |
| One history course |
3 |
| One multicultural social science course |
3 |
One multicultural humanities course
|
3 |
| Eight liberal arts electives (Arts and Sciences) |
24 |
Liberal Arts Majors or Minors
Students are advised to complete a full major or an approved concentration in a liberal arts field as part of their program in selected studies in education. A complete list of available majors, minors and concentrations can be found in the Undergraduate Course Catalog; students may develop their own individualized multidisciplinary majors with the assistance of their advisor and permission of liberal arts departments in the College of Arts and Sciences.
A 2.8 grade point average is required for admission to this program and to remain in good academic standing in the program.