Courses

History, Philosophy, and Policy Studies in Education Courses

  • EDUC-H 504 History of American Education (3 cr.) A study of education, both informal and institutional, in American history leading to an understanding of present educational theory and practice.
  • EDUC-H 510 Foundations of Educational Inquiry (3 cr.) Examination of the nature and purpose of educational inquiry with a focus on topics in social science epistemology.
  • EDUC-H 520 Education and Social Issues (3 cr.) Identification and analysis of major problems set for education by the pluralistic culture of American society.
  • EDUC-H 525 Anthropology of Education (3 cr.) The bearing of modern and contemporary anthropological thought and cultural theory on selected problems of education; inter­disciplinary approach to educational theory; designed for graduate students in education.
  • EDUC-H 530 Philosophy of Education (3 cr.) A study of representative topics in the philosophy of education, indoctrination, the nature of teaching and learning, moral issues in education, etc.
  • EDUC-H 538 Critical Thinking and Education (3 cr.) A philosophical examination of the role of education in fostering the development of critical-creative thinking, with an emphasis on (1) techniques of reasoning; (2) methods of logical appraisal formal versus informal; and (3) their application in the classroom.
  • EDUC-H 540 Sociology of Education (3 cr.) Examines the role of schools in society; the interaction between schooling as a social institution and other institutions of society; the effects of society on educational processes and practices; the functioning and characteristics of schools as formal organizations; and the contribution of schooling to social system maintenance and change.
  • EDUC-H 551 Comparative Education I (3 cr.) Introduction to the comparative method in the study of educational systems in different societies. Provides students with conceptual and methodological tools from the field of education and related disciplines—such as sociology, political science, anthropology, and economics—for studying societal school systems in depth and making international and cross-cultural comparisons.
  • EDUC-H 552 Comparative Education II (3 cr.) P: H551. A continuation of the introductory course to comparative education. Run on a seminar basis, the course allows students to select an educational problem or a national system which they will analyze from a comparative perspective, applying the concepts and methodologies introduced in H551.
  • EDUC-H 553 Travel Study: variable title (1-6 cr.) Provides an opportunity to conduct independent inquiry while traveling to different areas of the United States and foreign countries.
  • EDUC-H 560 Education and Change in Societies (3 cr.) Analysis of the role of education and literacy in national development, modernization, and change processes. Compares the historical role schools have played in the growth of industrialized countries with present demands placed on educational systems in the developing countries.
  • EDUC-H 590 Independent Study in History, Philosophy, and Comparative Education (1-3 cr.) P: Individual research or study with a History, Philosophy, and Comparative Education faculty member, arranged in advance of registration. A one- or two-page written proposal should be submitted to the instructor during the first week of the term specifying the scope of the project, project activities, meeting times, completion date, and student products. Ordinarily, H590 should not be used for the study of material taught in a regularly scheduled course.
  • EDUC-H 600 Concepts and Arguments in Education (3 cr.) The use of philosophic resources in the analysis of the grounds and reasons for educational claims.
  • EDUC-H 601 Historical Inquiry in Education (3 cr.) Methodology of historical inquiry in education, including selection and definition of topics, collection and verification of data, interpretation of evidence, and art of historical writing.
  • EDUC-H 603 Classics in Philosophy of Education (3 cr.) Selected readings from authors such as Plato, Aristotle, Aquinas, Descartes, Kant, and Nietzsche.
  • EDUC-H 620 Seminar in Educational Policy Studies (3 cr.) Critical study of educational policy and the related field of educational planning. Relates educational policy to social policy, science policy, and communication policy within a social system and to what consequently happens in a system's classrooms. Introduction to some tools and approaches to policy design and educational planning here and abroad.
  • EDUC-H 622 Seminar: Issues in Education Policy (3 cr.) Critical study of contemporary issues of education policy research with a special emphasis on policy implementation. The emerging policy agendas in K-12, higher education, and international education are considered. This course complements H620 Seminar in Education Policy Studies.
  • EDUC-H 623 Education Policy Research Seminar (1 cr.) P: Admission to education policy studies major or minor. Discussion of faculty, student, and other experts' research on education policy.
  • EDUC-H 631 Social and Political Philosophy and Education (3 cr.) Methods and concepts of social and political philosophy relative to educational issues.
  • EDUC-H 637 Topical Seminar: variable title (3 cr.) P: Consent of instructor. Critical examination of a problem area in history of education or comparative education that has been extensively studied by the instructor.
  • EDUC-H 638 Aesthetics and Education (3 cr.) Selected topics in philosophical aesthetics as they relate to aesthetic appreciation, art criticism, and art production or performance as educational objectives.
  • EDUC-H 650 Theory of Knowledge and the Educational Process (3 cr.) Consideration of theories of knowledge as they relate to educational objectives, methods of instruction, and curriculum organization.
  • EDUC-H 657 Topics in the Philosophy of Education (3 cr.) Critical examination of a philosophy of education problem area that has been intensively studied by the instructor.
  • EDUC-H 710 Advanced Study in Philosophy of Education (3 cr.) Advanced study in periods, movements, or branches of philosophy of education.
  • EDUC-H 795 Dissertation Proposal Preparation (1-3 cr.) This course is for the development of a dissertation proposal in history, philosophy, and policy studies in education. Students must have the consent of a dissertation director or prospective director to enroll. Students should be finished or nearly finished with program course work.
  • EDUC-H 750 Topical Inquiry Seminar in History of Education: variable title (3 cr.) Consideration of theoretical or research problems in the conduct of inquiry especially dissertation studies in the history of education.
  • EDUC-H 799 Doctoral Thesis in the History of Philosophy of Education (1-12 cr.) Credit may be earned over a period of several semesters. The thesis may be an organized scientific contribution or a comprehensive analysis of theory and practice in a specific area.

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