Cultural Foundations of Education

School/College: School of Education

Degree Conferred:

• MS in Cultural Foundations of Education

Contents

• Graduate Faculty
• Master of Science in Cultural Foundation of Education
• Courses

Overview

The Department of Educational Policy and Community Studies offers a master's program for educators who wish to deepen their knowledge base in dealing with urban issues of educational policy and practice. The graduate study enhances participants' ability to analyze education in societal and community contexts as well as to analyze conflicting assumptions underlying crucial issues.

A core of four courses provides sociological, historical, philosophical and research frames of reference. Students select Educational Foundations or Multicultural Education as an area of concentration, although probing the complexities and issues of cultural diversity is a goal of each area.

Students are encouraged to develop and understand their own frameworks of values and theoretical perspectives as applied to the realities of urban education. A faculty advisor will assist the student through the program, balancing flexibility and structure according to professional needs.

Graduate Faculty

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Professor

Epps, Edgar, Ph.D., Washington State University

Associate Professors

Bonds, Michael, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

Kailin, Julie, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison

Schutz, Aaron, Ph.D., University of Michigan

Swaminathan, Raji, Ph.D., Syracuse University

Tapia, Javier, Ph.D., Arizona State University

Assistant Professors

Farmer-Hinton, Raquel, Ph.D., University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign

Williams, Gary L., Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Master of Science in Cultural Foundations of Education

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Admission

An applicant must meet Graduate School requirements plus the following departmental requirements to be considered for admission to the program:

1. Submission of two letters of recommendation from individuals who can testify to the applicant's academic potential.
2. Written statement of educational and professional goals with desired area of concentration.

Major Professor as Advisor

The student must have a major professor to advise and supervise the student's studies as specified in Graduate School regulations. A student who is not assigned to an advisor at time of admission should immediately contact the Department Chair.

Credits and Courses

The program in Cultural Foundations of Education requires a minimum of 30 graduate credits, divided among the following: required core courses (12); focus work (minimum 9 graduate credits) and electives. A minimum of 6 credits beyond the four core courses needs to be in graduate courses, 700 level and above.

Core Courses

The required core for all students consists of the following 12 credits: EdPol 705 Sociology of Education (3), EdPol 710 Research Methods in Cultural Foundation (3), EdPol 740 Modern Philosophies of Education (3), and EdPol 750 History of American Education (3). Each of these required courses has a set of major questions that guide the instructor and the students.

Focus Work in Cultural Foundations

In addition to the core courses, Cultural Foundations majors must complete a minimum of 9 credits in the Department of Educational Policy and Community Studies that may be focused in the following areas: alternative education, multicultural education, peace education, urban education, and educational policy. They will select this focus with the help of an advisor.

Electives

In order to individualize the program, a maximum of 9 graduate credits of electives is selected with the advisor to enhance the specific professional goals of the student. These credits may be selected from courses within the Department, courses in other departments in the School of Education, or courses outside of the School of Education. A maximum of 3 credits of Independent Reading and 3 credits of fieldwork may be included in the program.

Paper or Thesis

All students in the Cultural Foundations of Education program must complete either a paper or a thesis in addition to an exit interview as part of their degree requirements. The selection of either the thesis or the paper should be made by the student in consultation with his/her advisor.

Time Limit

The student must complete all degree requirements within five years of initial enrollment.

Courses

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Courses numbered 300-699 are Undergradute/Graduate. Courses numbered 700 and above are Graduate only.

401 (503) (effective 09/02/2008) Foundations of Community-Based Organizations. 3 cr. U/G.

Overview of community based organizations, their structures, functions, & administration. Students will also be taught proposal writing skills. Prereq: jr st or cons instr.

497 (effective 05/19/2008) Study Abroad: (Subtitled). 1-12 cr. U/G.

Designed to enroll students in UWM sponsored program before course work level, content, and credits are determined and/or in specially prepared program course work. Retakable w/chg in topic. Prereq: jr st, cons instr, acceptance for Study Abroad Prog.

500 Sociology and Policy of Urban Communities and Schools. 3 cr. U/G.

Selected contemporary social issues analyzed for their bearing on urban communities and schools. Prereq: jr st.

501 Seminar in Philosophy of Community Change. 3 cr. U/G.

Advanced study of significant philosophers of change and critical evaluation of the role of personal values in social change efforts. Prereq: jr st or cons instr.

503 Foundations of Community-Based Organizations. 3 cr. U/G.

Overview of community based organizations, their structures, functions, & administration. Students will also be taught proposal writing skills. Prereq: jr st or cons instr.

506 Research Techniques for Community Organizers and Community Educators. 3 cr. U/G.

Introduction to basic research techniques and the specific skills needed for the community organizer and/or educator. Prereq: jr st.

507 Action Research on Milwaukee Institutions. 3 cr. U/G.

Examination and analysis of the organization, philosophy, and history of specific Milwaukee institutions. Emphasis placed on how these institutions affect the lives of community residents and appropriate alternatives to current arrangements. Prereq: jr st or cons instr.

508 Problems of Change in Community-Based Organizations. 3 cr. U/G.

Advanced training in community organizing with reflective paper. Prereq: Ed Pol 111(P) & cons instr.

510 Foundations of Human Relations in Community-Based Organizations. 3 cr. U/G.

Analysis of selected concepts and resources bearing on human relations training. Various approaches, e.g., Harvard case studies, to human relations will be evaluated. Prereq: jr st.

512 Context and Foundations of Educational Policy. 3 cr. U/G.

Defines educational policy, studies philosophical, historical, and social contexts of educational policy, examines context of educational policy, and presents contemporary educational concerns. Prereq: jr st.

520 Peace Education. 3 cr. U/G.

Discusses how education and community education can address the threats of violence and prepares students to teach about peace, nonviolence, and conflict resolution. Prereq: jr st or cons instr. Minimum of 9 hrs Soc Sci division course work.

521 Nonviolence in Education. 3 cr. U/G.

An overview of different theories of nonviolence and an examination of their applications in educational setting. Prereq: jr st; Ed Pol 520(R); Psych 201(R) or cons instr.

522 Abusive Relationships: Community Problems, Community Solutions. 3 cr. U/G.

The origins of relationship abuse, the legal aspects of domestic violence, and the healing process for people hurting in relationships. Prereq: jr st; Ed Pol 520(P) or cons instr.

530 Urban Education: Foundations. 3 cr. U/G.

Application of basic social science concepts to study of education in the urban setting. Prereq; jr st.

531 Alternative Schools. 3 cr. U/G.

Examine the alternative schools movement. Counts as repeat of Ed Pol 330. Prereq: jr st.

532 Male Identity: Education and Development. 3 cr. U/G.

Contribution of schools in forming male identity. Changing expectations of men in work, the family and society. Prereq: jr st.

533 Educating Black Males-Theories, Methods and Strategies. 3 cr. U/G.

This course will develop skills and strategies to affect changes in the lives of black males in the school system, k through 12 grade. Prereq: jr st; Ed Pol 112 or 375 or equiv or teacher certification.

534 The Student at Risk (Causes). 3 cr. U/G.

Helps teachers to identify and understand the personal, social, cultural and community contexts which contribute to the at-risk status of public school students. Prereq: jr st.

535 Educating At-Risk Students. 3 cr. U/G.

Development of skills and techniques to enable teachers to be instructionally effective with at-risk students. Prereq: jr st; Ed Pol 534(P).

541 Wisconsin Juvenile Justice System and the Law for School Personnel. 1 cr. U/G.

Provides students and school personnel with knowledge of Wisconsin juvenile justice system, and legal responsibilities of all school personnel, emphasizing current code. Prereq: jr st.

545 Philosophical Foundations of Counseling. 3 cr. U/G.

Examination of basic issues and schools of thought in counseling for underlying assumptions, presuppositions, philosophical dilemmas, and unexamined trends. Prereq: one counseling course or cons instr.

550 Comparative Education. 3 cr. U/G.

Survey of foreign school systems with attention to cultural setting and major purposes. Prereq: jr st.

560 Education and Hispanics. 3 cr. U/G.

Examination of the educational experiences of Hispanics in schools in the USA. Prereq: jr st.

561 Education Issues in American Indian Communities. 3 cr. U/G.

Unique political-legal, social-cultural contexts of Native Education, intergovernmental involvement and role in addressing social/cultural and developmental needs of tribal societies. Prereq: jr st or const instr.

579 Current Topics in Cultural Foundations of Education: (Subtitled). 1-6 cr. U/G.

Specific topics and any additional prerequisites will be announced in the Schedule of Classes each time the course is offered. Retakeable with change in topic to max of 9 cr, including cr earned under Ed Pol 779. Prereq: jr st.

580 An Overview of Child/Youth Care. 3 cr. U/G.

Survey of skills, theories and approaches of the youth work field. Emphasis on interactive, developmental and relationship-building approaches in a variety of settings. Ed Pol/ExcEduc/Soc Wrk 580 are jointly offered & count as repeats of each other. Prereq: jr st or cons instr.

581 Youth Work Practice. 3 cr. U/G.

Applies the skills, theories and approaches of the youth work field to settings such as schools, community centers, and residential programs. Ed Pol/ExcEduc/Soc Wrk 581 are jointly offered & count as repeats of each other. Prereq: jr st; Ed Pol/ExcEduc/Soc Wrk 580(P); or grad st or cons instr.

582 Operations Management in Early Childhood Programs. 3 cr. U/G.

An introduction to systems and operations theory. Students explore and apply management concepts, systems, policies, and procedures to improve the quality of programs and services. Jointly offered with & counts as repeat of Ad Ldsp 582. Prereq: jr st; Ad Ldsp 581(P); or cons instr.

584 Early Childhood Programs and the External Environment. 3 cr. U/G.

Examines external influences that impact daycare. Students explore issues of culture, community, diversity, and policy as well as technical issues related to program quality. Prereq: jr st & Ad Ldsp 581(P); or cons instr.

585 Supervised Practicum in Child and Youth Care. 2-4 cr. U/G.

Supervised practicum in residential agencies and settings which utilize child and youth care workers and serve behaviorally, cognitively and/or physically disabled youth. Ed Pol/ExcEduc 585 are jointly offered & count as repeats of each other. Prereq: jr st; Ed Pol/ExcEduc/Soc Wrk 580(P), or grad st; cons instr.

610 Reproduction of Minority Communities. 3 cr. U/G.

Analysis of the social, economic, and cultural forces behind the formation and reproduction of minority and disadvantaged communities in the United States. Jointly offered w/& counts as repeat of Sociol 610. Prereq: jr st; any Sociol 100-level course.

620 (720) History of the Education of African Americans. 3 cr. U/G.

Study of the history, biographies, trends, cultural influences, and movements in the education of African Americans: Africa to slavery to the present. Comparison with 'white education.' Prereq: jr st.

621 History of Native Education and Policy Development. 3 cr. U/G.

Historic policy development affecting the education of American Indians including the development of schools and the relationship of education to federal Indian policy. Prereq: jr st or cons instr.

625 Race Relations in Education. 3 cr. U/G.

Study and analysis of historical and theoretical bases of racism/race relations in america and their influences on contemporary educational policies and practices. Prereq: jr st.

630 Race and Public Policy in Urban America. 3 cr. U/G.

Examination of the relationship between race and public policy with emphasis on issues (housing, crime, welfare reform, poverty, employment, discrimination, etc.) impacting urban communities. Prereq: jr st or cons instr.

660 History of Western Education. 3 cr. U/G.

Chronological narrative examining educational systems in western countries through the development of various civilizations from ancient Egypt to Europe. Prereq: jr st.

688 Fieldwork in Multicultural Education. 1-6 cr. U/G.

Fieldwork in multicultural settings appropriate for cultural research, analysis and study. Individualized requirements and evaluation criteria to be determined by faculty on individualized bases. May be retaken to 6 cr max. Prereq: jr st; cons instr.

698 Fieldwork in International Education. 1-6 cr. U/G.

Fieldwork in intercultural settings appropriate for cultural research, analysis and study. Requirements and evaluation criteria to be determined by faculty on individualized basis. Retakable to 6 cr max. Prereq: jr st; cons instr.

705 Sociology of Education. 3 cr. G.

Focus on educational institutions as social systems within community and societal contexts; dimensions of race/ethnicity, socioeconomic class and gender. Prereq: grad st.

710 Research Methods in Cultural Foundations. 3 cr. G.

Critical examination of historical, philosophical, sociological and comparative research methods and strategies and their implications for educational decision making. Prereq: grad st.

712 Community Education and Action. 3 cr. G.

History of community changes and community education in America; key contemporary examples of community education, school-community relations, and community organizing. Prereq: grad st.

740 Modern Philosophies of Education. 3 cr. G.

Analysis of competing assumptions about the aims and means of contemporary education; exploration of beliefs about values and knowledge within cultural contexts. Prereq: grad st.

750 History of American Education. 3 cr. G.

Study of consensus and conflict in the ideas and issues shaping education in the changing u.s. society; includes an emphasis on the education of immigrants, minorities and women in and outside of mainstream society. Prereq: grad st.

779 Current Topics in Cultural Foundations of Education: (Subtitled). 1-3 cr. G.

Variable content course. Specific topic announced in schedule of classes. May be retaken with change in topic to max of 9 cr. Prereq: grad st.

799 Independent Reading. 1-3 cr. G.

For benefit of grad students unable to secure needed content in regular courses. Prereq: grad st; cons instr.

801 (831) Seminar in Social Foundations of Education. 3 cr. G.

Intensive examination of the cultural dimensions of education from philosophical, historical and sociological perspectives; emphasis on current interdisciplinary literature concerning cultural diversity. Specific cultural focus may vary. Prereq: Ed Pol 705(P) or 740(P) or 750(P) or cons instr.

805 Sociology of Education: Seminar. 3 cr. G.

Evaluation of theory, scholarly research, and issues in the sociology of education, with emphasis on empirical studies of social stratification and social mobility. Prereq: Doctoral st or cons instr.

822 Global Educational Studies. 3 cr. G.

Study of worldwide growth in learning needs and how to meet them; inequalities between and within countries; and proposed reforms, innovations and technologies. Prereq: grad st.

823 Multicultural Education. 3 cr. G.

Study of cultural diversity and its relationship to educational theory and practice. Emphasis upon developing and analyzing programs with a multicultural emphasis. Prereq: grad st; Ed Pol 705(P) or 750(P) or cons instr.

830 A Study of Educational Classics. 3 cr. G.

Reading and discussion of educational classics. Prereq: grad st; Ed Pol 740 or 750 or cons instr.

833 Seminar in Multicultural Education. 3 cr. G.

Emphasis upon devising an individually defined study of a specific educational issue or practice to encourage development of multicultural education. Prereq: grad st; Ed Pol 688(P) or 823(P) or cons instr.

840 Seminar in Educational Theory. 3 cr. G.

Examination of prominent theories of education and society and application to current educational issues and contexts. Prereq: Doctoral st or cons instr.

850 Seminar in History of American Education. 3 cr. G.

Historical background of contemporary debates and controversies in American education. Prereq: Doctoral st or cons instr.

888 Candidate for Degree. 0 cr. G.

Available for graduate students who must meet minimum credit load requirement. Fee for 1 cr assessed. Prereq: grad st.

897 Seminar in the Philosophy and History of Adult Education. 3 cr. G.

Philosophical foundations related to the historical movement of adult education and implications for future directions. Prereq: grad st; Ad Ldsp 657 or cons instr.

990 Research or Thesis. 1-3 cr. G.

- Prereq: grad st.

999 Independent Reading. 1-3 cr. G.

Variable content course. Retakeable to max of 9 cr. Prereq: master's degree.