Requirements for a Major in Educational Studies

A total of fifty-one (51) credits for students not seeking licensure;  a total of fifty-two (52) credits for elementary licensure students; a total of forty seven (47) credits for secondary licensure students. All licensure students will student teach in a post-baccalaureate ninth semester in which they will register for 12 credits. Courses designated with asterisks have field components and have additional course fees.

1. Core Requirements (7 courses)

    1. Foundations (both required)
      • Foundations of Education EDUC 201 (F8)
      • Educational Psychology PSYC 222
    2. Human Behavior (one of the following)
      • Infant and Child Development PSYC 229 (F11)
      • Adolescence PSYC 230
      • Learning & Motivation PSYC 326
    3. Quantitative Skills (one of the following)
      • Psychological Statistics PSYC 211 (F6)
      • Econ Stat ECON 290 (F6)
      • Probability Stat MATH 111 (F6)
    4. Philosophy, Ethics, Policy, & History (one of the following)
      • Philosophy of Education PHIL 270 (F11)
      • Ethics PHIL 301 (F1)
      • Urban Education Policy POLS 240
      • Some sections of EDUC 265
    5. Educational Equity and Disparities (one of the following)
      • Urban Education EDUC 220
      • African American Experience in U.S. Schools EDUC 225 (F9, F11)
      • Race, Class, Gender, & Sexuality EDUC 320 (F9)
      • Some sections of EDUC 265
    6. Education Senior Seminar EDUC 485

 

2. Community-integrative Education EDUC 360*/460* (three or four semesters) (3 or 4 credits total)

  • All students in Educational Studies are required to complete at least 1 credit of EDUC 360: Field Experience.  Each track has additional requirements, detailed below.
  • Teaching and Learning: Elementary students must complete 4 credits of EDUC 360 in Shelby County Schools; each of these field experiences (1 credit each) will have a different subject matter focus. Secondary students must complete 3 credits of EDUC 360 in Shelby County Schools. These three semesters will include (in any order) a semester each in a high school, middle school, and special education/special needs setting (any grades 6-12).
  • Community and Social Change: Students must complete 1 section of EDUC 360, Field Experience in Shelby County Schools (any grades K-12).  Students must complete 2 additional credits, of either EDUC 360 or EDUC 460.
  • Policy and Reform: Students must complete 1 section of EDUC 360, Field Experience in Shelby County Schools (any grades K-12).  Students must complete 2 additional credits, of either EDUC 360 or EDUC 460.
  • Students will have their first field placement in their first semester after declaring. The ED 460 course instructor will work with majors to ensure that the school/community placement complements each student’s course of study.
  • Students must adhere to all Shelby County School rules and protocols in their placements.​
  • EDUC 460 is an Educational Studies Internship, which can be taken for 1-4 credits.  Please contact Educational Studies Faculty and Staff for additional information about possible internships.

3. Three tracks (five courses/20 credits for students not seeking licensure; five courses/20 credits for students elementary licensure students; four courses/16 credits for secondary licensure students). All majors will choose one of three following tracks (1) Teaching and Learning; (2) Community and Social Change, (3) Policy and Reform.

Teaching and Learning - (licensure optional) - supports students interested in entering the teaching profession as teachers or administrators and those interested in seeking licensure. Licensure within this track is optional. Students who wish to teach at the secondary level must also major in the discipline in which they plan to teach. All licensure candidates will register for 12 credits and student teach in a ninth semester.

Required courses for those seeking elementary licensure (five courses, 20 credits)

1. Principles of Curriculum and Instruction EDUC 355*
2. Educational Technologies EDUC 300
3. Literacy & Reading in the Content Areas EDUC 310*
4. Elementary Literacies EDUC 370*
5. One additional course from electives

 

6. Clinical Practice: Student Teaching EDUC 499* (taken in 9th semester after graduation)

Required courses for those seeking secondary licensure (four courses, 16 credits)

​1. Principles of Curriculum and Instruction EDUC 355*
2. How to Write: Academic Writing and the Pedagogies that Support It ENGL 290 (F2i and F11)
3. Educational Technologies EDUC 300
4. Literacy & Reading in the Content Areas EDUC 310*

 

5. Clinical Practice: Student Teaching EDUC 499* (taken in 9th semester after graduation)

 

Community and Social Change - ­supports students who are interested in education outside of traditional educational settings. Prepares students who are interested in adult literacy and basic education, youth development, educational work in non-profits, museum education, artists-in-residence, community education, environmental educational, etc.

Required courses (at least two 300-400 level courses)

1. Community Psychology PSYC 250
2. Urban Social Problems ANSO 241 or Social Movements ANSO 243
3. Non-profits in the City URBN 340
4. Two additional courses from electives

Policy and Reform - provides opportunities for interdisciplinary explorations of pressing social and educational issues on local, national, and international levels. Prepares students who are interested in issues of equity and diversity, civic education, feminist and critical education, and the media.


Required courses (at least two 300-400 level courses)

1. U.S. Politics POLS 151 (F8, F2i some sections)

2. Education Policy EDUC 240 or POLS 240
3. One of the following: POLS 205, 206, 207, 214, 218, 230, 318, 319, 320; ECON 265
4. Two additional courses from electives


Elective courses for all three tracks (at least two 300-400 level courses)

    1. Gender and Society ANSO 231
    2. Gender Politics and Protests ANSO 233
    3. Urban Social Problems ANSO 241
    4. Social Movements ANSO 243
    5. The Sociology of Community-Integrative Education ANSO 245 (F11, F2i)
    6. Gender and Environment ANSO 273
    7. Race and Ethnicity in American Society ANSO 331
    8. Intro to Social Research ANSO 351
    9. Topics in ANSO 365 (when topics are relevant)
    10. Anthropology of Social Change ANSO 379
    11. Prejudice and the Human Condition ANSO 391
    12. Sociology of Violence and Peace Making ANSO 392
    13. Social Impact of Business in South Africa BUS 284
    14. Economics of Education ECON 265
    15.  Teaching English as a Foreign Language EDUC 160/161
    16. Topics in Education EDUC 265
    17. Directed Research in Education EDUC 451
    18. Study in African American Literature ENGL 264
    19. African American Literature ENGL 364
    20. Advanced Topics in Film (when topics are relevant) ENGL 381 
    21. Junior Seminar Critical Theory ENGL 385
    22. Introductory Seminars in History (when topics are relevant) HIST 105 (F2i, F3)
    23. Selected Topics in History (when topics are relevant) HIST 205 (F3)
    24. The United States in the Twentieth Century HIST 233 (F3)
    25. African American History HIST 242 (F3, F9)
    26. Civil Rights Movement HIST 243 (F3)
    27. History of Memphis HIST 248 (F3)
    28. Gender in the United States HIST 249
    29. Slavery in the United States HIST 342
    30. Civil Rights in Memphis HIST 345
    31. African American Activism HIST 447
    32. Government and Politics of Africa INTS 251 (F9)
    33. Politics of Social Movements and Grassroots Organizing INTS 332 
    34. International Human Rights INTS 336
    35. Politics of Migration INTS 340
    36. Social and Political Philosophy PHIL 220
    37. Philosophy of Race PHIL 255
    38. Philosophy of Education PHIL 270 (F11)
    39. Introduction to Public Policy POLS 205
    40. Urban Politics and Policy POLS 206
    41. Race and Ethnic Politics POLS 207
    42. Modern Ideologies POLS 214
    43. Justice, Equality, and Liberty POLS 218
    44. Black Political Thought POLS 230
    45. Poverty and Public Policy POLS 318
    46. Race, Housing and Urban Revitalization POLS 319
    47. Healthcare Policy 320 POLS 320
    48. Community Psychology PSYC 250
    49. Gender and Sexualities PSYC 280
    50. Social Issues in Ethical & Religious Perspective RELS 232 (F1)
    51. Theologies of Liberation RELS 259
    52. Health Equity Internship RELS 460
    53. Intro to Urban Studies URBN 201 (F8, F11)
    54. Research Methods in Urban Studies URBN 220 (F8, F11)
    55. Urban Geography URBN 230 (F2i, F8)
    56. Introduction to Urban and Community Health URBN 240 (F8)
    57. Intercultural Knowledge & Competence URBN 250 (F9)
    58. Special Topics in Urban Studies (when topics are relevant) URBN 265
    59. Urban Field Research URBN 362
    60. Research Methods in Urban Studies URBN 385

   

   Additional electives for Teaching & Learning track only:

    1. Environmental Issues in Southern Africa BIOL 212
    2. Collaborative Chemistry Communities CHEM 260 (2 credits)
    3. Language Acquisition and Pedagogy GRRO/MLL 240
    4. Principles of Curriculum and Instruction EDUC 355
    5. How to Write: Academic Writing and the Pedagogies that Support it ENGL 290 (F2i and F11, 4 credits)
    6. Advanced Grammar ENGL 380
    7. Advanced Language and Civilization SPAN 301
    8. Spanish American Literature and Culture SPAN 306
    9. Children’s Literature: Page to Stage THEA 254

 

Additional elective courses in Community and Social Change track only:

    1. Management of Organizations BUS 361
    2. Global Politics INTS 220 (F8)
    3. Comparative Ecopolitics INTS 341 (F8)
    4. U.S. Politics POLS 151 (F8, F2i some sections)
    5. Urban Studies Internship (Crosstown Arts Section) URBN 460


Additional electives for Policy & Reform track only:

    1. Management of Organizations BUS 361
    2. Global Politics INTS 220 (F8)
    3. Comparative Ecopolitics INTS 341 (F8)
    4. Philosophy of Law PHIL 216
    5. Politics of Migration INTS 340

Other relevant classes may count towards the major or minor as they come online in other departments and programs.