Requirements for a Major in Educational Studies

Students select one of two tracks: Teaching & Learning or Policy & Social Change.  All students complete 5 Core Requirement courses and all requirements for their selected track. A total of forty-four (44) credits is required a major with the Teaching & Learning track and a total of forty-five (45) credits is required for a major with the Policy & Social Change track. 

Core Requirements (5 courses, 20 credits)

  1. Foundations of Education - EDUC 201
  2. Educational Psychology - EDUC 222
  3. Philosophy, Policy, & Equity (eight credits):
    1. Urban Education - EDUC 220
    2. African American Experiences in U.S. Schools - EDUC 225
    3. History of Education - EDUC 230
    4. Latinx Children's Literature - EDUC 235
    5. Urban Education Policy - EDUC 240 [only for Teaching & Learning track]
    6. Philosophy of Education - EDUC 270
    7. Race, Class, Gender, & Sexuality in Education - EDUC 320
    8. Education & Immigration - EDUC 330
    9. Social & Community Contexts of Education - EDUC 335
    10. Some sections of EDUC 265 (when topic is appropriate)
    11. Directed Research (up to 4 credits) - EDUC 451
  4. Education Senior Seminar EDUC 485

 Track Requirements

Track 1: Teaching and Learning (24 credits)

  1. Principles of Curriculum and Instruction - EDUC 355*
  2. Educational Technologies - EDUC 300*
  3. Reading, Writing, and Urban Schools - EDUC 310
  4. Content Area Teaching Methods Course (one of the following, according to the student's curricular focus):
    1. Elementary Literacies - EDUC 370*
    2. Methods of Teaching Secondary STEM - EDUC 380*
    3. Methods of Teaching Secondary Humanities - EDUC 390*
    4. Language Aquisition and Pedagogy- LANG 240*
  5. Inclusive Education - EDUC 410*
  6. Clinical Field Experiences - EDUC 360 (4 credits)
    1. One credit must be taken co-requisite with each of the courses above marked with * .

Track 2: Policy and Social Change (25 credits)

  1. Urban Education Policy - EDUC 240
  2. Qualitative Methods in the Social Sciences - EDUC 395*
  3. Clinical Field Experience - EDUC 360 (1 credit; *co-requisite with EDUC 395)
  4. Interdisciplinary Course Requirement (1 course):
    1. The City - ANSO 241
    2. Social Movements - ANSO 243
    3. Public Memory, Race and Place in Memphis MST 360
    4. Introduction to Public Policy - PLAW 205
    5. Urban Policy and Polities - PLAW 206
    6. Race and Ethnic Politics - PLAW 207
    7. Black Political Thought - PLAW 230
    8. Health Care Policy - PLAW 320
    9. Collective Urban Policy Change - URBN 323
    10. Nonprofits in the City - URBN 340
    11. Urban Political Economy - URBN 350
  5. One additional 4-credit EDUC course
  6. Two additional 4-credit Educational Studies Electives - see list below

Teacher Licensure

Students completing an Educational Studies major on the Teaching and Learning track can also pursue elementary or secondary teacher licensure. Teacher licensure requires completion of additional requirements, including: 

  1. edTPA Preparation - EDUC 450 (1 credit, taken co-requisite with 1 credit of EDUC 360; typically taken semester prior to EDUC 499)
  2. Clinical Practice (Student Teaching) - EDUC 499 (16 credits; typically completed either in the 8th semester or in a post-baccalaureate 9th semester)

Students pursuing secondary teacher licensure must double-major in the subject area plan to teach (e.g., English; Biology). More information about teacher licensure can be found on the Educational Studies micro-site or by contacting Dr. Joseph Kelly, Teacher Licensure Coordinator (kellyj@rhodes.edu). 


Educational Studies Elective Courses (Policy & Social Change Track)

  • any EDUC course except core requirements, EDUC 240, EDUC 385
  • Selected Topics in Africana Studies (when topics are relevant) AFS 205
  • Contemporary African American Literature AFS 238
  • LGBTQ African American Literature AFS 340
  • Race Thinking and Health Disparities AFS 350
  • Gender and Society ANSO 231
  • The City ANSO 241
  • Social Movements ANSO 343
  • Race and Ethnicity in American Society ANSO 331
  • Social Class in the United States ANSO 335
  • Topics in ANSO 365 (when topics are relevant)
  • Anthropology of Social Change ANSO 379
  • Racism ANSO 391
  • Academic Writing - ENGL 290 (4 credits)
  • Advanced Grammar ENGL 316
  • Studies in African American Literature ENGL 264
  • Advanced African American Literature ENGL 364
  • Advanced Topics in Film (when topics are relevant) ENGL 381
  • Junior Seminar Critical Theory ENGL 385
  • Introduction to Health Equity HLEQ 210
  • Introductory Seminars in History (when topics are relevant) HIST 105
  • Selected Topics in History (when topics are relevant) HIST 205
  • The United States in the Twentieth Century HIST 233
  • African American History HIST 242
  • Civil Rights Movement HIST 243
  • History of Memphis HIST 248
  • Slavery in the United States HIST 342
  • Civil Rights in Memphis HIST 345
  • African American Activism HIST 447
  • Government and Politics of Africa INTS 251
  • Politics of Social Movements and Grassroots Organizing INTS 332
  • International Human Rights INTS 336
  • Politics of Migration INTS 340
  • Language Acquisition and Pedagogy LANG 240
  • Justice, Equality, and Liberty PHIL 225
  • Philosophy of Race and Racism PHIL 220
  • Topics in Philosophy (when topics are relevant) PHIL 250
  • Introduction to Public Policy PLAW 205
  • Urban Politics and Policy PLAW 206
  • Race and Ethnic Politics PLAW 207
  • Black Political Thought PLAW 230
  • Healthcare Policy PLAW 320
  • Infant and Child Development PSYC 229
  • Psycholinguistics PSYC 306
  • Community Psychology PSYC 330
  • Psychology of Gender and Sexuality PSYC 280
  • Social Issues in Ethical & Religious Perspective RELS 232
  • Intro to Urban Studies URBN 201
  • Special Topics in Urban Studies (when topics are relevant) URBN 265
  • Nonprofits in the City URBN 340
  • Urban Field Research URBN 362
  • Senior Research Design 385