Education Studies

Description

Education Studies offers a broad liberal arts background coupled with a focus on the study of human learning and development, the history of education, teaching, school reform, and education policy. Concentrators choose a focus in either History/Policy or Human Development. History/Policy provides the historical underpinnings and intellectual skills for students to think critically about education issues in a number of settings. Concentrators in Human Development learn about psychological, social, and cultural processes in a variety of contexts, including schools, families, peer groups, and neighborhoods, particularly in urban settings. Additionally, the department offers teacher certification programs in elementary and secondary education.

Student Goals

Students in this concentration will:

• Understand the major debates underlying the study of human learning and development
• Become fluent in the history of education and education policy
• Acquire experience in qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Hone their writing skills
• Produce a significant piece of original research

Requirements

Click here for a list of the Education Studies concentration requirements. For more information about this concentration, please visit the department's website.

Honors and Capstones

No capstone is required for graduation; however, students who qualify for Honors complete a capstone in the form of an Honors Thesis during the senior year. Concentrators seeking to graduate with Honors must have earned more A’s than B’s and must have completed one of the department’s two methods courses (EDUC1100 or EDUC1110) by the end of the junior year. They must also apply for admission to the Honors program and submit a thesis proposal during the sixth semester. Honors candidates must also take Education 197 and Education 198 (Research and Writing in Education), in which they write a thesis under the guidance of a Thesis Advisor, and make an oral presentation of their work. Please see the department's website for a complete description of admission procedures and department requirements.

Tracks

• History and Policy
• Human Development

Liberal Learning

This concentration allows you to address the following Liberal Learning goals:

• Expand your reading skills
• Understand differences among cultures
• Embrace Diversity
• Engage with your community
• Evaluate human behavior
• Work on your speaking and writing

Download the full statement on Liberal Learning at Brown

Affiliated Departments

• Annenberg Institute
• Economics
• Education Alliance
• History
• Political Science
• Sociology

Advisors

• Deborah Rivas
• Luther Spoehr

Graduating Class

Alumni Pathways

Former Education concentrators have attended graduate programs in international education policy, urban education policy, political science, public health, elementary education, school psychology, and other fields. They have earned Fulbright and other fellowships and gone into careers in k-12 and university education, in non-profit organizations, museums, finance, and in local media. 

Dept. Undergraduate Group

Student Leaders:

• Bree Shugarts