Cultural Foundations - M.A., M.Ed. and Ph.D. Download to print

The field of cultural foundations of education emerged in response to the recognition that education is too complex an undertaking to be understood through a single disciplinary lens. Our program brings the disciplines of philosophy, sociology, anthropology and history to bear on educational policies, programs and practices, alongside interdisciplinary modes of analysis such as studies of educational policy, multicultural education, comparative international education and global education. Out students explore education from normative, interpretive and critical perspectives with a view to discerning the transformative potential of education in contexts of social inequality that are characterized by unequal access to the political process and institutions particularly unequal educational provision. Our faculty specializes in the education of girls and women, marginalization within educational settings, moral and ethical considerations in educational practice, teacher professionalism, new social movements in education, religious and cultural pluralism.

Graduates of the Master of Arts program will have the knowledge and skills to critique and interpret educational theories, programs and practices and to promote innovation in education, whether in the private, public, formal, nonformal or informal setting institutional settings and social contexts. The M.A. program has a thesis component which is tailored to individual research interests.

Graduates of the Master of Education program will have the knowledge and skills to critiwque and interpret policy and practice and to promote innovative practices in educational settings.

Graduates of the Ph.D. program will have the knowledge, critical understandings and interpretive skills to analyze and assess educational policies, theories and practice and to lead and promote innovation in education, whether in the private, public , formal, nonformal or informal settings and social contexts.

Recent Master's and Doctoral graduates have enjoyed success in positions in foundations and think-tanks, non-governmental organizations, public and government agencies, K-12 school systems, higher education, both nationally and internationally.

Official transcript(s), goal statement and two letters of recommendation. Admission into the Ph.D. also requires earned master's degree, GRE, resume or vita and an interview.

Please refer to the university policy for graduate admission.

M.A. and M.Ed.: The degree requires a minimum of 32 semester hours of graduate coursework including at least 16 semester hours at the 60000 level or above. A major consisting of 18 or more semester hours in the College of Education, Health, and Human Services is required. M.A. and M.Ed. students have six years from the term of first enrollment to complete the program. M.A. requires 6 credits of thesis. M.Ed. requires 32 credits of coursework which may include up to 6 credits of internship and practicum.

Ph.D.: After admission to the Ph.D. degree program, students plan a program of study with their respective faculty advisory committee headed by their advisor. Students’ programs may include at least one appropriate graduate-level minor or cognate as well as the major.

A midpoint formative review presentation and comprehensive exam are required (see faculty advisor for details).

M.A. and M.Ed.: Some programs, but not all, have six hours of Thesis I or six hours of Master’s Project.