Contacts

For Intra-University Transfers:

School of Education, Office of Academic and Student Services, https://soe.syr.edu/students/academic-services/.
Sharon Dotger, Faculty Director of Teacher Education and Undergraduate Studies, 315-443-9138, sdotger@syr.edu

Faculty

Barbara Applebaum, Mario Perez, Julia White, Louise Wilkinson

Designed for Syracuse University students who are interested in education careers but not currently pursuing a teaching certificate, Selected Studies in Education offers a path to a bachelor’s degree through a program tailored to a student’s individual interests and aspirations.  This program is for students seeking to play a role in bettering the world.

Selected Studies in Education is for students planning to enter fields that contain strong educational components, including educational media, international education, counseling, instructional design, evaluation, higher education, child advocacy and youth programming, education and family law, museum studies, disability studies, corporate settings, recreation programs, and related fields. 

Selected Studies in Education majors work closely with faculty and academic advisors, who guide them through the program’s core requirements and recommend courses with liberal arts fields that will help them advance their career interests. 

The program is available for full time or part time study on the Syracuse University campus.  Part time students, including those not residing in Central New York also have available a fully online program option.

Admission

A 2.8 grade point average is required for admission to this program and to remain in good academic standing in the program.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Explain the foundational knowledge of the principles of education
2. Synthesize the cultural foundations of education
3. Explain transformational education
4. Apply relevant strategies of leadership in education
5. Apply relevant theories and models of education

Program Requirements

Students must complete the following requirements, including at least 42 credits at the upper-division level:

• 30 credits in education (including a minimum of 18 credits in one of the six selected studies individual focus areas, outlined below)
• An 18-credit liberal arts concentration from one discipline, or interdisciplinary with courses related to one another. With careful planning students may consider completing a minor or double major in a liberal arts field related to the course of study;
• liberal arts distribution requirements (the liberal arts concentration plus distribution requirements and liberal arts electives must total at least 60 credits.);
• at least 6 credits in a language other than English (all students are required to take at least two semesters of language other than English, even if they have previously developed competence in another language through high school preparation or by some other means
• one semester of study abroad or an intensive semester experience in Syracuse or another part of the U.S. that would broaden the student’s experience with diversity in a distinct way;
• at least 6 credits in research methods (this requirement can be satisfied with courses taken as part of the required 30 credits in education);
• an internship or other field experience, several intensive experience projects, or (for the online program only) a capstone project  (e.g., a public engagement project, community or work action project, thesis, or research project) that allow the student opportunities to apply and enhance skills learned in the program (minimum of 6 credits).

Education Core Courses

Students are required to complete the following core courses in education (15 credits):

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
EDU 221	Education for Transformation	3
EDU 310	The American School	3
EDU 321	International Education for Transformation	3
CFE 444	Schooling & Diversity	3
EDU 481	Education, Research and Theory	3

Focus Areas in Education

Students must choose at least 18 credits of coursework from approved courses in education based on their thematic or career focus. Students satisfy this requirement by taking courses related to one of the focus areas below.  The first five focus areas are available to residential students studying on the Syracuse University campus.  The sixth focus area is the only area available to online program students.

Cultural Foundations of American Schooling: Schooling and Diversity

This focus is suitable for students who may want to pursue any of the following career interests: seek a teaching career at a future point; work with youth in non-school settings; enter the educational media field; or work in public policy settings that focus on public schooling. Students interested in this focus area might also want to choose courses from the pre-teaching focus or the education, technology, and media focus.

Pre-Teaching: Study of Teaching, Learning, and Inclusion

This focus is suitable for students who may wish to pursue a career in teaching after completing their undergraduate program. Courses in this focus area may include the study of early childhood, elementary, or secondary education, as well as issues of diversity, disability, special education, and inclusion within schools. Students in this focus area will have significant experiences in public schools during the course of study. Students interested in pre-teaching may want to consider taking relevant courses from other focus areas.

Education, Technology, and Media

This focus is ideal for students who have an interest in the integration of media and technology in various learning contexts. Students learn media literacy skills and gain an understanding of how popular culture influences the promotion and transmission of cultural values within our society. Students interested in this focus may want to consider taking relevant courses in the cultural foundations of American schooling focus.

Post-Secondary and Human Services Fields

This focus is suitable for students wishing to work in a variety of educational settings, including higher education, international education, and as non-teaching personnel in primary and secondary schools. Whether students are interested in pursuing a graduate degree in a human services field or in seeking employment immediately after undergraduate studies, this focus area will provide an introduction to the general study and provision of human and social services to individuals, families, and communities in public and private human service agencies and organizations. The focus provides a strong foundation for graduate work in such fields as clinical mental health, school, and student affairs counseling, social work, marriage and family therapy, psychology, and higher education. ***This focus also has the “fast-track” option for students to begin graduate study toward a Master of Science degree in counseling during their senior year at SU. See description below.

Physical Activity: Sport, Coaching and Recreation

This focus is suitable for students who may want to pursue any of the following career interests: coach athletes with and without disabilities in college, high school, or youth settings; officiate sports; become a personal trainer, strength and conditioning coach, or group exercise leader; teach/coach youth sports and fitness in non-school settings such as YMCA/YWCA’s, Boy’s and  Girl’s Clubs, and private and public sport/recreational facilities; sport or fitness entrepreneur; or a teaching career at a future point. Students interested in this focus area might also want to choose courses from the Pre-teaching focus or the Education, Technology and Media.

Critical and Cultural Studies in Education

This focus is available only to online program students, and the only focus area that can be completed by students in this fully online program. Coursework emphasizes philosophies and issues related to race, socioeconomic class, disability, gender, and culture as significant for educational policy and practice - especially related to addressing access, equity, and inclusion. This focus provides initial preparation for students with many career paths and interests including the following (selected) examples: work with organizations and/or social agencies that address educational inequality; work with a breadth of students and learners in non-school settings through government, NGO, nonprofit, foundation, and additional agencies/sites focused on transforming educational opportunities; work in public policy settings that focus on education and related social issues.

Liberal Arts Distribution Requirements

All students in the Selected Studies in Education program are advised to complete a set of liberal arts requirements. These are:

• Two mathematics courses (6 credits)
• Two science w/lab courses (6-8 credits)
• Three writing courses (WRT 105 Studio 1: Practices of Academic Writing, WRT 205 Studio 2: Critical Research and Writing, and WRT 307 Advanced Writing Studio: Professional Writing) (9 credits)
• Two foreign language courses (6-8 credits - same language)
• One history course (3 credits)
• One multicultural social science course (3 credits)
• One multicultural humanities course (3 credits)
• Eight liberal arts (Arts and Sciences) with at least 6 forming a concentration, and  bringing  total liberal arts credits to a minimum of  60 credits. Student may also opt to complete a minor of double major in one of the liberal arts areas, if possible

Total Credits: 122 minimum

Special Opportunities: Fast Track Programs

Selected Studies students have opportunities to take appropriate coursework that will either meet prerequisites to our School of Education master’s degree programs, or reduce the number of credits needed in the master’s program.

Some master’s degree programs (e.g., initial teacher preparation programs) have particular undergraduate liberal arts or other course requirements that, through coordinated advising, can be included in the Selected Studies program. Early contact with the program of interest in advised.

Full-time Selected Studies students may also consider the second option (referred to as the fast track option) - taking courses for graduate credit in the senior year in order to reduce the number of credits needed for the master’s degree as a graduate student. To be eligible for this option, Selected Studies students must:

• have a 3.0 GPA or above and
• have room in their last two semesters to take graduate courses

Advisors work closely with students to develop a plan of study that will allow them to complete the majority of the undergraduate requirements prior to the senior year, allowing room for graduate courses in the senior year.

One of the primary benefits of this option is that students save time and tuition costs in two ways:

• The ability to apply their undergraduate financial aid package toward graduate credits during their senior year.
• Eligible to take advantage of School of Education scholarships in place at the time they matriculate in the master’s degree program.  

Currently, formalized fast track options exist with three School of Education departments:

1. M.S. in Instructional Design, Development, and Evaluation
2. M.S. in Cultural Foundations of Education
3. Professional Counseling: M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling; or  M.S. in Professional School Counseling

Fast Track to Instructional Design Development and Evaluation

This dynamic program is best suited for full-time students interested in careers related to instruction and learning outside of the K-12 context. There continues to be a growing demand for instructional designers who are prepared to create educational materials for children through adult populations using a variety of delivery platforms from face-to-face instruction to e-learning. Professionals in this career path may work in business and industry, government and military, healthcare, not-for-profit, museums, Parks and Recreations, higher education, and a variety of other contexts around the world!

Students who maintain at least a 3.0 GPA are eligible to apply for the MS IDD&E program during their junior year.

Admitted students, with advisor approval, will take a selection of 12-15 graduate credits toward their Master’s degree during their senior year. Upon bachelor’s degree graduation, students then matriculate into the MS IDD&E degree program and complete the final 15-18 graduate credit hours in the next year. By successfully completing a majority of credits and producing a professional portfolio, students may be able to complete campus-based activities by December.

Fast Track to Cultural Foundations of Education

This individually designed program fosters and supports fundamental inquiry into the nature of education.  Students draw on history, philosophy, sociology and other disciplines to analyze such issues in education as inequality, disability, popular culture, mass media, the philosophy of multiculturalism and racism.  One of the major objectives of Cultural Foundations of Education is to teach students how to bring the critical analytical tools of a foundational approach to issues in education. Such an approach delves into the assumptions and values that lie beneath our taken for granted understanding of education. 

Selected Studies in Education students may apply from any of the undergraduate focus areas, although coordinated advising will help with undergraduate course selections. 

Admitted students, with advisor approval, will be able to take up to 12 graduate credits toward their Master’s degree during their senior year. Upon bachelor’s degree graduation, students then matriculate into the master’s degree program and complete the final 18 graduate credit hours in the next year.

Fast Track to Professional Counseling

This track is designed for highly motivated and focused students interested in pursuing a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling or professional school counseling upon completion of their undergraduate degree in Selected Studies in Education, following the ‘post-secondary and human services fields’ track. Students in this track who maintain at least a 3.0 GPA  are eligible to apply for one of the master’s degree programs during their junior year:

Admitted students, with advisor approval, will be able to take up to 18 graduate credits toward their master’s degree during their senior year. Admitted students will matriculate into the master’s degree program the fall semester following completion of their undergraduate degree.

Undergraduate University Requirements

The following requirements and experiences apply to all Syracuse University Undergraduate matriculated degree programs.

• ​IDEA Course Requirement 
• First Year Seminar