The Department of Educational Policy Studies, the #7 ranked education policy department in the nation, deepens and expands the understanding of educational policy and practice, past and present, at local, national, and international levels.
Through eye-opening, challenging coursework, students analyze educational dilemmas, conduct research, and develop skills to shape policy and practice across the globe. Students have opportunities for experiential learning through internships, community-based learning, and study abroad. The department provides a supportive intellectual community with peers and faculty committed to addressing the most pressing issues in education and in society.
Undergraduate courses emphasize the impact of educational programs and policies on equity, justice, educational improvement, and well-being. Course topics include the history, sociology, anthropology, economics, politics, and philosophy of education, comparative and international education, policy and evaluation, and educational equity. The department has strong ties with institutions and scholars in the U.S. and in other countries.
The department offers an undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree program in Educational Policy Studies. This program is designed to meet the needs of undergraduate students who are interested in working in domestic and/or global educational policy and practice. A new Honors program in Educational Policy Studies will be launched in the fall of 2025.
Graduates work as policy researchers, education specialists, program directors, community leaders, and more. Others go on to graduate research and professional degrees in a range of education fields.
The department features four certificate programs:
- The popular Educational Policy Studies (EPS) Certificate provides students with an understanding of education debates, education policy, and education advocacy, and allows them to develop skills to critically examine policy.
- The Social Justice and Education Certificate provides students with an understanding of the social, political, and economic inequities that shape our schools and broader society, as well as how educators, students, administrators, parents, and community members have sought to interrupt these inequities (historically and in the contemporary period).
- The Global Languages, Cultures, and Education Certificate examines cultural diversity, social inequality, language policy, and literacy. It provides students with skills to work globally, within and beyond schools, in fields related to language, culture, and education.
- The International Education and Development Certificate investigates the complex issues that shape international educational policies, programs, and practices as they address challenges of poverty, inequality, forced migration, sustainability, colonialism, and human rights. Students explore careers in international development education and global service with governmental and non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, and community development organizations.
Many Educational Policy Studies students pursue a second major and/or certificates that complement the skills and knowledge they are gaining via their EPS coursework and experiences.