The Educational Policy Studies degree program, formerly the Education Studies program, addresses urgent questions related to domestic and global education policy and practice. Majors become thought leaders who engage critically and ethically in educational policy debates and practice. While pursuing Educational Policy Studies, students:
- Analyze the relationships among education, inequality, and social justice
- Investigate local, national, and global connections between education and other policy areas, including housing, healthcare, migration, justice, political reform, economic development, and foreign policy
- Explore contemporary educational issues from early childhood through K-12, higher education, and the workforce
- Engage in community-based learning, study abroad and study away, career development, internships, and research experiences related to education
- Compete for grants for research or applied work and awards in writing, research, and community-engaged scholarship
- Acquire qualitative, quantitative, philosophical, and historical research skills to study current issues in education policy and apply knowledge to practice
Through coursework, projects, advising, and independent studies, the Educational Policy Studies major prepares students for work in educational settings such as:
- Governmental agencies
- Non-governmental organizations (both domestic and international)
- Think tanks and policy institutes
- Community organizations
- Corporate, community, and non-traditional educational spaces
Graduates might serve as education and policy analysts, education specialists, policy researchers, education advocates, program directors, community-based educators or youth workers, education trainers, or in other positions of institutional leadership. They will also be well prepared to work in government, education, and social justice-related organizations, or to pursue advanced studies in education, educational policy, and other fields at the master’s, professional, and doctoral level.
Graduates will receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Educational Policy Studies from the School of Education. This program does not lead to teacher certification. However, it can enhance and complement teacher preparation programs by teaching students about the relationship between schools and society, youth development, and the foundations of teaching. Students interested in gaining teaching licenses after graduation should connect with the School of Education Student Services office or the School of Education Career Center office on campus to discuss their options.
"There were two classes I took in the same semester that made me switch my major to Educational Policy Studies completely. They were ED POL/HISTORY 412 History of American Education and ED POL 300 School and Society. Ed Pol 412 was about how education came to be from the colonial time period in the United States through the present day. Ed Pol 300 is a class that makes us ask questions like, ‘how does our society influence our schools?’ and ‘how do our schools influence our society?,’ all within the context of the United States. Both courses were really interesting to me."
– Abby Stoa (read more)
How to Get in
Program Declaration Overview
The Educational Policy Studies major may be completed either as the primary major or as an additional ("double") major.
Primary Major in Educational Policy Studies
Undergraduate students interested in completing the Bachelor of Science–Educational Policy Studies degree program will fulfill the School of Education's liberal studies and other degree requirements in addition to the 30 credits required for the Educational Policy Studies major.
Additional Major in Educational Policy Studies
Undergraduate students from all schools and colleges on campus (including the School of Education) may declare Educational Policy Studies as an additional major. Students completing Educational Policy Studies as an additional major do not need to complete the School of Education's liberal studies and other degree requirements. For declaration information, go directly to the Additional Major in Educational Policy Studies section below.
Entering the School of Education
New and Current UW–Madison Students
Incoming freshmen enter directly into the Bachelor of Science–Educational Policy Studies degree program upon admission to UW–Madison; list Educational Policy Studies as the intended major. No additional declaration to Educational Policy Studies is required. See UW–Madison Office of Admissions and Recruitment for application information.
All other on-campus students will submit a declaration form following a meeting with an advisor in the School of Education Student Services office, 139 Education Building. Call 608-262-1651 or email studentservices@education.wisc.edu, to schedule an appointment; current students can also schedule an appointment online through the Starfish app in MyUW.
Prospective Transfer Students
Transfer students must be admissible to the university to enroll in a School of Education degree program. See UW–Madison Office of Admissions and Recruitment for application information. Transfer students enter directly into the Bachelor of Science–Educational Policy Studies degree program upon admission to UW–Madison; list Educational Policy Studies as the intended major. No additional declaration to Educational Policy Studies is required. Prospective transfer students are strongly advised to meet with an advisor in the School of Education Student Services office, 139 Education Building, in advance of their application. Consultations with advisors are available in person, virtually, or via telephone. To schedule, call 608-262-1651 or email studentservices@education.wisc.edu. Requirements and selection criteria may be modified from one declaration period to the next. .
Students With A Previous Degree
Prospective students who already hold an undergraduate degree must be admissible to the university to enroll in a School of Education degree program. See UW–Madison Office of Admissions and Recruitment for application information.
Applicants must also meet the following criteria for admission as a second undergraduate degree candidate in the School of Education. Candidates must:
- be seeking a new major that is substantially different from their previous degree work;
- need to complete at least 15 upper-level credits in the new major;
- need to complete at least 30 credits beyond their previous coursework.
When admitted, second degree candidates enter directly into the Bachelor of Science–Educational Policy Studies degree program. No additional declaration to Educational Policy Studies is required.
Prospective students who already hold an undergraduate degree are strongly encouraged to meet with an advisor in the School of Education Student Services office, 139 Education Building, in advance of their application to UW-Madison. Consultations with advisors are available in person, virtually, or via telephone. To schedule, call 608-262-1651 or email studentservices@education.wisc.edu.
Declaration and Admission
While new first year students and off-campus transfers are admitted directly to the Bachelor of Science–Educational Policy Studies degree program, all other current UW–Madison students seeking to enter the BS–Educational Policy Studies degree program must consult with an advisor in the School of Education Student Services office, 139 Education Building, prior to submitting a declaration form. Current students can schedule an appointment with an advisor online through the Starfish app in MyUW. Appointments can also be made through email at studentservices@education.wisc.edu, by calling 608-262-1651, or in person.
Criteria for Admission
Eligibility to declare the Bachelor of Science–Educational Policy Studies degree:
- Cumulative grade point average of at least a 2.5 based on UW–Madison campus coursework, as modified by the Last 60 Credits Rule described below. Note: Students declaring Educational Policy Studies as an additional major are not held to this requirement.
- Submission of all required declaration materials, including program declaration form and transcripts.
Requirements and selection criteria may be modified from one declaration period to the next.
Last 60 Credits Rule
Two grade point averages may be calculated to determine candidates' eligibility to programs. GPAs will be calculated using
- all transferable college level coursework attempted, and
- the last 60 credits attempted.
The higher GPA of these two will be used for purposes of determining eligibility. If fewer than 60 credits have been attempted, all credits will be used to calculate the GPA. Graded graduate coursework will also be used in all GPA calculations. ("Attempted" coursework indicates coursework for which a grade has been earned.) More information on this rule is available here.
Additional Major in Educational Policy Studies
Undergraduate students from all schools and colleges on campus (including the School of Education) may declare Educational Policy Studies as an additional major. Students wishing to declare the additional major must visit an advisor in the School of Education Student Services office, 139 Education Building, to complete the declaration form; call 608-262-1651 or schedule an appointment with an advisor online through the Starfish app in MyUW. The declaration must also be approved by the student's home school/college.
An additional major in Educational Policy Studies only requires the completion of the 30 credit major. Students do not need to complete the School of Education's liberal studies and other degree requirements for the additional major. Applicants are not held to the 2.5 cumulative GPA required of students completing the Educational Policy Studies degree program.
Please note that the requirements of the additional major must be completed before or concurrently with the degree program and primary major.
Declaring Honors in the Major
Students wishing to pursue Honors in Educational Policy Studies must consult with an advisor in the School of Education Student Services office, 139 Education Building, prior to submitting an Honors declaration form. Current students can schedule an appointment with an advisor online through the Starfish app in MyUW. Appointments can also be made through email at studentservices@education.wisc.edu, by calling 608-262-1651, or in person.
Criteria for Admission
Admission to Honors in Educational Policy Studies requires that students:
- Be a declared major in Educational Policy Studies. Students may declare the major and Honors at the same time.
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.3
- Have met with a School of Education Advisor regarding Honors in the Major
- Select a research method pathway and have completed one prerequisite research course (ED POL 209 or ED POL 308) with a grade of AB or higher
- Submit all required declaration materials, including the Honors declaration form and transcript(s).
University Requirements
All undergraduate students must complete both the following Core General Education (Core GenEd) and University Degree and Quality of Work requirements. The requirements below apply to students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution is Summer 2026 or later.
Students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution occurred before Summer 2026 should refer to the archived Guide for the requirements that apply to them.
Core General Education (Core GenEd) Requirements
| Civics & Perspectives | 3 credits of Civics & Perspectives coursework. |
| Communication & Literacy | 6 credits of Communication & Literacy coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingenglishplacement |
| Humanities & Arts | 6 credits of Humanities & Arts coursework. |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 credits of Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingmathplacement |
| Natural Science & Wellness | Complete both:
|
| Social & Behavioral Science | 3 credits of Social & Behavioral Science coursework. |
| Total Credits | 30 credits. |
For more information see the policy.
University Degree and Quality of Work Requirements
All undergraduate degree recipients must complete the following minimum requirements. Requirements for some programs will exceed these requirements; see program requirements for additional information.
| Total Degree | 120 degree credits. |
| Residency | Complete 30 credits in residence. A course is considered “in residence” if it is taken when in undergraduate degree-seeking status and:
|
| Quality of Work | Achieve at least the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, and/or academic program. |
| Math | Demonstrate minimal mathematics competence by: |
| English Language | If required to take the UW-Madison English as a Second Language Assessment Test (MSN-ESLAT), demonstrate minimal English language competence by:
|
| Language | Complete one:
|
| Major Declaration | Declare and complete the requirements for at least one major. |
School of Education Requirements
Communication: Breadth and Depth
| Communications A | Complete either:
|
| Communications B | One course with the Communications B designation. |
Quantitative Reasoning: Breadth and Depth
| Quantitative Reasoning A | Complete either:
|
| Quantitative Reasoning B | One course with the Quantitative Reasoning B designation. |
Liberal Studies Requirements - 40 Credits
All students are required to complete a minimum of 40 credits of Liberal Studies coursework. This requirement provides an opportunity to do some academic exploration beyond the scope of the major. Students take courses in areas of particular interest and also have an opportunity to sample the wide selection of courses offered across the university. Coursework is required in humanities, social studies (social science), science, and cultural and historical studies. Some elective coursework is also needed to reach the required number of credits.
The School of Education’s Liberal Studies requirements automatically satisfy most of the campus-wide General Education requirements. Students will also find that Communication A and B, and Quantitative Reasoning A and B can often be met through the completion of other requirements. Academic advisors can suggest courses that will count in multiple places.
A basic outline of the liberal studies is included below. Students must consult the detailed version of the requirements for more information about course selection and how the liberal studies requirements apply to this major.
Are you interested in switching to the School of Education? If so, you should run a “what-if” DARS report. It will show how many of these requirements you have already met and are unmet.
Humanities
Complete a minimum of 9 credits from these categories.
| Literature | Complete a course with the Literature designation, minimum of 2 credits |
| Fine Arts | Complete a minimum of 2 credits from the list of courses below. |
| Humanities | Courses to total 9 Humanities credits. Select from:
|
Fine Arts Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AFRICAN/AFROAMER 220 | HipHop, Youth Culture, and Politics in Senegal | 3 |
| AFRICAN/AFROAMER 233 | Global HipHop and Social Justice | 3 |
| AFROAMER 154 | Hip-Hop and Contemporary American Society | 3 |
| AFROAMER 156 | Black Music and American Cultural History | 3 |
| AFROAMER 225 | Introduction to African American Dramatic Literature | 3 |
| AFROAMER/ART HIST 241 | Introduction to African Art and Architecture | 3 |
| AFROAMER/ART HIST 242 | Introduction to Afro-American Art | 3 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 267 | Artistic/Cultural Images of Black Women | 3 |
| AFROAMER/DANCE/MUSIC 318 | Cultural Cross Currents: West African Dance/Music in the Americas | 3 |
| AFROAMER 338 | The Black Arts Movement | 3 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 367 | Art and Visual Culture: Women of the African Diaspora and Africa | 3 |
| AFROAMER/AFRICAN 413 | Contemporary African and Caribbean Drama | 3-4 |
| AMER IND 325 | American Indians in Film | 3 |
| Any ART course | ||
| Any ART HIST course | ||
| COM ARTS 350 | Introduction to Film | 3 |
| COM ARTS 357 | History of the Animated Film | 3 |
| Any DANCE course | ||
| DS 120 | Design: Fundamentals I | 3 |
| ENGL 207 | Introduction to Creative Writing: Fiction and Poetry Workshop | 3 |
| ENGL 307 | Creative Writing: Fiction and Poetry Workshop | 3 |
| ENGL 408 | Creative Writing: Fiction Workshop | 3 |
| ENGL 409 | Creative Writing: Poetry Workshop | 3 |
| ENGL 410 | Creative Writing: Playwriting Workshop | 3 |
| ENGL 411 | Creative Writing: Special Topics Workshop | 3 |
| ENVIR ST/HIST SCI/HISTORY 125 | ||
| FOLKLORE/MUSIC 103 | Introduction to Music Cultures of the World | 3 |
| GERMAN 253 | Introduction to German Cinema | 3 |
| GERMAN 267 | Yiddish Song and the Jewish Experience | 3-4 |
| ILS 203 | Western Culture: Literature and the Arts I | 3 |
| ILS 204 | Western Culture: Literature and the Arts II | 3-4 |
| LITTRANS 207 | Slavic Science Fiction through Literature and Film | 3 |
| LITTRANS 231 | Manga | 3 |
| LITTRANS 232 | Anime | 3 |
| LITTRANS 233 | Russian Life and Culture Through Literature and Art (to 1917) | 3-4 |
| LITTRANS 234 | Soviet Life and Culture Through Literature and Art (from 1917) | 3-4 |
| LITTRANS/FOLKLORE 327 | Vampires | 3 |
| LITTRANS/THEATRE 335 | In Translation: The Drama of Henrik Ibsen | 3-4 |
| Any MUSIC course | ||
| Any MUS PERF course | ||
| Any THEATRE course | ||
Social Studies
| Social Studies | Complete 9 credits with the Social Science designation. The following programs have specific requirements:
|
Science
Complete a minimum of 9 credits, including Physical and Biological Science. A laboratory science course is also required. The lab course can count toward the Biological or Physical Science requirement if it has the requisite breadth designation.
| Physical Science | Complete one course with the Physical Science designation. |
| Biological Science | Complete one course with the Biological Science designation. |
| Lab Science | Complete one laboratory science course. See the list of eligible courses below. |
| Total Science | If needed, complete a course with the Biological, Physical, or Natural Science designation to total 9 Science credits. |
Laboratory Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 105 | Principles of Biological Anthropology | 3 |
| ATM OCN 101 | Weather and Climate | 4 |
| BOTANY 100 | Survey of Botany | 3 |
| BOTANY/PL PATH 123 | Plants, Parasites, and People | 3 |
| FOOD SCI/MICROBIO 324 | Food Microbiology Laboratory | 2 |
| GEOSCI 100 | Introductory Geology: How the Earth Works | 3 |
| PHYSICS 109 | Physics in the Arts | 3 |
| PLANTSCI 110 | Introduction to Plant Science and Technology | 4 |
Cultural and Historical Studies
Complete three requirements met by separate courses. Any of these courses can also be used to meet other requirements if it has the relevant breadth designation. A single course cannot satisfy more than one of the three Cultural and Historical Studies requirements listed below.
| Ethnic Studies | Complete 3 credits with the Ethnic Studies Designation. |
| United States or European History | Complete 3 credits from the list of courses below. |
| Global Perspectives | Complete 3 credits from the list of courses below. |
United States or European History Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AFROAMER 154 | Hip-Hop and Contemporary American Society | 3 |
| AFROAMER 156 | Black Music and American Cultural History | 3 |
| AFROAMER 231 | Introduction to African American History | 3 |
| AFROAMER 272 | Race and American Politics from the New Deal to the New Right | 3 |
| AFROAMER/AFRICAN/HISTORY/POLI SCI 297 | African and African-American Linkages: An Introduction | 4 |
| AFROAMER 302 | Undergraduate Studies in Afro-American History | 3 |
| AFROAMER/HISTORY 321 | African American History Since 1900 | 3-4 |
| AFROAMER/HISTORY 322 | African American History to 1900 | 3-4 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 323 | Gender, Race and Class: Women in U.S. History | 3 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 324 | Black Women in America: Reconstruction to the Present | 3 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 326 | Race and Gender in Post-World War II U.S. Society | 3 |
| AFROAMER/HISTORY 347 | The Caribbean and its Diasporas | 3-4 |
| AFROAMER/HISTORY 393 | Slavery, Civil War, and Reconstruction, 1848-1877 | 3-4 |
| AFROAMER/HIST SCI/MED HIST 523 | Race, American Medicine and Public Health | 3 |
| AFROAMER/ED POL 567 | History of African American Education | 3 |
| AFROAMER 621 | Slavery and Capitalism in the United States | 3 |
| AFROAMER 623 | Women and Slavery in the United States | 3 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 624 | African American Women's Activism (19th & 20th Centuries) | 3 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 625 | Gender, Race and the Civil Rights Movement | 3 |
| AFROAMER 626 | Slavery and Emancipation in the United States | 3 |
| AFROAMER/HISTORY 628 | History of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States | 3 |
| AFROAMER 631 | Colloquium in African American History | 3 |
| AFROAMER 671 | Selected Topics in African American History | 3 |
| AMER IND 100 | Introduction to American Indian Studies | 3 |
| AMER IND 185 | Indigenous Athletes and Sports | 3 |
| AMER IND/HISTORY 190 | Introduction to American Indian History | 3-4 |
| AMER IND 230 | Indigenous Resistance and Activism | 3 |
| AMER IND 250 | Indians of Wisconsin | 3 |
| AMER IND/ANTHRO 314 | Indians of North America | 3 |
| AMER IND/HISTORY 380 | Sovereignty and the Schoolhouse | 3 |
| AMER IND/SOC WORK 636 | Social Work in American Indian Communities: The Indian Child Welfare Act | 3 |
| ART HIST 357 | History of Wisconsin Architecture, 1800-present | 3 |
| ASIAN AM/AFROAMER/AMER IND/CHICLA 102 | Introduction to Comparative US Ethnic, American Indian, and Indigenous Studies | 3 |
| ASIAN AM/HISTORY 160 | Asian American History: Movement and Dislocation | 3-4 |
| ASIAN AM/HISTORY 161 | Asian American History: Settlement and National Belonging | 3-4 |
| ASIAN AM 170 | Hmong American Experiences in the United States | 3 |
| ASIAN AM/SOC 220 | Ethnic Movements in the United States | 3-4 |
| ASIAN AM/ASIAN/HISTORY 246 | Southeast Asian Refugees of the "Cold" War | 4 |
| ASIAN AM 253 | Critical Refugee Studies | 3 |
| ASIAN AM 441 | Hmong American Social Movements in the 20th and 21st Centuries | 3 |
| C&E SOC/HISTORY/POLI SCI/SOC 259 | Forward? The Wisconsin Idea, Past and Present | 1-3 |
| CHICLA/HISTORY 151 | The North American West to 1850 | 3-4 |
| CHICLA/HISTORY 152 | The United States West Since 1850 | 3-4 |
| CHICLA/HISTORY 153 | Latina/Latino/Latinx History | 3-4 |
| CHICLA 201 | Introduction to Chicanx/e and Latinx/e Studies | 3 |
| CHICLA/GEN&WS/HISTORY 245 | Chicana and Latina History | 3 |
| CHICLA/HISTORY/LACIS/POLI SCI 268 | The U.S. & Latin America from the Colonial Era to the Present: A Critical Survey | 3 |
| CHICLA 301 | Chicana/o and Latina/o History | 3 |
| CHICLA 315 | Racial Formation and Whiteness | 3 |
| CHICLA/GEN&WS 332 | Latinas: Self Identity and Social Change | 3 |
| CHICLA/SPANISH 364 | Survey of Latinx/e Popular Culture | 3 |
| CHICLA/HISTORY/POLI SCI 422 | Latino History and Politics | 3 |
| CHICLA/HISTORY 435 | Colony, Nation, and Minority: The Puerto Ricans' World | 3 |
| CLASSICS/HISTORY 110 | The Ancient Mediterranean | 4 |
| CLASSICS 206 | Classical Influences on Western Art and Science | 3 |
| CLASSICS/HISTORY/POLI SCI 362 | Athenian Democracy | 3 |
| CLASSICS/HISTORY/RELIG ST 517 | Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean | 3 |
| CURRIC/ED POL/HISTORY/JEWISH 515 | Holocaust: History, Memory and Education | 3 |
| ECON/HISTORY 466 | The American Economy Since 1865 | 3-4 |
| ED POL/HISTORY 107 | The History of the University in the West | 3 |
| ED POL/HISTORY 143 | History of Race and Inequality in Urban America | 3 |
| ED POL/HISTORY 412 | History of American Education | 3 |
| ED POL/HISTORY 478 | Comparative History of Childhood and Adolescence | 3 |
| ED POL/HISTORY 612 | History of Student Activism from the Popular Front to Black Lives Matter | 3 |
| ENGL/HISTORY/RELIG ST 360 | Early Medieval England | 3 |
| ENVIR ST/HIST SCI/HISTORY 125 | Green Screen: Environmental Perspectives through Film | 3 |
| ENVIR ST/GNS 210 | Cultures of Sustainability: Central, Eastern, and Northern Europe | 3 |
| ENVIR ST/HISTORY 328 | Environmental History of Europe | 3 |
| ENVIR ST/GEOG/HISTORY 460 | American Environmental History | 4 |
| ENVIR ST/HISTORY/LEGAL ST 430 | Law and Environment: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives | 3 |
| FOLKLORE/GNS 200 | Folklore of Central, Eastern and Northern Europe | 3 |
| FOLKLORE 442 | Immigration and Indigeneity in the Upper Midwest | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 353 | Women and Gender in the U.S. to 1870 | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 354 | Women and Gender in the U.S. Since 1870 | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 392 | Women and Gender in Modern Europe | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS/HIST SCI 537 | Childbirth in the United States | 3 |
| GEOG/HISTORY/POLI SCI/SLAVIC 253 | Russia: An Interdisciplinary Survey | 4 |
| GEOG/HISTORY/POLI SCI/SLAVIC 254 | Eastern Europe: An Interdisciplinary Survey | 4 |
| HIST SCI/HISTORY/MED HIST 132 | Bees, Trees, Germs, and Genes: A History of Biology | 3 |
| HIST SCI 150 | The Digital Age | 3 |
| HIST SCI 171 | 3-4 | |
| HIST SCI 201 | The Origins of Scientific Thought | 3 |
| HIST SCI 218 | History of Twentieth Century American Medicine | 3 |
| HIST SCI/AFROAMER 275 | Science, Medicine, and Race: A History | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI/HISTORY 323 | The Scientific Revolution: From Copernicus to Newton | 3 |
| HIST SCI 404 | A History of Disease | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI/HISTORY/MED HIST 508 | Health, Disease and Healing II | 3-4 |
| HIST SCI/MED HIST 509 | The Development of Public Health in America | 3 |
| HIST SCI/GEN&WS/MED HIST 531 | Women and Health in American History | 3 |
| HIST SCI/GEN&WS/MED HIST 532 | The History of the (American) Body | 3 |
| HISTORY 101 | Amer Hist to the Civil War Era, the Origin & Growth of the U S | 4 |
| HISTORY 102 | American History, Civil War Era to the Present | 4 |
| HISTORY 109 | Introduction to U.S. History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 115 | Medieval Europe 410-1500 | 4 |
| HISTORY 119 | Europe and the World, 1400-1815 | 4 |
| HISTORY 120 | Europe and the Modern World 1815 to the Present | 4 |
| HISTORY 123 | 3-4 | |
| HISTORY 124 | Britain since 1688 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 136 | Sport, Recreation, & Society in the United States | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 145 | America and China, 1776-Today | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 154 | Who is an American? | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 155 | The Long Black Freedom Struggle from the Civil War to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 170 | East Meets West: Myth, Meaning, and Modernity | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 208 | Western Intellectual and Religious History to 1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 209 | Western Intellectual and Religious History since 1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 212 | The History of Western Christianity to 1750 | 4 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH 213 | Jews and American Pop. Culture | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 219 | 4 | |
| HISTORY/JEWISH 220 | Introduction to Modern Jewish History | 4 |
| HISTORY 221 | Explorations in American History (H) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 223 | Explorations in European History (H) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 224 | 3 | |
| HISTORY 227 | Explorations in the History of Race and Ethnicity | 3 |
| HISTORY/ART HIST/ENVIR ST/GEOG/LAND ARC 239 | Making the American Landscape | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LACIS 243 | Colonial Latin America: Invasion to Independence | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 261 | American Legal History to 1860 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 262 | American Legal History, 1860 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 269 | War, Race, and Religion in Europe and the United States, from the Scramble for Africa to Today | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 270 | Eastern Europe since 1900 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 271 | Study Abroad in History: European History | 1-4 |
| HISTORY 272 | Study Abroad in History: United States History | 1-4 |
| HISTORY 302 | History of American Thought, 1859 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 303 | A History of Greek Civilization | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 306 | The United States Since 1945 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 307 | A History of Rome | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/MEDIEVAL/RELIG ST 309 | The Crusades: Christianity and Islam | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH 310 | The Holocaust | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 329 | History of American Capitalism | 4 |
| HISTORY/INTL ST 332 | East Asia & The U.S. Since 1899 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 344 | The Age of the American Revolution, 1763-1789 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 345 | Military History of the United States | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 348 | France from Napoleon to the Great War, 1799-1914 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 349 | Contemporary France, 1914 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 350 | The First World War and the Shaping of Twentieth-Century Europe | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/LACIS/POLI SCI 355 | Labor in the Americas: US & Mexico in Comparative & Historical Perspective | 3 |
| HISTORY 357 | The Second World War | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 358 | French Revolution and Napoleon | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 359 | History of Europe Since 1945 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/INTL ST 366 | From Fascism to Today: Social Movements and Politics in Europe | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 401 | Public History Workshop | 3 |
| HISTORY 403 | Immigration and Assimilation in American History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 409 | Christianity in the Atlantic World, 1500-1800 | 3 |
| HISTORY 410 | History of Germany, 1871 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 411 | The Enlightenment and Its Critics | 3 |
| HISTORY 417 | History of Russia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 418 | History of Russia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 419 | History of Soviet Russia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 420 | Russian Social and Intellectual History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 424 | The Soviet Union and the World, 1917-1991 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/POLI SCI 422 | Latino History and Politics | 3 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 426 | The History of Punishment | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 427 | The American Military Experience to 1902 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 428 | The American Military Experience Since 1899 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/SCAND ST 431 | History of Scandinavia to 1815 | 3 |
| HISTORY/SCAND ST 432 | History of Scandinavia Since 1815 | 3 |
| HISTORY 434 | American Foreign Relations, 1901 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/SCAND ST 577 | Contemporary Scandinavia: Politics and History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 459 | Rule of Law: Philosophical and Historical Models | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 476 | Medieval Law and Society | 3 |
| HISTORY/LEGAL ST 510 | Legal Pluralism | 3 |
| HISTORY 500 | Reading Seminar in History | 3 |
| HISTORY/JEWISH/SOC 518 | Antisemitism in European Culture | 3 |
| HISTORY/JOURN 560 | History of U.S. Media | 4 |
| HISTORY 607 | The American Impact Abroad: The Historical Dimension | 3 |
| ILS 201 | Western Culture: Science, Technology, Philosophy I | 3 |
| ILS 202 | Western Culture: Science, Technology, Philosophy II | 3 |
| MUSIC 202 | Delta Blues | 3 |
| MUSIC 203 | American Ethnicities and Popular Song | 3 |
| MUSIC 317 | Musical Women in Europe and America: Creativity, Performance, and Identity | 3 |
| SCAND ST 348 | The Second World War in Nordic Culture | 3 |
Global Perspectives Courses
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| A A E/ENVIR ST 244 | The Environment and the Global Economy | 4 |
| A A E 319 | The International Agricultural Economy | 3 |
| A A E/NUTR SCI 350 | World Hunger and Malnutrition | 3 |
| A A E/INTL ST 373 | Globalization, Poverty and Development | 3 |
| A A E/INTL ST 374 | The Growth and Development of Nations in the Global Economy | 3 |
| A A E/ECON 473 | Economic Growth and Development in Southeast Asia | 3 |
| AFRICAN/HISTORY 106 | Introduction to African History | 3-4 |
| AFRICAN/HISTORY 129 | Africa on the Global Stage | 3-4 |
| AFRICAN 201 | Introduction to African Literature | 3 |
| AFRICAN 202 | Introductory Topics in African Cultural Studies | 3 |
| AFRICAN 203 | Introductory Topics in African Literature | 3 |
| AFRICAN 204 | Introductory Topics in African Languages | 3 |
| AFRICAN/FOLKLORE 210 | The African Storyteller | 3 |
| AFRICAN 212 | Introduction to African Popular Culture | 3 |
| AFRICAN/FRENCH 216 | Modern and Contemporary Francophone Topics | 3 |
| AFRICAN/AFROAMER 220 | HipHop, Youth Culture, and Politics in Senegal | 3 |
| AFRICAN 230 | Introduction to Yoruba Life and Culture | 3 |
| AFRICAN/AFROAMER 233 | Global HipHop and Social Justice | 3 |
| AFRICAN 231 | Introduction to Arabic Literary Culture | 3 |
| AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLI SCI/SOC 277 | Africa: An Introductory Survey | 4 |
| AFRICAN/AFROAMER/HISTORY/POLI SCI 297 | African and African-American Linkages: An Introduction | 4 |
| AFRICAN 300 | African Literature in Translation | 3 |
| AFRICAN/INTL ST 302 | Arabic Literature and Cinema | 3 |
| AFRICAN/ASIAN/RELIG ST 370 | Islam: Religion and Culture | 3-4 |
| AFRICAN 403 | Theories of African Cultural Studies | 3 |
| AFRICAN/RELIG ST 408 | Everyday Religion in Africa | 3 |
| AFRICAN/RELIG ST 414 | Islam in Africa and the Diaspora | 3 |
| AFRICAN/COM ARTS/L I S 444 | Technology and Development in Africa and Beyond | 3 |
| AFROAMER/ART HIST 241 | Introduction to African Art and Architecture | 3 |
| AFROAMER/ANTHRO/C&E SOC/GEOG/HISTORY/LACIS/POLI SCI/SOC/SPANISH 260 | Latin America: An Introduction | 3-4 |
| AFROAMER/DANCE/MUSIC 318 | Cultural Cross Currents: West African Dance/Music in the Americas | 3 |
| AFROAMER/GEN&WS 367 | Art and Visual Culture: Women of the African Diaspora and Africa | 3 |
| AGROECOL 377 | Global Food Production and Health | 3 |
| ANTHRO 100 | General Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHRO 102 | Archaeology and the Prehistoric World | 3 |
| ANTHRO 104 | Cultural Anthropology and Human Diversity | 3 |
| ANTHRO 105 | Principles of Biological Anthropology | 3 |
| ANTHRO/FOLKLORE/INTL ST/LINGUIS 211 | Global Language Issues | 3 |
| ANTHRO 237 | Cut 'n' Mix: Music, Race, and Culture in the Caribbean | 3 |
| ANTHRO 265 | Introduction to Culture and Health | 3 |
| ANTHRO 300 | Cultural Anthropology: Theory and Ethnography | 3 |
| ANTHRO/ASIAN 305 | Anthropology of South Asia | 3 |
| ANTHRO/AMER IND 314 | Indians of North America | 3 |
| ANTHRO 321 | The Emergence of Human Culture | 3 |
| ANTHRO 322 | The Origins of Civilization | 3 |
| ANTHRO 330 | Topics in Ethnology | 3-4 |
| ANTHRO 333 | Prehistory of Africa | 3 |
| ANTHRO 339 | Archaeology of Warfare and Human Nature | 3 |
| ANTHRO 350 | Political Anthropology | 3-4 |
| ANTHRO 357 | Introduction to the Anthropology of Japan | 3-4 |
| ANTHRO 365 | Medical Anthropology | 3 |
| ART HIST/ASIAN 179 | Passage Through India: South Asia's Global Architectural Histories | 3 |
| ART HIST 205 | Global Arts | 3-4 |
| ART HIST 305 | History of Islamic Art and Architecture | 3 |
| ART HIST 307 | From Tomb to Temple: Ancient Chinese Art and Religion in Transition | 3 |
| ART HIST 308 | The Tastes of Scholars and Emperors: Chinese Art in the Later Periods | 3 |
| ART HIST 354 | Cross-Cultural Arts Around the Atlantic Rim: 1800 to the Present | 3-4 |
| ART HIST/ASIAN 379 | Cities of Asia | 3 |
| ART HIST 411 | Topics in Asian Art | 3-4 |
| ART HIST 412 | Topics in African and African Diaspora Art History | 3-4 |
| ART HIST 413 | Art and Architecture in the Age of the Caliphs | 3 |
| ART HIST/ASIAN 428 | Visual Cultures of India | 3 |
| ART HIST 440 | Art and Power in the Arab World | 3 |
| ART HIST 475 | 3 | |
| ART HIST 478 | 3 | |
| ART HIST 510 | Proseminar in Islamic Art and Architecture | 3 |
| ASIAN 100 | Gateway to Asia: Special Topics | 3-4 |
| ASIAN 205 | Animal Ethics in Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN/LITTRANS 212 | Classical South Asian Literatures | 3 |
| ASIAN 252 | Contemporary Indian Society | 3 |
| ASIAN 253 | Japanese Popular Culture | 3 |
| ASIAN 254 | Korean Popular Culture | 3 |
| ASIAN/RELIG ST 274 | Religion in South Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN 277 | Kendo: Integration of Martial Arts and Liberal Arts | 2 |
| ASIAN 300 | Topics in Asian Studies | 3 |
| ASIAN 301 | Social Science Topics in Asian Studies | 1-3 |
| ASIAN/RELIG ST 303 | Jainism: Religion and Culture of Nonviolence | 3 |
| ASIAN/RELIG ST 306 | Hinduism | 3 |
| ASIAN/RELIG ST 307 | A Survey of Tibetan Buddhism | 3 |
| ASIAN/HISTORY/RELIG ST 308 | Introduction to Buddhism | 3-4 |
| ASIAN 310 | Introduction to Comics and Graphic Novels: Theory, History, Method | 3 |
| ASIAN 311 | 3 | |
| ASIAN/SOC 334 | Gender, Work, and Family in East Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN/SOC 336 | Social Change in Contemporary South Korea | 3 |
| ASIAN 351 | Survey of Classical Chinese Literature | 3 |
| ASIAN 352 | Survey of Modern Chinese Literature | 3 |
| ASIAN 353 | Lovers, Warriors and Monks: Survey of Japanese Literature | 3 |
| ASIAN 355 | Modern Japanese Literature | 3 |
| ASIAN 361 | Love and Politics: The Tale of Genji | 3 |
| ASIAN 371 | Topics in Chinese Literature | 2-3 |
| ASIAN 374 | Korean Cinema | 3 |
| ASIAN 378 | Anime | 3 |
| ASIAN 403 | Southeast Asian Literature | 3 |
| ASIAN/RELIG ST 405 | Gods and Goddesses of South Asia | 3 |
| ASIAN/RELIG ST 444 | Introduction to Sufism (Islamic Mysticism) | 3 |
| ASIAN/RELIG ST 466 | Buddhist Thought | 3 |
| ASIAN/RELIG ST 505 | The Perfectible Body in Religions, Medicines, and Politics | 3 |
| ASIAN 533 | Readings in Early Modern Japanese Literature | 3 |
| ASIAN 642 | History of Chinese Literature II | 3 |
| ATM OCN/ENVIR ST/GEOG 322 | Polar Regions and Their Importance in the Global Environment | 3 |
| C&E SOC/SOC 140 | Introduction to Community and Environmental Sociology | 4 |
| C&E SOC/SOC 222 | Food, Culture, and Society | 3 |
| C&E SOC/F&W ECOL/SOC 248 | Environment, Natural Resources, and Society | 3 |
| C&E SOC/POP HLTH 370 | Introduction to Public Health | 3 |
| CHICLA/SPANISH 215 | Border and Migration Studies of Latinx America | 3 |
| CHICLA/POLI SCI 231 | Politics in Multi-Cultural Societies | 3-4 |
| CHICLA/HISTORY/LACIS/POLI SCI 268 | The U.S. & Latin America from the Colonial Era to the Present: A Critical Survey | 3 |
| CHICLA/GEN&WS 334 | Feminist Social Movements Across the Americas | 3 |
| CHICLA/ED POL/LACIS 342 | Education across the Americas: Empire, Capitalism, and Resistance | 3 |
| CLASSICS 321 | The Egyptians: History, Society, and Literature | 3 |
| DANCE 118 | African Dance | 1 |
| DANCE 165 | Introduction to the Histories of Dance | 3 |
| ENTOM/NUTR SCI 203 | Introduction to Global Health | 3 |
| ENTOM/ENVIR ST 205 | Our Planet, Our Health | 3 |
| ENVIR ST/GEOG 139 | Global Environmental Issues | 3 |
| ENVIR ST/HIST SCI 213 | Global Environmental Health: An Interdisciplinary Introduction | 3 |
| ENVIR ST/GEOG 309 | People, Land and Food: Comparative Study of Agriculture Systems | 3 |
| ENVIR ST/GEOG 339 | Conservation and Climate Change - Local to International Strategies | 4 |
| ENVIR ST/HISTORY 465 | Global Environmental History | 3-4 |
| FOLKLORE 100 | Introduction to Folklore | 3 |
| FOLKLORE/MUSIC 103 | Introduction to Music Cultures of the World | 3 |
| FOLKLORE/RELIG ST 352 | Shamanism | 3 |
| GEN&WS 102 | Gender, Women, and Society in Global Perspective | 3 |
| GEN&WS 104 | Gender, Sexuality, and Global Health | 3 |
| GEN&WS/HISTORY 134 | Women and Gender in World History | 3-4 |
| GEN&WS 423 | The Female Body in the World: Gender and Contemporary Body Politics in Cross Cultural Perspective | 3 |
| GEN&WS/POLI SCI 435 | Politics of Gender and Women's Rights in the Middle East | 3 |
| GEN&WS 444 | From Past Feminisms to Postfeminism: Feminisms for the 21st Century | 3 |
| GEN&WS/PORTUG 450 | Brazillian Women Writers | 3 |
| GEOG 101 | Human Geography: Space, Place, Society, and Politics | 4 |
| GEOG/ASIAN/HISTORY/POLI SCI/SOC 244 | Introduction to Southeast Asia: Vietnam to the Philippines | 4 |
| GEOG/INTL ST 311 | The Global Game: Soccer, Politics, and Identity | 3-4 |
| GEOG 307 | International Migration, Health, and Human Rights | 3 |
| GEOG/INTL ST 315 | Universal Basic Income: The Politics Behind a Global Movement | 3 |
| GEOG 340 | World Regions in Global Context | 3 |
| GEOG 355 | Africa, South of the Sahara | 3 |
| GEOG 358 | Human Geography of Southeast Asia | 3 |
| GEOG/GEN&WS 504 | Feminist Geography: Theoretical Approaches | 3 |
| GEOG 507 | Waste Geographies: Politics, People, and Infrastructures | 3 |
| GNS 460 | Readings in Turkish: Contemporary Turkey through Literature and Media | 4 |
| GNS/HISTORY 265 | An Introduction to Central Asia: From the Silk Route to Afghanistan | 3 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 103 | Introduction to East Asian History: China | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 104 | Introduction to East Asian History: Japan | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 108 | Introduction to East Asian History - Korea | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CLASSICS 110 | The Ancient Mediterranean | 4 |
| HISTORY 130 | An Introduction to World History | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 133 | Global Military History (5000 BCE - Present) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 137 | The History of War in Film | 3 |
| HISTORY 139 | Introduction to the Modern Middle East | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 142 | History of South Asia to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 145 | America and China, 1776-Today | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/INTL ST 146 | A Global History of Now | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 170 | East Meets West: Myth, Meaning, and Modernity | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 179 | Afro-Atlantic Histories and Peoples, 1791-Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 201 | The Historian's Craft | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 205 | The Making of the Islamic World: The Middle East, 500-1500 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 225 | Explorations in Third World History (H) | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 229 | Explorations in Transnational/Comparative History (Humanities) | 3 |
| HISTORY/INTL ST/LACIS 242 | Modern Latin America | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/LACIS 243 | Colonial Latin America: Invasion to Independence | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/GEN&WS 245 | Chicana and Latina History | 3 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/ASIAN AM 246 | Southeast Asian Refugees of the "Cold" War | 4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN/POLI SCI 255 | Introduction to East Asian Civilizations | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 273 | Study Abroad in History: Non-Western History | 1-4 |
| HISTORY 278 | Africans in the Americas, 1492-1808 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/MEDIEVAL/RELIG ST 309 | The Crusades: Christianity and Islam | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 319 | The Vietnam Wars | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/INTL ST 332 | East Asia & The U.S. Since 1899 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 335 | The Koreas: Korean War to the 21st Century | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 336 | Chinese Economic and Business History: From Silk to iPhones | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 337 | Social and Intellectual History of China, 589 AD-1919 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY 340 | Cultural History of Korea | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 341 | History of Modern China, 1800-1949 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 342 | History of the Peoples Republic of China, 1949 to the Present | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/AFROAMER 347 | The Caribbean and its Diasporas | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 363 | China and World War II in Asia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/INTL ST 375 | The Cold War - From World War II to End of Soviet Empire | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/RELIG ST 409 | Christianity in the Atlantic World, 1500-1800 | 3 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA/POLI SCI 422 | Latino History and Politics | 3 |
| HISTORY/CHICLA 435 | Colony, Nation, and Minority: The Puerto Ricans' World | 3 |
| HISTORY 450 | Making of Modern South Asia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 454 | Samurai: History and Image | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 456 | Pearl Harbor & Hiroshima: Japan, the US & The Crisis in Asia | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/ASIAN 458 | History of Southeast Asia Since 1800 | 3-4 |
| HISTORY/HIST SCI/MED HIST 564 | Disease, Medicine and Public Health in the History of Latin America and the Caribbean | 3 |
| INTL BUS 200 | International Business | 3 |
| INTL ST 101 | Introduction to International Studies | 3-4 |
| INTL ST 266 | Introduction to the Middle East | 3 |
| INTL ST 310 | International Learning Community Seminar | 1-3 |
| INTL ST/ED POL 335 | Globalization and Education | 3 |
| JOURN 567 | Mass Media and Global Communication | 4 |
| LITTRANS 226 | Introduction to Luso-Afro-Brazilian Literature | 3 |
| LITTRANS 231 | Manga | 3 |
| LITTRANS 261 | Survey of Chinese Literature in Translation | 3 |
| LITTRANS 263 | Survey of Japanese Literature in Translation | 3 |
| LITTRANS 264 | Survey of Japanese Literature in Translation | 3 |
| LITTRANS 373 | Topics in Japanese Literature | 3 |
| MUSIC 260 | Global Hand Drumming Ensemble: Survey of Selected Global Hand Drumming Traditions | 1 |
| POLI SCI 120 | Introduction to Comparative Politics | 4 |
| POLI SCI 182 | Introduction to Comparative Politics (Honors) | 3 |
| POLI SCI 320 | Governments and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 324 | Chinese Politics | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI/INTL ST 325 | Social Movements and Revolutions in Latin America | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 328 | Politics of East and Southeast Asia | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 329 | African Politics | 3-4 |
| POLI SCI 336 | Democracy (and Its Uncertain Future) | 4 |
| POLI SCI 346 | 3-4 | |
| POLI SCI 349 | Global Access to Justice | 3 |
| POLI SCI/CHICLA/HISTORY/LACIS 355 | Labor in the Americas: US & Mexico in Comparative & Historical Perspective | 3 |
| POLI SCI 370 | Islam and Politics | 3-4 |
| RELIG ST/ASIAN 206 | The Qur'an: Religious Scripture & Literature | 3 |
| RELIG ST 400 | Topics in Religious Studies - Humanities | 3-4 |
| RELIG ST 401 | Topics in Religious Studies - Social Studies | 3-4 |
| RELIG ST 407 | Buddhism and Anti-Racism | 3 |
| SOC 170 | Population Problems | 3-4 |
| SPANISH 223 | Introduction to Hispanic Cultures | 3 |
| THEATRE 351 | 3 | |
| THEATRE 526 | The Theatres of China and Japan | 3 |
Liberal Studies Electives
| Liberal Studies Electives | Complete additional liberal studies coursework as needed to reach the required 40 Liberal Studies credits. |
Program Structure
The Educational Policy Studies program has three primary components:
- Liberal studies and general education courses that expose students to a broad range of academic disciplines.
- Major coursework in educational policy studies, including core course, depth, and breadth requirements.
- Elective credits to pursue individual areas of interest. Educational Policy Studies majors are encouraged to consider completing complementary coursework in the College of Letters & Science, possibly including an additional major. The structure of the Educational Policy Studies degree program makes it possible to complete an additional major and still graduate in four years.
Major Requirements
The Educational Policy Studies major requires 30 credits, to include core courses (9 credits), information literacy requirement (3 credits), depth requirements (9 credits) and breadth requirements (9 credits).
Core Courses, 9 credits
Complete the following:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ED POL 240 | Comparative Education | 3 |
| ED POL 300 | School and Society | 3 |
| ED POL/HISTORY 412 | History of American Education | 3 |
Information Literacy Requirement, 3 credits
Complete a minimum of one course (3 credits) which provides focused attention on developing information literacy in the field of education.
According to the American Library Association, "Information literacy is a set of abilities, requiring individuals to 'recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information' (American Library Association. Presidential Committee on Information Literacy.) 'To be information literate, then, one needs skills not only in research but in critical thinking" (American Library Association, 2025). "Information Literacy empowers people in all walks of life to seek, evaluate, use and create information effectively to achieve their personal, social, occupational and educational goal." (UNESCO, 2023).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ED POL 134 | Media Literacy and Misinformation in Education | 3 |
| ED POL/HISTORY 143 | History of Race and Inequality in Urban America | 3 |
| ED POL 145 | Introduction to Education Policy | 3 |
| ED POL 209 | Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Education Policy | 3 |
| ED POL 308 | Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods in Education | 3 |
Depth Requirements, 9 credits
Complete a minimum of three courses (9 credits) to facilitate in-depth study of education policy and practice. At least one course (3 credits) must be an advanced ED POL course (numbered 500 or above).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| ED POL/HISTORY 107 | The History of the University in the West | 3 |
| ED POL 112 | Global Education through Film | 3 |
| ED POL 120 | Environmental and Sustainability Education in Wisconsin Policy and Practice | 3 |
| ED POL 123 | Education, Technology, and Society: AI, Big Data, and the Digital Divide | 3 |
| ED POL 134 | Media Literacy and Misinformation in Education | 3 |
| ED POL 140 | Introduction to Education | 3 |
| ED POL/HISTORY 143 | History of Race and Inequality in Urban America | 3 |
| ED POL 145 | Introduction to Education Policy | 3 |
| ED POL 147 | Ethics and Education | 3 |
| ED POL 150 | Education and Public Policy | 3 |
| ED POL/GEN&WS 160 | Gender, Sexuality, and Education Policy | 3 |
| ED POL 163 | Histories of Discrimination and Resistance at UW Madison: Higher Education and Society since 1848 | 3 |
| ED POL 180 | Education and White Supremacy | 3 |
| ED POL 197 | Listening to the Land | 3 |
| ED POL 200 | Race, Ethnicity, and Inequality in American Education | 3 |
| ED POL 202 | Careers in Education | 3 |
| ED POL 203 | Internship in Education, Arts, or Health | 1-3 |
| ED POL 205 | Language and Social Inequality | 3 |
| ED POL 209 | Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Education Policy | 3 |
| ED POL 210 | Youth, Education, and Society | 3 |
| ED POL 212 | Education for Social Justice | 3 |
| ED POL 215 | Disability and Education Policy | 3 |
| ED POL/INTL ST 220 | Human Rights and Education | 3 |
| ED POL 222 | Indigenous Education Policy and Practice | 3 |
| ED POL 245 | Education in East Asia | 3 |
| ED POL/CURRIC/LEGAL ST 250 | Incarceration and Education | 3 |
| ED POL 260 | Introduction to International Education Development | 3 |
| ED POL 305 | Democracy and Education | 3 |
| ED POL 308 | Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods in Education | 3 |
| ED POL 309 | Applied Quantitative Education Research | 3 |
| ED POL/CHICLA 310 | Latine Students in the U.S. Higher Education System | 3 |
| ED POL 320 | Climate Change, Sustainability, and Education | 3 |
| ED POL/INTL ST 335 | Globalization and Education | 3 |
| ED POL 337 | Wealth, Poverty and Education | 3 |
| ED POL/CHICLA/LACIS 342 | Education across the Americas: Empire, Capitalism, and Resistance | 3 |
| ED POL 345 | Economics of Education | 3 |
| ED POL 350 | Topics in Education Studies | 3 |
| ED POL 355 | The Politics of Education Injustice in the US | 3 |
| ED POL 399 | Independent Reading (requires Consent of Instructor) | 1-3 |
| ED POL 417 | Health, Nutrition, and Education Policy | 3 |
| ED POL 423 | Education for Global Change | 3 |
| ED POL 435 | Education in Emergencies | 3 |
| ED POL 450 | Rethinking "After-School" Education | 3 |
| ED POL 460 | Immigration, Education, and Equity | 3 |
| ED POL/HISTORY 478 | Comparative History of Childhood and Adolescence | 3 |
| ED POL 500 | Topics on Social Issues and Education | 3 |
| ED POL 505 | Issues in Urban Education in the U.S. | 3 |
| ED POL 510 | Urban School Policy | 3 |
| ED POL/CURRIC/HISTORY/JEWISH 515 | Holocaust: History, Memory and Education | 3 |
| ED POL/CURRIC/RELIG ST 516 | Religion and Public Education | 3 |
| ED POL 518 | Introduction to Debates in Higher Education Policy | 3 |
| ED POL 525 | Is College Possible? College Access and Admissions in the US | 3 |
| ED POL 535 | Introduction to Social Theory and Education | 3 |
| ED POL/PHILOS 540 | Egalitarianism and Educational Justice | 3 |
| ED POL/ELPA/LEGAL ST 542 | Law and Public Education | 3 |
| ED POL/PHILOS 545 | Philosophical Conceptions of Teaching and Learning | 3 |
| ED POL/PHILOS 550 | Philosophy of Moral Education | 3 |
| ED POL/GEN&WS 560 | Gender and Education | 3 |
| ED POL/AFROAMER 567 | History of African American Education | 3 |
| ED POL/ANTHRO 570 | Anthropology and Education | 3 |
| ED POL 575 | Education Policy and Practice | 3 |
| ED POL 580 | Participatory and Community-Based Research and Evaluation | 3 |
| ED POL 585 | Family and Community Engagement in Education | 3 |
| ED POL 595 | Language Politics and Education | 3 |
| ED POL 600 | Problems in Educational Policy | 3 |
| ED POL 601 | Research and Evaluation for Equity | 3 |
| ED POL 605 | Using Secondary Data: Applied Quantitative Analysis | 3 |
| ED POL/HISTORY 612 | History of Student Activism from the Popular Front to Black Lives Matter | 3 |
| ED POL 618 | Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in Education | 3 |
| ED POL/HISTORY 622 | History of Radical and Experimental Education in the US and UK | 3 |
| ED POL/SOC 648 | Sociology of Education | 3 |
| ED POL/HISTORY 665 | History of the Federal Role in American Education | 3 |
| ED POL 675 | Introduction to Comparative and International Education | 3 |
| ED POL 688 | Introduction to Survey Methods for Education Research | 3 |
Breadth Requirements, 9 credits
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Breadth Course | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 3 | |
| How People Learn | ||
| Human Development in Infancy and Childhood | ||
| Human Development in Adolescence | ||
| Human Development From Childhood Through Adolescence | ||
| Additional Breadth Course Options | ||
| Complete additional coursework (6 credits) NOT selected from Depth Requirements, or from the courses listed below. ED PSYCH 301, 320, 321 and 331 may also count here, but not toward both breadth requirements. | ||
| CURRIC 240 | Critical Aspects of Teaching, Schooling, and Education | 3 |
| CURRIC/CHICLA 321 | Chicanx/e and Latinx/e Educational Justice | 3 |
| CURRIC 331 | Taking Education Outside of School | 3 |
| CURRIC 366 | Internationalizing Educational Knowledge | 3 |
| CURRIC/C&E SOC/ENVIR ST 405 | Education for Sustainable Communities | 3 |
| ED PSYCH 326 | Mind, Brain and Education | 3 |
| ED PSYCH 506 | Contemporary Issues in Educational Psychology | 3 |
| ED PSYCH 541 | Applied Behavior Analysis in Classrooms | 3 |
| ELPA 640 | Legal Rights and Responsibilities for Teachers | 1-3 |
| INTER-LS 300 | Topics in Teaching and Learning in the Letters, Arts, and Sciences (Understanding and Improving Instruction topic only; other topics require approval) | 3 |
Elective Credits
Complete additional credits to complete the minimum of 120 required for the degree. Educational Policy Studies majors are encouraged to consider completing complementary coursework in the College of Letters & Science, possibly including an additional major. The structure of the Educational Policy Studies degree program makes it possible to complete an additional major and still graduate in four years.
Honors in the Major
Honors in the major is for students who want more in-depth understanding and experiences in educational policy studies, as well as hands-on research experience. Honors in the Major also provides students with opportunities to develop leadership, writing, and critical thinking skills beneficial to a range of graduate programs and career choices. Honors students in Educational Policy Studies will join a vibrant intellectual community of faculty, staff, and students committed to furthering socially just visions of education to answer the most pressing issues in education and in society.
To be admitted to the program, Honors in Educational Policy Studies students must:
- Be a declared major in Educational Policy Studies,
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.3,
- Have met with a School of Education Advisor regarding Honors in the Major
- Select a research method pathway and have completed one prerequisite research course with a grade of AB or higher:
See How to Get in for more details regarding the Honors declaration process.
Educational Policy Studies Honors Research Pathway
To earn Honors in the Major, students must satisfy the requirements for the major and the following additional requirements:
- Earn a 3.3 University GPA
- Earn a 3.5 GPA average for all ED POL courses
- Participate in Department research colloquium.
- Complete a two-semester Honors capstone experience, comprising the Honors Capstone class (ED POL 680), and an ED POL course (Qualitative: ED POL 618 or ED POL 580; Quantitative: ED POL 605 or ED POL 688) that offers a mentored research experience.
- Students must receive a B or higher in ED POL 680 in order to receive honors in the major.
Qualitative Research Honors Pathway
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite for honors declaration | ||
| Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods in Education | ||
| Capstone Course | ||
| Educational Policy Studies Honors Capstone | ||
| Mentored Research Course | ||
| Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in Education | ||
or ED POL 580 | Participatory and Community-Based Research and Evaluation | |
Quantitative Research Honors Pathway
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prerequisite for honors declaration | ||
| ED POL 209 | Introduction to Quantitative Methods in Education Policy | 3 |
| Capstone Course | ||
| ED POL 680 | Educational Policy Studies Honors Capstone | 3 |
| Mentored Research Course | ||
| ED POL 605 | Using Secondary Data: Applied Quantitative Analysis | 3 |
| or ED POL 688 | Introduction to Survey Methods for Education Research | |
Additional Considerations for Honors in the Major
Students may take ED POL 680 before or after their research apprenticeship class. ED POL 680 will only be offered in the Fall semester.
The capstone course will give students an opportunity to develop expertise in existing research on an issue or question of interest to them and complete a capstone project. The capstone course will also help students engage in interdisciplinary conversations, consider pressing issues in education, explore potential professional and academic trajectories, and prepare for future careers and graduate education.
Students may declare the major and honors at the same time and may do so any time in their programs; however, being accepted to into the Honors program is a prerequisite to enrolling in ED POL 680. It is strongly advised that you declare Honors in the major as soon as you that know that you would like to do the program so that you can receive information and opportunities related to honors in the major.
The mentored research course (ED POL 618, ED POL 580, ED POL 605, or ED POL 688) is an opportunity to gain educational research and policy skills appropriate for graduate school or an array of future careers. Students may take ED POL 680 before or after their mentored research class
Honors research will be in the social sciences, either quantitative or qualitative research methods. Educational Policy Studies Honors in the Major cannot currently accommodate student research apprenticeships in philosophy or history. Students interested in writing a historical or philosophical thesis are encouraged to do so through the History and Philosophy departments. Several Educational Policy Studies history and philosophy faculty have served on such committees in the past.
Students may change their intended research pathway (quantitative or qualitative) after being admitted to the Honors program but will still need to complete the appropriate prerequisite for the advanced research methods course (either ED POL 209 or ED POL 308) or receive permission of the instructor and the department chair.
The primary mechanism for students to satisfy the honors colloquium requirement will be the annual EPS Conference, which is typically held in early March. Students who enter the Honors program during or prior to their junior year will be required to attend the EPS Conference in person during that academic year. During their senior year, students pursuing Honors will present their literature review or in-progress research at the EPS Conference via a research poster.
To participate in the poster fair, senior Honors students must prepare and print a research or literature review poster prior to the EPS Conference. They are expected to attend the Conference poster fair in person to discuss their poster with attendees. EPS will provide students with resources for preparing, printing, and presenting a literature review or research poster.
Junior Honors students who are unable to attend the EPS Conference in person may instead attend three EPS Lunch & Learn lectures in person over the course of the academic year.
Senior Honors students who are presenting their research at the EPS Conference will be required to prepare and print a poster even if extenuating circumstances prevent them from attending the Conference poster fair in person. Posters will again be on display during the May graduation celebration.
GPA and Other Graduation Requirements
Graduation Requirements
Based on UW–Madison coursework.
2.5 minimum cumulative grade point average. This may be modified by the Last 60 Credits Rule.
2.5 cumulative major grade point average.
2.5 cumulative grade point average in all upper-level major coursework (“upper-level” defined as numbered 300 and above).
Major Residency: Students must complete at least 15 credits of upper-level major coursework numbered 300 or above in residence on the UW–Madison campus. At least three of these credits must be in an advanced ED POL course numbered 500 and above.
Senior Residency: Degree candidates must complete their last 30 credits in residence on the UW–Madison campus, excluding retroactive credits and credits granted by examination.
Total credits: A minimum of 120 credits are required for graduation.
Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS)
UW–Madison uses “DARS” to document a student's progress toward the completion of their degree, including any additional majors and certificates. A DARS (Degree Audit Reporting System) report shows all the requirements for completing a degree and, against courses that are planned or completed, shows the requirements that have been met, and those that are unmet. A report can offer suggestions about courses that may be taken to meet specific requirements and can assist in the academic planning and enrollment process. Students can access a DARS report in the Course Search & Enroll app or Student Center via My UW.
DARS also has a "what-if" function. This feature makes it possible to request a DARS report as if pursuing another program, major, or certificate. It is an excellent tool if considering a new or additional area of study. School of Education students in a pre-professional classification such as Pre-Elementary (PRE) or Pre-Kinesiology should request a "what if" DARS report of their professional program of interest. For example, Pre-Elementary Education (PRE) students will request Elementary Education K-9; Pre-Kinesiology (PKN) students will request the Kinesiology report. Minors have their own DARS programs and are run separately from the main degree audit.
More information (including tutorials) on how to request and read regular and what-if DARS reports is available under the Resources tab on the Office of the Registrar’s website.
DARS is not intended to replace student contact with academic advisors. It creates more time in an advising appointment to discuss course options, research opportunities, graduate school, or issues of personal interest or concern to students.
DARS is used as the document of record for degree program, major, and certificate completion in the School of Education.
Learning Outcomes
- Formulate research-based arguments on topics in education policy using academic literature, including both primary and secondary sources.
- Critically examine education and its contexts through multiple theoretical perspectives (e.g., sociocultural, economic/political, historical, philosophical).
- Analyze pressing questions in education using different historical, philosophical, and/or social science research methods.
- Analyze education issues from diverse perspectives related to forms of social difference (e.g., race, class, nationality, disability, gender, sexuality).
- Gather information, critically analyze arguments, and thoughtfully communicateresearch-based arguments to a variety of audiences, using different modes of communication.
Four-Year Plan
Educational Policy Studies: Sample Four-Year Plan
This four-year sample graduation plan is designed to guide your course selection throughout your academic career; it does not establish a contractual agreement. Use it along with your DARS report, the Guide, and the Course Search and Enroll app to create a four-year plan reflecting your placement scores, incoming credits, and individual interests. Consult with an academic advisor to develop a personalized plan of study and refer to the Guide for a complete list of requirements. You will likely revise your plan several times during your academic career here, based on your activities and changing academic interests.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Communication A (fall or spring semester) | 3 | Communication A (fall or spring semester) | 3 |
| Educational Policy Studies depth course (100 or 200 level) | 3 | Educational Policy Studies depth course (100 or 200 level) | 3 |
| Liberal Studies course work | 9-12 | Ethnic Studies - Complete one of: | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning A | 3 | ||
| Liberal Studies course work | 3-6 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ED POL 300 | 3 | ED POL 240 | 3 |
| Liberal Studies course work | 12 | ED POL 209 (Quantitative Reasoning B) | 3 |
| Liberal Studies or General Elective course work | 9 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ED POL/HISTORY 412 | 3 | Educational Policy Studies Breadth course | 3 |
| Communication B - Complete one of: | 3 | Liberal Studies or General Elective course work | 12 |
| Complete one of: | 3 | ||
| Liberal Studies or General Elective course work | 6 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Educational Policy Studies Depth course (upper level) | 3 | Educational Policy Studies Depth course (upper level) | 3 |
| Educational Policy Studies Breadth course | 3 | Liberal Studies or General Elective course work | 12 |
| Liberal Studies or General Elective course work | 9 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits 120 | |||
Advising and Careers
Educational Policy Studies Advising
Students are advised by staff from the School of Education Student Services office (Room 139 Education Building) at SOAR and during the regular academic year (see below). Admitted students are also assigned a departmental advisor.
School of Education Advising
Academic Advising in the School of Education
Dedicated to supporting and promoting student success, academic advisors are here to assist students with the adjustment to college, understanding their degree and career goals, and connecting them to resources. Advisors support prospective and current School of Education students in all programs through:
- Course selection
- Mentoring and advocacy for underrepresented and international students
- Understanding degree requirements and progression
- Interpreting academic policies
- Helping students recognize their strengths and suggesting ways to expand their skills
- Expanding learning through activities such as study abroad, volunteering/work/internship, and by assuming leadership roles
Advising appointments are available in person, virtually, or over the phone. Current students schedule appointments through the Starfish app in MyUW. Appointments can also be made by calling 608-262-1651, or in person in Room 139 Education Building.
Academic Dean Support staff are also here for you when facing academic or personal challenges. We provide undergraduate School of Education students support, problem-solving, advocacy, resources, and approve exceptions to policies.
Career Advising in the School of Education
Through individual appointments, events, courses, and online resources, the Career Center provides students and alumni with the tools needed to be successful in their career development.
Career and Internship Advisors are prepared to help students with:
- Exploration of career and academic pathways
- Resumes
- Cover letters
- Job/Internship search
- Interview preparation
- Mock interviews
- Graduate school search, applications and decisions
- Negotiating job or internship offers
- Professional networking
- Connecting with employers
Students are encouraged to meet with their Career and Internship Advisor early in their college experience to take full advantage of the resources and support available.
To make an appointment: log into Starfish from the MyUW dashboard.
For more information, visit the School of Education Career Center website or reach out at career-center@education.wisc.edu.
Information about common career pathways, ways to get involved and gain experience, and transferrable skills developed through this major can be found on the School of Education Career Center's Educational Policy Studies Pathways webpage.
Wisconsin Experience
UW–Madison’s vision for the total student experience, the Wisconsin Experience, combines learning in and out of the classroom. Tied to the Wisconsin Idea and steeped in long-standing institutional values — the commitment to the truth, shared participation in decision-making, and service to local and global communities — the Wisconsin Experience describes how students develop and integrate these core values across their educational experience.
UW–Madison encourages students to mindfully engage in four core concepts throughout their time on campus: Empathy & Humility, Relentless Curiosity, Intellectual Confidence, and Purposeful Action.
Since its inception, the School of Education has embraced the concepts of the Wisconsin Experience, providing opportunities for students to learn in venues beyond the traditional classroom. Our students also independently seek out related activities and experiences, thus creating their own unique Wisconsin Experience.
Educational Policy Studies and the Wisconsin Experience
Supplemental activities in and beyond the classroom enhance Educational Policy Studies (Ed Pol) coursework to extend what students are learning through course texts and discussions.
Engage with Guest Experts
Many Educational Policy Studies courses feature guest speakers, including prominent scholars from universities across the globe, local educational leaders from community-based organizations and school districts, and educational policymakers. The Department also hosts speakers who highlight cutting-edge research, policy debates, careers, new developments in education, and examples of how educational research informs policy and practice. Students have opportunities to learn from a variety of experts, expand their perspectives, ask questions, and connect.
Honors Program
Students in the Honors program gain more in-depth understanding and experiences in educational policy studies, as well as a hands-on, mentored research experience with faculty. Students also have opportunities to develop leadership, writing, and critical thinking skills beneficial to a range of graduate programs and career choices.
Volunteer, Leadership, and Community-Based Experiences
Educational Policy Studies students often volunteer and assume leadership roles on campus and/or within the broader community. They may take Community-based Learning (CBL) courses in EPS that enable them to integrate what they’re learning in the classroom with what they’re learning as volunteers in local educational spaces such as schools, the United Way, Centro Hispano, Goodman Center, and other organizations.
Leadership and Mentoring in the EPS Community
EPS majors develop leadership skills through programs like the EPS Ambassadors Program, in which students advise Educational Policy Studies faculty and staff and recruit new students via course presentations and participation in departmental events. Incoming and transferring Educational Policy Studies majors are invited to participate in our Educational Policy Studies Buddy program, where they will be paired with a Junior or Senior EPS major for guidance and mentorship. Students contribute actively to building a supportive intellectual community in the major.
Career Development and Internships
Our department encourages career development beyond our classrooms by offering internships and courses such as ED POL 202 Careers in Education that prepare EPS majors to pursue careers post-graduation.
Awards
Awards in the EPS program, including the Outstanding Research Paper in Educational Policy Studies Award, the Outstanding Project in Educational Policy Studies Award, and the Eric Flanagan Community-Engaged Scholarship Award, recognize undergraduate excellence.
Resources and Scholarships
Information related to scholarships, academic and career advising, study abroad opportunities, student well-being, and other resources for students in the School of Education can be found on the school's Resources page.