Education Studies Major
Department of Education
Division of Social Sciences
Students selecting the Education Studies major will study the individual in community and the world of schooling. The major provides a comprehensive preparation for prospective elementary school teachers, and an interdisciplinary program for students who wish to examine education in the context of theory and practice in education but who do not wish to seek teacher certification.
The Education Studies major is designed to help students answer the question, “How do children develop into fully mature, autonomous and self-aware human beings who are capable of both intimate and public communal relationships?” These studies will facilitate an understanding of the development of children in our multifaceted society within the comprehensive liberal arts foundation of the Washington College experience. The Education Studies major provides the opportunity for enlarging our understanding of the development of school-aged youth. This is a particularly appropriate foundation for individuals wishing to become elementary school teachers or otherwise work with young people in school or other social service settings.
The academic program includes sequenced study in educational foundations (the history, philosophy, and psychology of education), a developmental progression of study in pedagogical theory and practice, a demonstrated knowledge of content in selected liberal arts disciplines, and multi-disciplinary courses from the departments of anthropology, sociology, and psychology.
Field experiences and research are essential components of the major. The major study for the certification candidate requires a 100-day internship in a Professional Development School; for the non-certification candidate, the major study includes field experiences in schools or other educational and social agencies.
Washington College places singular emphasis on the completion of a significant independent project as the culminating activity in a major program. The teacher candidate will develop and present a professional portfolio which includes an action research project; the InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards will provide guidance and evaluative criteria. The non-certification major will develop and present an approved interdisciplinary thesis that includes field research.
Education Major (without Teacher Certification) Requirements
The following courses are required for the completion of the Education major without teacher certification. Courses listed as special topics, or other upper-level classes in Sociology, Anthropology, or Psychology may be counted towards the major with permission of the advisor.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Courses | 22 | |
| Clinical Field Experiences I | ||
| Clinical Field Experiences II | ||
| Principles of Education (satisfies social sciences distribution) | ||
| Educational Psychology (satisfies social sciences distribution) | ||
| Qualitative and Descriptive Research Met | ||
or CMS 302 | Qualitative and Descriptive Research Methods | |
| Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Ed | ||
| Life-Span Development | ||
| Select 3 Courses From Below | 12 | |
| Clinical Field Exper - Human Development and Clinical Field Exper - Human Development | ||
or EDU 494 | Special Topics | |
| Comparative Education | ||
| Human Geography | ||
| Traditional & Modern Grammar | ||
| Cultural and Linguistic Diversity in Ed | ||
| Diversity & Inclusion | ||
| Processes & Acquisition of Reading | ||
| Children's & Young Adult Literature | ||
| Select 3 Courses From Below | 12 | |
| Introduction to Anthropology | ||
| Sex, Gender, and Culture | ||
| Traditional Ecological Knowledge | ||
| Language and Culture | ||
| Race and Ethnicity | ||
| General Psychology | ||
| General Psychology | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Personality | ||
| Medical and Developmental Disorders | ||
| Social and Personality Development W/Lab | ||
| Theories and Processes of Counseling | ||
| Statistics & Research Design II With Lab | ||
| Learning & Appl Behavioral Anal. w/Lab | ||
| Cognitive Neuroscience with Lab | ||
| Child Assessment with Lab | ||
| Intro to Sociology | ||
| Sociology of the Family | ||
| Sociology of Gender | ||
| Social Inequalities | ||
| Self and Society | ||
| Research Methods in Sociology | ||
| Variant Behavior | ||
| Senior Capstone Experience (EDU SCE) | 2-4 | |
| Total Credits | 48-50 | |
- 1
Two of courses may be at the 200 level; 6 courses must be (300/400) level. Substitution of up to two courses is possible with the approval of the advisor.