The graduate specialization in Educational Foundations and Policy brings various disciplinary perspectives to bear on the analysis of educational theories and practices. Among these disciplinary perspectives are history, philosophy, political science and sociology. The specialization also includes a strong Educational Policy Studies component, permitting students to analyze and appraise current educational policies, as well as support the formation of future educational policy. In addition, our specialization is one of several within the School where students can focus on cultural studies in education. We also maintain strong links to the graduate program in Teacher Education, with faculty and students in both programs sharing courses, student committees, and research initiatives.
This degree specialization is housed within the Educational Studies program, which fosters links among students and faculty in a number of specializations sharing a commitment to the integration of theory and research on teaching, learning, and educational access in P-12 settings. Studies in Educational Foundations and Policy can be pursued at the master’s or doctoral level. In both cases, the emphasis is on the study of education from the perspective of one or more disciplines. The disciplines currently represented in the faculty are history, philosophy, political science, and sociology. These disciplinary foci can be pursued in depth, as when one seeks to become a historian or philosopher of education, or they can be pursued in an effort to develop scholarly strength in the cross-disciplinary areas of cultural studies, policy studies, or teaching and teacher education.
One of the superb advantages of graduate study at the UM School of Education is the programmatic flexibility offered to our students. While there are guidelines and procedures for each degree specialization, it is the student and his or her adviser who together determine the student’s program of study. In addition to centering academic authority (and responsibility) on the adviser and student, the University takes considerable pride in the “soft” and permeable boundaries that separate the various departments, schools, and colleges on campus. Thus our students can be found taking courses in such places as the Business School; the Ford School of Public Policy; the School of Information; the departments of philosophy, history, political science, sociology, anthropology; the School of Social Work; the Institute for Social Research; and many others.
The School of Education offers Educational Foundations degrees at both the Master's and Doctoral levels.
Doctoral study at the University of Michigan focuses on the preparation of scholars who are highly skilled at advancing knowledge and understanding in their respective fields. The specialization in Educational Foundations and Policy offers applicants a broad array of choices for scholarly concentration, from history or philosophy of education, sociology of education or cultural studies, to the politics of education or educational policy studies, as well as the disciplinary study of teaching and teacher education.
Doctoral students work very closely with their academic advisers, and are typically engaged in a research project with other students and faculty. Students with master’s degrees closely allied with their area of doctoral studies may complete course work in two years, advancing to candidacy upon successful completion of a preliminary examination. Absent a relevant master’s degree, advancement to candidacy may take place at the conclusion of the third year of study. Only students prepared to devote full time to doctoral study are considered for admission. Completion of the dissertation and awarding of the doctoral degree within five years of matriculation is considered appropriate progress (but longer times are the norm, due to students becoming more fully engaged in teaching classes or in their research projects).
It is also worth noting that, as a unit within Michigan's Educational Studies Program, the Educational Foundations PhD program is a national partner in the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate, sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of teaching.
The master’s degree program is intended as an introduction to the scholarly study of education. It may be used as a terminal degree (in the sense that the student does not intend to pursue a higher degree) or as preparation for the doctoral degree at this or another university. While the student is asked to concentrate a portion of his or her study, the degree offers considerable flexibility for broad inquiries across issues of educational theory and practice.
The program of study for this degree is 30 credit hours (view the planning sheet for this degree). Preparation of a thesis is optional, and there is no general examination at the conclusion of course work. Most full-time students complete the degree in a year and one-half, while others have taken two academic years. It is also possible to complete the degree in one academic year by enrolling for courses during the spring and summer sessions, in addition to taking four courses in each of the fall and winter terms. However relevant graduate course offerings can be difficult to find during the spring and summer terms. Part-time study for this degree is permitted.
To assist those interested in the various concentrations, here are the names of faculty members, student ambassadors, and recent graduates involved with the Educational Foundations specialization. If you have a general question about the program please visit the Educational Foundations contact page.
Faculty: To view a faculty member's research interests, click on their name (links open up a new window).
Student Ambassadors
Ambassadors are students who have agreed to answer your questions about the program. We know there are times when you really want to hear about the program from a student's perspective, and these students have agreed to share their experiences. If you have general Educational Foundations questions, please contact the program directly here.
Fernando Andrade
fandrade@umich.edu
I am a Peruvian second year doctoral student in the Educational Foundations and Policy Program. The school of education offers me the opportunity to combine educational theory with research. I work with outstanding and friendly professors and other doctoral students. My research interests are related to sociology of education. Ann Arbor is a very interesting place to live and study. It is quiet but has many fun alternatives: good movies, music, dance, great bookstores, international food and gyms. Because of many students from all over the world, Ann Arbor is a fascinating and multicultural place to live.Linda Cunningham
lindacc@umich.edu
I am a second year doctoral student interested in issues of educational equity. After earning my master’s degree in social work from the University of Georgia in 1995, I worked with children, their families, and teachers in public schools through nonprofit and higher education organizations. I am currently exploring several research interests including how different curricula influence the academic progress of disadvantaged and underrepresented children, the nature and efficacy of university and K-12 school partnerships on student achievement and college preparation, and the effects of kindergarten retention on children’s learning.Jenny DeMonte
edemonte@umich.edu
I begin the third year of my doctoral studies in Fall 2003. My research interests are in public policy, assessment, and standards, and how they interact. I’m also interested in quantitative methods. Before coming to graduate school, I was a journalist and magazine editor, and wrote extensively about education.Anne-Lise Halvorsen
annelise@umich.edu
I am a third year doctoral student in the Educational Foundations and Policy Program, intending to achieve candidacy by spring, 2004. I specialize in the history of education, in particular in the field of elementary social studies education - its purposes, content, history, the role of the standards reform movement and effective methods for instruction and assessment. My interests also include educational equity, civic education and quantitative methods of social science research.Laura Haniford
lhanifor@umich.edu
I situate myself as a teacher and researcher within a larger discourse interested in creating more equitable K-12 schools. While I draw from an interpretive research tradition that asks how schools work (or don’t) for certain students, I consider myself in equal dialogue with both qualitative and quantitative researchers interested in equity issues. I have worked to create a program of study that primarily uses sociological tools to examine teaching and teacher education. I am interested in how teachers represent and position students through their discourse. My work also seeks to inform teacher education, as teachers are perhaps the most powerful levers for change in schools. I plan to embark on my dissertation in the Fall of 2003. Deborah MichaelsRichard Osguthorpe
rosgutho@umich.edu
My disciplinary focus is educational philosophy and my research interests include moral education, moral development, teacher manner, practical reason, and educational foundations. In particular, I am interested in the relationship that obtains between the manner of teachers and the moral development of students. I was led into doctoral study by a passion to figure out why I was so unsatisfied with my practice as a teacher and by a desire to qualify for a lifetime of work in the academy. I have completed my coursework and am about to embark on a dissertation.Clare Penlington
cpenling@umich.edu
I am an international student, coming from New Zealand. Currently I am at the end of my second year in the doctoral program at the School of Education. My disciplinary interest lies in the philosophy of education. Within this field I am currently exploring alternative ways of understanding the work of teachers and researchers and how this insight might help to deepen our understanding of the so-called theory-practice divide as well as offering a new perspectives on ways this divide might be bridged.Sarah Tucker
tuckers@umich.edu
After working for a few years in the social work field, I decided that the most effective way for me to affect change was to embark on a Ph.D. program that qualified me to research and implement education policies. Presently, I am a second year doctoral student in the Foundations and Education Policy program. Within this program, I am particularly interested in education policy. While my specific area of interest within the policy arena tends to change depending on the courses I take, I am primarily concerned with policies about rural education.
Ambassadors are students who have agreed to answer your questions about the program.
Applicants who would like to contact students in the master’s degree program should send an email to Jeff Mirel
.
632 Readings in the Anthropology of Education
641 History of American Education
642 Philosophy and Politics of Education
644 Comparative & International Education
645 Education & Cultural/Multicultural Studies
646 Educational Policy Analysis
647 Everyday Life and Learning
648 Schools and the Production of Persons
649 Foundational Perspectives on Educational Reform
741 Topics in History of Education
742 Topics in Sociology of Education
743 Topics in Philosophy of Education
744 Topics in Comparative & International Education
745 Education and Cultural/Multicultural Studies: Urban Schooling
746 Topics in Educational Policy
747 Topics in Foundations & Policy
748 Policy & Practice: School Reform & State Policy
790 Fundamental Issues in Education
841 Advanced Studies: History & Sociology of Education
843 Advanced Studies: Phil. & Comp/International Education
845 Advanced Studies: Cultural/Multi Educ
847 Advanced Studies: Foundations & Policy
Are you interested in applying to our program? If so, you've come to the right place. Just follow the steps below:
1. When reviewing an application for admission, our faculty begins with two questions. First, does the applicant show sufficient academic competence to successfully engage in the scholarly study of education? We use undergraduate studies, grade point average, G.R.E. scores, and letters of recommendation to answer this question. Second, are the expressed interests of the applicant a good fit with the interests and expertise of our faculty? We use the applicant’s statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and other information on the application form to answer this question. We encourage applicants to craft their statements of purpose with care.
Admission to the master’s degree: Unlike admission to the doctorate, we generally do not cap the number of admissions to the master’s degree program. Applicants with high levels of academic success and interests appropriate to our program are viewed with favor by the admitting faculty. Applications to the master’s degree in Educational Foundations and Policy are welcome for either the fall or winter terms (see application deadlines below). Students may enroll for either full or part-time study. Master’s degree applicants should be aware that while there is some limited fellowship money to defray costs of tuition, master’s degree students nearly always bear the majority of costs for their education. Many master’s degree students have been able to obtain additional funding by working on research projects or assisting in the teaching of undergraduate classes.
Admission to the doctoral degree: At the
doctoral level, we are primarily interested in applicants with a
deep scholarly
interest in education. Once matriculated, students are expected to
become fully engaged in educational research and scholarship, as
that is the
hallmark of doctoral work at the University of Michigan. Hence part-time
study is not available for this degree. Doctoral applicants are very
carefully screened, since offers of admission can be made to only
a select few. Every effort is made to ensure a minimum of three years
of full
funding for those admitted to the doctoral specialization in Foundations
and Policy (for additional information on funding, go to Educational
Studies Funding Guide). Applications to the doctoral program
are accepted only for matriculation in the
fall term (see deadline information below).
Students considering application to the doctoral program should be aware that while K-12 teaching experience is not required, it is strongly preferred if the student anticipates seeking a faculty position at all but the most research-oriented universities. Recipients of the doctorate who lack K-12 experience typically seek employment in government agencies, research centers and institutes, foundations, and community organizations. Recent recipients of the baccalaureate degree are encouraged to gain experience in K-12 school settings before seeking a doctoral degree.
Do you have any other questions you would like answered before you apply?
If so, view the School
of Education Frequently Asked Questions or contact
the program.
If not, continue on to item 2.
2. Fill out a Rackham program inquiry form to get you into our
system, so we can inform you of the latest recruiting events and other admissions
updates. You can fill
out a program
inquiry form by clicking here (be sure to close the new window to return
to this page).
3. Application Process: You will need to complete an application
to the Horace H. Rackham Graduate School,
which is the overall administrative unit for graduate programs. It is mandatory
that you use the Rackham Web application to apply to our programs.
You also need to send us a statement of purpose, official transcripts from every institution you have attended, three letters of recommendation, and your GRE scores. International students should also send in their TOEFL scores.
We created an application checklist for your use in keeping track of where and when you sent application materials. We recommend that you download and print up an application checklist.
Application Checklist
Fee waivers are available through the Rackham Graduate School for prospective students who qualify for Specialized Fee Waiver Groups. Please check Rackham's fee waiver Web page to see if you are eligible for one of these groups.
Note: The Office of Student Services matches documents to an application using the name appearing on the Rackham application. If the name on your documents, i.e., transcript, letter of recommendation, etc., is different from the name appearing on your application, please be sure to indicate all former last names or other first names on the Rackham application. Contact the Office of Student Services if you have information about your name that you did not include on the Rackham application.
For the latest deadline, please see our deadlines page
5. We hope you will get acquainted with us through our web materials,
e-mail correspondence, and when possible, a personal
visit. Be sure to
check out the University of
Michigan Web site, the Rackham
Graduate School Web site, and the rest of the resources in this program
site along with the School of Education Web site. In addition, you may want
to view the SOE
Bulletin.
There are opportunities through both the School of Education and the Rackham
Graduate School for merit and need based fellowships. To find out more, we
encourage you to review the
Graduate Financial Aid Resource Guide.
The Office
of Fellowships and Recruitment
is the contact for the Rackham Graduate School (734-764-8119).
We are delighted to learn of your interest in the University
of Michigan and this program. We encourage you to visit the campus to
discuss your interests with faculty and students. Visits are most helpful if
made prior to or during the application process. In addition to arranging individual
campus visits, you are encouraged to attend the annual Graduate Information Day. This is a great opportunity
for you to meet with School of Education faculty and staff, some of our current
students, and other prospective students. We wish you the best of luck in pursuing your
graduate studies and encourage you to contact us (above) if you have any questions
about the University of Michigan or your program.
Still have questions? If so, please visit the School
of Education Frequently Asked Questions, or contact the Office
of Student Services.
Questions about the status of your application? Check your application data and status online, via Wolverine Access. Please allow 7 days after submitting your application before checking your web application status on Wolverine Access. To do this you will need to use a login ID and password, and confirm some personal data before viewing your application:
For applicants who are current students or employees
1. Log into Wolverine Access using your existing UMICH uniqname login and click "New and Prospective Student Business."
"For applicants who are new to the University you will
need to create a secure login using a UM Friend Account and then log into Wolverine
Access at https://friend.weblogin.umich.edu/
1. Create a Friend Account by clicking on the following link: Create a Friend Account.
NOTE: If you have questions about creating a UM Friend Account you may go to http://www.itd.umich.edu/itcsdocs/s4316
2. Log into Wolverine Access at https://wolverineaccess.umich.edu/ and click "New and Prospective Student Business."
If you have any further questions, contact the Office
of Student Services at
(734) 764-7563 or
ed.grad.appl@umich.edu.
If you are interested in other School of Education programs, return to the "Academic Programs" home by clicking on the tab above or by clicking here.
