Minor in Education, Inquiry, and Justice
The College minor in education, inquiry, and justice recognizes the many ways in which the examination of education is alive and well at Georgetown already, and seeks to offer students a rigorous and rich program through which the complexities of urban education can be explored more deeply. There is great student interest in education, as a vocation, as an academic pursuit, and as a means to justice, demonstrated in the vast and growing numbers who participate in classroom service experiences during their undergraduate years. Faculty scholarship and teaching in education is abundant, demonstrated in education-related courses offered across the curriculum, numerous faculty-led classroom immersion experiences throughout DC, and a growing network of scholars and staff making education central in their work. The university supports an impressive number of programs and initiatives in DC schools through the Center for Social Justice and the Office of the President
This focus on education is nourished deeply by Georgetown’s Jesuit tradition, which from its very beginnings has looked to education as a critical means to promote justice and individual well-being. In keeping with this tradition, the minor embodies the notion that all service and action should flow from contemplation and inquiry, and adds to the lifelong development of women and men for others.
The minor in education, inquiry, and justice offers a chance to corral this energy and engage students on all fronts at once, in collaborative and innovative ways.
THE STRUCTURE OF THE MINOR
The minor consists of six courses. The courses listed below are not offered every semester, but they are representative of the courses that will be available generally. A comprehensive list, as well as a semester-by-semester list, will be maintained by the coordinator of the minor Associate Dean Tad Howard. In all cases, students will be held to any standing course prerequisites.
6 COURSES
1 GATEWAY COURSE
- PHIL-156* Philosophy of Education (Voke)
1 JUSTICE AND EDUCATION FUNDAMENTAL FRAMEWORK COURSE
- ENGL-484* Sursum Corda (Hirsh)
- GOVT-237 Edu: Politics and Policymaking (Reed)
- GOVT-475 Children: Politics/Policy (Gormley)
- JUPS-272 Social Justice/Conflict Studies (Wisler)
- LING-352 Foundations of Education (Violand-Sanchez)
- SOCI-163* Education and Society (Hinkson)
- SOCI-205* Social Justice Analysis (Hall)
- PSYC-252* Community Psychology (Woolard)
- PSYC-365* Children, Science, and Politics (Phillips)
1 LEARNING AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT FUNDAMENTAL FRAMEWORK COURSE
- PSYC-130* Cognition (Howard)
- PSYC-160* Childhood and Adolescence (Calvert)
- PSYC-231* Psychology of Memory (Barr)
- PSYC-262* Early Childhood Development (Philips)
2 COURSES IN A PRAXIS SEQUENCE (each sequence is connected to a year-long classroom experience in a DC school)
- BIOL-230/341/342* Science Pedagogy and RISE: “RISE and Teach” option (Elmendorf)
- TPST-225/424 Theater as Social Change (Onoda-Power)
- ENGL-479/483* Reading, Teaching, Social Reflection/Issues in Ed (Hirsh)
- LING-359/398, How to Teach a Second Language/Developmental Reading (Tyler, Violand-Sanchez/Kennedy)
- Self-designed sequence, subject to Advisory Group approval
- EDUC-I and II, Democracy and Education I & II (Voke/Reed; beginning 2012–13)
1 CAPSTONE COURSE, Education, Inquiry, and Justice Capstone (Voke/Reed)
*Prerequisites: The minor in education, inquiry, and justice is a six course program. However, some courses that are essential for the minor (or are simply options within it) have prerequisites that must be completed in advance. Enrollment in the minor does not provide any route around prerequisites.
Students interested in the minor should consider taking these prerequisites in their first or second year.
- PSYC-001, Introduction to Psychology: To complete the Learning and Human Development Framework, all students will take at least one PSYC elective to complete the minor. All PSYC electives require PSYC-001.
- PHIL-010, Introduction to Ethics: Students must take an introductory course in philosophy before taking the bridge level PHIL-156. To complete the general education requirement in PHIL most efficiently, students should begin with PHIL-010.
Students considering completing courses for the Minor in English, Sociology, or Biology should note the following requirements as well.
- ENGL 040, 041, 042, or 043, One English Gateway is required in advance of all ENGL courses.
- BIOL 103/104, Foundations of Biology I & II & BIOL 230, Science Pedagogy are required before the BIOL praxis option.
- SOCI 001, Introduction to Sociology is required in advance of all SOCI electives.
APPLICATIONS FOR THE CLASS OF 2014 ARE CLOSED. APPLICATIONS FOR THE CLASS OF 2015 WILL BE AVAILABLE DECEMBER 2012.
Applications for the minor are solicited once a year for students in the sophomore class. Students in the Class of 2015 will have the opportunity to apply for the minor in the spring of 2013. Applications will be reviewed on the basis of demonstrated interest in education as an academic and extracurricular pursuit, overall academic achievement, and your articulation of how the minor fits within your broader plans and goals. Decisions will be made in advance of the fall preregistration cycle.
The application includes a three-year plan, which asks you to show how you can complete the various elements of your academic program, including the minor requirements. Please note that courses toward minors may not also count toward majors or other minors. The requirements for the minor in education, inquiry, and justice must be represented in the plan (though you will not be held to the specific choices you make here); this is a projection.
PROGRAM IN EDUCATION, INQUIRY, AND JUSTICE
Inspiration for the minor stems in part from the important work of the Program in Education, Inquiry, and Justice, directed by Professor Heather Voke, in collaboration with the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship (CNDLS) and Georgetown College. For more information on the Program in Education, Inquiry, and Justice, please visit the program website. Students interested in more opportunities to get involved in education-related service should also visit the Center for Social Justice.
Questions about the minor should be directed to Tad Howard, Associate Dean in the College dean’s office.
