Graduate students in the College of Education have an opportunity to study issues of urban education in greater depth through the Urban Education Graduate Certificate program. This interdepartmental sequence of courses is primarily for doctoral students who have a particular interest in teaching and conducting research within the contexts of urban communities.
Preparation for Teaching in Urban Communities
Addressing inequities in education for students of color, English language learners and young people growing up in under-resourced communities is a major priority of Michigan State University’s College of Education. The college also has a specialized undergraduate teacher preparation program focused on education in urban areas.
Defining Urban Education
We define urban education as teaching and learning in urban contexts that serve students who have been historically disenfranchised and traditionally marginalized by systems of inequality based primarily on race, ethnicity, culture, gender, social class, language, and disability.
To earn a certificate in urban education, students are required to complete 12 credits from the selection of new and revised classes on topics such as Teaching in Urban Contexts, Critical Race Theory in Education, and Diverse Families and Communities. They also must complete an internship focused on urban education developed in consultation with their advisor.
Graduate Certificate Courses
Graduate Certificate Sequence of Courses for PhD Students
The graduate certificate in Urban Education, which is administered by the Department of Educational Administration in the College of Education, is designed for students who aspire to understand and focus on issues involving urban education including the racial academic achievement gap; allocation of resources for urban schools; contexts of social, cultural, and economic differences; and the possibilities of transforming the ways in which urban school children learn to be active and engaged participants in thier communities.
The certificate is available as an elective to students who are enrolled in master’s or doctoral degree programs with approval from the urban education faculty. Students must meet the requirements of the certificate specified below, in addition to the requirements for the student’s primary degree program.
Requirements for the graduate certificate in Urban Education
Students must complete the following (12 credits):
- The following required course (3 credits)
EAD 901 Urban Education: An Historical Overview. Students will explore the emergence and evolvement of urban communities and schools, and examine social and political factors that have impacted its’ development. Fall every year. - Three of the following courses (9 credits)
- TE 961 Urban Politics, Education, and School Reform. Students will explore challenges that central cities face in initiating and sustaining meaningful reform efforts and factors that constrain and frustrate school reform. Spring of Even Years.
- TE 962 Teachers and Teaching in Urban Contexts. Course provides analysis of historical SES, and political factors influencing urban education; effective instructional practice that includes positive school culture for learning. (Course is designed for students interested in Teacher Education from an urban school context). Fall of Even years.
- TE 963 Critical Race Theory in Education. Explore critical race theory as an analytical framework that provides epistemological, methodological, and pedagogical approaches to study/understand everyday inequalities in P20 education. Spring of Even Years.
- CEP 943 Multicultural Issues in Special Education. Students will explore relationships among race, gender, culture, social class, and disability. They will examine individual, group, and societal responses to disability. Anthropological, social and psychological theories about origins of cultural diversity will be explored. Fall of Odd Years.
- EAD 822 Engaging Diverse Students and Families. Students will investigate the relationships between schools, families, and communities. Students will explore and understand children who comprise today’s school population, family structures from yesterday and today, schools as social institutions, schools in their broader contexts, and examine methods that will lead to improved school, family, and community relationships. Both Semesters Every Year
- EAD 940 Organizational Analysis of Education. Students will explore concepts and knowledge to critically analyze schools as complex systems and to frame plans for improvement. (Course is designed for students interested in urban school leadership.) Fall Every Year.
- EAD 926 School Finance and Operations. Students will explore school funding, resource allocation, school facilities and safe and healthy school environments.. Students will examine alternative employee compensation and service delivery options. Fall Every Year.
- EAD 830 Issues in Urban Education: Racial Achievement Gap. Students will examine institutional, class and race systemic factors that contribute to the racial achievement gap. Students will learn strategies for improving urban schools and uncover areas of study for future research interests. Spring Every Year
- Students must complete a research paper on a topic in urban education which may focus on issues related to policy, curriculum, leadership or counseling as they pertain to understanding problems and strengths in urban schools. The research paper topic must be pre-approved by the urban education faculty and completed while enrolled in one of the courses listed above.
Application Process
Master’s Students
- Write a one (1) page summary describing your interest in Urban Education and highlight how you plan to utilize the knowledge from this graduate certificate in future endeavors.
- Complete the Intent to Enroll form (found below).
- Attach a copy of your unofficial graduate level transcripts, found at stuinfo.msu.edu.
Merge all documents together into a single PDF. Send the file via e-mail to k12adm@msu.edu
Master’s applications will be reviewed monthly. Please submit your materials by the 1st of each month to be included in the review. Decisions will be made within 30 days and you will be notified via e-mail.
Doctoral Students
Complete the Intent to Enroll Form (found below) and submit it via e-mail to k12adm@msu.edu.
For General Questions
K-12 Program Assistant
k12adm@msu.edu
517-353-8480
Program Co-Coordinators
Gerardo R. López
gerardo@msu.edu
517-432-4858
