The College of Education at Michigan State University works to create better educational opportunities for all people, especially those living in the most under-resourced areas of our state and nation. That is why the faculty recognizes a special imperative to support and address the challenges facing schools in urban settings.
The college has a record of successful partnerships in service to urban students and educators, and many efforts have been designed to help teachers and researchers gain the knowledge and experiences needed to affect positive change in urban contexts.
Preparing teachers
The College of Education offers an Urban Educators Cohort Program with urban-infused course sections and field experiences in partnering urban communities. Teacher candidates are often placed in urban school environments such as Chicago, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Detroit for their required post-graduation internship.
Certificate in urban education for graduate students
The Urban Education Graduate Certificate is offered as an interdepartmental sequence of courses for master’s and doctoral students in the College of Education who aspire to understand and focus on issues relevant to urban school contexts.
Pre-college programs
Each year, high school students from urban school districts spend time on campus during the Teacher Education Academy and Early Success Scholars Program (both related to the former Summer High School Scholars Program). These residential learning experiences help prepare participants for college and nurture their interests in the education field.
Urban Immersion Fellowship
The College of Education partners with Detroit Public Schools and Detroit non-profit agencies to provide MSU education students with in-depth exposure to the city of Detroit and community resources each summer. The six-week Urban Immersion Fellowship includes experience teaching in urban settings, weekly workshops and a stipend.
SETS-UP teaching fellowships (post-bachelor’s degree)
The Supporting Early-Career Teachers of Science through Urban Partnerships (SETS-UP) program prepares indidivuals to teach science in Michigan’s urban schools. The alternative teacher certification program gives recent college graduates and career-changers with backgrounds in science the opportunity to receive certification in secondary science teaching, as well as a master’s degree. Fellows receive in-state tuition and a stipend for up to four years of their science teaching career.
A Detroit headquarters
In 2010, the College of Education re-affirmed its long-standing commitment to improving educational outcomes in Detroit by establishing a local office in the MSU Detroit Center at 3408 Woodward Ave. The building includes classroom space for MSU teaching interns, and for a range of education outreach activities in Southeast Michigan.
Working with the Skillman Foundation
The College of Education supports urban school improvement efforts in schools across the city of Detroit through partnerships with the Detroit-based Skillman Foundation, which is committed to developing good schools and neighborhoods for children.