Program Overview

Liberal Studies in Education (LSE) Program

The Liberal Studies in Education (LSE) program is designed to explore the interaction of societies and their education efforts within a multicultural context. The program offers a range of courses that examine various cultural groups, educational experiences, and social justice issues.

Course Descriptions

• LSE 201: Diverse Values and Voices in Education: This course explores the interaction of societies and their education efforts within a multicultural context. Students examine case studies of various cultural groups and explore educational experiences that lead to a more multicultural perspective.
• LSE 210: Multiculturalism and Education: This course engages students in an examination of issues of diversity and multiculturalism within educational contexts in the United States. Students investigate historical and experiential perspectives of different cultural groups and analyze issues of access, inequality, power, and resource distribution.
• LSE 300: Education and Literature: This course is designed to engage students in critical reflection, commentary, and evaluation of literature informed by theoretical and aesthetic considerations. Students interpret and analyze literary works, examining interactions between form and content, and the effects of authors' treatment of material on the construction of meaning.
• LSE 310: Contemporary Issues in Education: This variable topics course examines current, significant issues affecting education from a multicultural perspective. Examples of topics include homelessness, immigration and public education, privatization and corporate involvement in schools, youth culture and education, and the use and misuse of measures of achievement and ability.
• LSE 353: The Politics of Education: This course examines schools and educational sites as political institutions, exploring how goals, content, and organization are shaped by relations of power and political trends in society. Students consider how schools reproduce or contest the existing social order, focusing on issues such as language and immigration policy, affirmative action, educational vouchers, textbook selection, and reform movements.
• LSE 354: Culture, Context, and Learning: This course is based on the premise that learning is situated in the context of dynamic interpersonal relationships, fostering critical thinking and challenging ideas. Students examine intellectual, emotional, and intrapsychic processes by which knowledge is constructed and shaped by cultural meanings.
• LSE 355: International Studies in Education: This course focuses on key educational issues in countries or regions outside the United States, using a comparative approach to examine aims, purposes, economic, political, social, and cultural contexts of educational policies and practices.
• LSE 358: Education and Social Justice: This course examines education within a philosophical framework focusing on its potential as an agent for social justice and change. Students engage in critical analysis, reflect on theoretical frameworks, examine public policies and values, and consider ways schools and educators can promote social justice.
• LSE 362: Identity and Education: This variable topics course focuses on how individuals and groups take on identities and how education and schooling affect this process. Students use multiple perspectives and contexts to analyze how notions of self are developed, forged, and named, and how these notions change over time.
• LSE 380: Philosophical Studies in Pedagogy, Culture, and Globalization: This course is a philosophical inquiry into the relationship between pedagogy, culture, and globalization, exploring different conceptions of teaching, learning, culture, language, human development, and worldmaking from various philosophical perspectives.
• LSE 404: Child Rearing Across Cultures: This graduate course studies child-rearing practices, the effects of culture on cognitive development, and implications for teaching strategies for children whose first language is not English.
• LSE 420: Comparative Education: This graduate course is devoted to the study of historical and contemporary issues related to comparative education, examining assumptions about the aims and purposes of education and schooling in economic, political, and social dimensions.
• LSE 430: Education and Social Justice: This graduate course examines education within a philosophical framework focusing on its potential as an agent for social justice and change, similar to the undergraduate course but tailored for graduate students.
• LSE 438: Gender and Education: This graduate course actively engages students in examining the literature and issues related to gender and education, including curriculum, teaching, learning, achievement, and the organization, structure, and culture of schools.
• LSE 450: Dynamics of African-American Culture: This graduate course is intended for those interested in cultural and human relations, examining the contributions of black people to American culture, and gaining a functional understanding of the social, economic, and political development of black people in America.
• LSE 460: International Studies in Education: This graduate course focuses on educational issues in a particular country or region outside the United States, using comparative study to address issues such as aims, purposes, economic, political, social, and cultural contexts of educational policies.
• LSE 461: International Studies in Teaching and Learning: This graduate course focuses on aspects of curriculum, teaching, and learning in a particular country or region outside the United States, requiring work in the chosen country or region under the guidance of teachers familiar with its educational practices.
• LSE 462: International Field Experiences in Education: This graduate course provides clinical experience outside the United States, where students observe, participate in, and reflect upon teaching and learning in cultural settings that differ from their own, aiming to develop a global perspective on professional knowledge and practice.

Program Structure

The LSE program is structured to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of education within a multicultural context. The program includes a range of courses that examine various aspects of education, including diversity, multiculturalism, literature, politics, culture, and social justice.

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the LSE program can pursue careers in education, social justice, and community development. They can work as teachers, educators, policymakers, or advocates for social justice, applying their knowledge and skills to promote positive change in their communities.

Research Areas

The LSE program focuses on research areas such as multicultural education, social justice, and community development. Faculty and students engage in research projects that examine the complex relationships between education, culture, and society, aiming to develop innovative solutions to real-world problems.

Admission Criteria

Admission to the LSE program requires a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, a minimum GPA of 3.0, and satisfactory scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Applicants must also submit a personal statement, letters of recommendation, and a writing sample.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for the LSE program vary depending on the student's residency status and the number of credit hours taken. Students can expect to pay around $1,000 per credit hour, with a total program cost of around $20,000 to $30,000.

Conclusion

The Liberal Studies in Education (LSE) program is a comprehensive and interdisciplinary program that prepares students for careers in education, social justice, and community development. With its focus on multicultural education, social justice, and community development, the LSE program provides students with the knowledge, skills, and perspectives necessary to make a positive impact in their communities.