| In the MSU College of Education, we integrate work in the social/historical/philosophical foundations of education into our programs of study focused on teaching and learning in K-12 classrooms. Faculty and students with interests in foundations can be found in all departments of the college, but the greatest concentration is in the Department of Teacher Education. Students who wish to explore education from the perspective of foundational disciplines will find three programs in the MSU College of Education that meet their needs one each at the master's, educational specialist, and doctoral levels. All are offered within the Department of Teacher Education.
If you want to pursue an interest in foundations of education at the master's level (M.A.), you should examine the program Master of Arts in Curriculum and Teaching. This program is designed to provide practicing elementary and secondary teachers with a rich experience of professional development and reflective inquiry aimed at enhancing their professional skills. Through this program you could explore the impact of social, cultural, historical, and philosophical factors on teaching and learning in classrooms.
If you are a K-12 teacher with a master's degree and you want to pursue advanced professional preparation with an emphasis on the foundations of education, you should look at the newly redesigned educational specialist (Ed.S.) program in Curriculum, Teaching, and Educational Policy. This program is aimed at teachers who wish to continue practicing in a K-12 setting as a teacher-leader or mentor. A specialization in foundations of education would provide expertise for working with learners from diverse cultural and social backgrounds. and for better understanding the historical and philosophical context within which teaching and learning take place.
If you want to pursue an interest in the foundations of education as an educational researcher and teacher educator, you should examine the doctoral program (Ph.D.) in Curriculum, Teaching, and Educational Policy. Nearly all students in this program are experienced K-12 teachers; most have a master's degree, but this is not a prerequisite. Graduates take on a variety of roles, but the majority become professors in colleges of education and teach in programs that prepare teachers. Those specializing in foundations often teach foundations courses and/or work in foundations programs.
If you want to focus your doctoral studies and your subsequent career primarily on work in educational policy especially if you are not a K-12 teacher and you are not planning to become a teacher educator you should examine the new all-college Ph.D. program in Educational Policy.
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