Course variations

Course summary

The specialization in Educational Policy and Social Context prepares scholars to carry out research in a broad range of areas related to the social, cultural, and organizational context of education; educational policy development and implementation; and the intersection of educational context and policy. Students in this specialization will take course work on or independently investigate topics such as the social organization of schools and classrooms, diversity and equity in education, the history and current status of educational reform initiatives, immigration and education, college transition processes, the policy and context of early childhood education, and the relationship between communities and schools. Students in the specialization will have the opportunity to develop expertise in a wide range of research methodologies, from correlational studies to survey research to ethnographic case studies. Applicants to this specialization will ordinarily have had prior coursework or experience in fields such as education, sociology, political science, public policy, community studies, ethnic studies, or economics. We expect that graduates in this specialization will seek academic positions or research appointments in fields or departments such as education, social foundations of education, sociology of education, educational policy, educational leadership, or educational administration.

Entry requirement for international students

Student who wants to apply for masters or doctors program should have finished their bachelor degree. An applicant must meet the minimum academic requirements: Applicant should hold a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) from a recognized academic institution with degree standards equivalent to those of the University of California and have a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0. International applicants whose native language is other than English will be required to demonstrate their English proficiency. This is most often accomplished by achieving a minimum score of 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and On the TOEFL iBT minimum score of 80 and a score of 7 on the IELTS.

Qualification

Doctoral

Awarding body

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE

Department name

Department of Education