FPR-6000: Foundations of American Education (3 hours)

Development of richer and more systematic interpretations of the historical, cultural and social foundations of American education and schooling.

FPR-6050: Critical Pedagogy and Educational Theory (3 hours)

Exploration of critical strands in educational theory and practice. Convergences and divergences among theoretical perspectives. Development of critical consciousness and an individually defined, socially engaged pedagogy.

FPR-6060: Education in the Popular Imagination (3 hours)

Examination and critique of representations of teaching and schooling in the media and popular culture. Impact of media/pop culture representations of teachers, students and schools on the public debate over education. Uses of media studies/popular culture in PK-12 classrooms.

FPR-6550: Politics/Policy, and Reform (3 hours)

School and system policies and practices within historical, political and contemporary contexts. Theoretical and practical aspects of policy development, adoption and implementation. Power structures and relationships. School change and reform initiatives. Impact of politics and policy‐making on teaching and learning in classrooms.

FPR-6700: Reconceptualizing the Curriculum (3 hours)

Philosophical bases of curriculum approaches. Historical and current trends in curriculum theory. Curriculum practice, past and present. Vision and action toward participatory, democratic curriculum making in classrooms, schools and society.

FPR-6900: Seminar in Critical Praxis (3 hours)

Program culminating course. Critical reflection on one’s own beliefs and assumptions as they relate to teaching and learning. Practical application and advocacy.

FPR-6950: Independent Study in Foundations, Social Policy and Research (1-6 hours)

FPR-7010: Philosophical and Theoretical Foundations of Education (3 hours)

Study of the philosophical and theoretical foundations of education, including analysis of the aims and goals of education, processes of attainment, content and curriculum, and the socialization function of education and schooling. Develop an understanding of the intersections between theory/philosophy, ethical perspectives and the development of policy, practice and institutions.

FPR-7011: Philosophical and Theoretical Foundations of Leadership (3 hours)

Study of the philosophical and theoretical foundations of education and leadership, including analysis of the aims and goals of education, processes of attainment, content and curriculum, and the socialization function of education, schooling and complex organizations. Develop an understanding of the intersections between theory/philosophy, ethical perspectives, and the development of policy, practice and institutions.

FPR-7300: Philosophy of Scientific Knowledge (3 hours)

This course provides an orientation to the nature, uses and limitations of science with the aim of achieving and understanding of the variety of approaches to research design and developing conceptual frameworks. With regard to the metatheory of knowledge, particular attention will be paid to the following topics: the relationship between theory and observations, the role of the researcher’s values in knowledge generation, how the research conceptualizes the relationship between researcher and subjects, the standards that are used to appraise theories, the theory of reality (ontology) and of how to know that reality (epistemology) that underlies critical theories, and how different methods of data gathering and data analysis influence the generation of scientific knowledge.

FPR-7500: Community Contexts of Schooling (3 hours)

Schools and their local contexts. Micropolitics of schools. Conceptions of parent engagement and school/family/community partnerships. School-community organizing.

FPR-7705: Learning Inside and Outside the Classroom (3 hours)

Socio-cultural, cognitive and behavioral theories of learning. Relationship between the individual and multiple contexts in which the learning takes place. Current pedagogical practices and trends from these perspectives. Learning environments and instructional strategies based on these perspectives.

FPR-7720: Urban Education in a Global Community (3 hours)

Examination of the commonalities and differences in schooling in major urban centers around the world. Diverse theoretical perspectives applied to educational systems in global contexts.