The Educational Studies major and minor prepare students to be community educators in diverse educational settings. Educational Studies students understand the broad landscape of educational issues and have numerous opportunities throughout the program to learn and implement critical pedagogies, connect theory to practice, and engage with different learners across various educational settings.

Educational Studies students engage with social justice issues throughout their program, which culminates in a community-engaged internship where they use their skills and knowledge to address a vexing site need. The Educational Studies program allows for flexibility across various career pathways.

Our goal is to prepare community educators who are: 

1. Advocates and practitioners of equity and justice 
2. Designers and facilitators of culturally sustaining curriculum and pedagogy 
3. Imaginative, critical thinkers who reflect on how to improve teaching and learning  
4. Compassionate professionals who empower learners through reciprocal relationships of dignity and respect.

Community Engaged Internship 

Milwaukee has a strong nonprofit community where Educational Studies students will have the opportunity to engage in theory to practice. In a capstone course in their junior or senior year, students will complete an internship in a local nonprofit, school, university, recreational, or civic organization.

Students have the option to take on a semester-long or year-long internship where they become immersed in their site’s day-to-day operations and work on a project that meets a site need. The internship course culminates in the Educational Studies Showcase where all interns present on the outcomes of their projects.  

Multiple Career Pathways  

The Educational Studies program prepares students to embark on a variety of pathways after graduation. Our graduates have gone on to work in nonprofit organizations, schools, higher education, civic organizations and beyond. Many of our graduates also go on to pursue professional degrees in school counseling, school psychology, applied behavior analysis, law school and more.  

For students interested in becoming school counselors, Educational Studies in collaboration with the Counselor Education Counseling Psychology department offers a unique Accelerated Degree Program (ADP).  The School Counseling ADP allows Educational Studies undergraduate students to complete a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in five years. ADP students take classes during their junior and senior years that meet requirements for both their undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Interested in learning more? Contact Tina McNamara or Julissa Ventura for more details. 

Learning Outcomes

1. Students will be able to use principles of human development, equity, justice, and anti-racist practices in their teaching and learning in informal learning environments 
2. Students will be able to use research skills (problem formulation, data collection, data analysis) to solve problems and propose solutions in learning organizations and environments 
3. Students will demonstrate skills of project management, strategic planning, collaborative planning, and critical reflection on practice in learning organizations and environments

Required Coursework for Educational Studies:

• Major
• Minor