Schools, Education, and Society (SES) Minor

 

The minor in Schools, Education, and Society (SES) is intended for students who have an interest in education but who are not pursuing a teaching license. Students are required to complete 17 hours.

Students in the SES minor come from majors across the Wake Forest campus, including but not limited to Anthropology, Biology, Communication, Computer Science, Economics, English, Health & Exercise Science, History, Mathematics, Politics & International Affairs, Psychology, Religion, Sociology, and Spanish.

All Wake Forest students are invited to consider how the SES minor might connect with their personal and professional interests.

Required Courses for the Minor

The following four courses are required for the SES minor.

  • EDU 102L – Exploring School Communities. Field experience and seminar with a focus on K-12 schools in surrounding communities. Pass/Fail only. (2 h).
  • EDU 201 – Education Policy and Practice. Philosophical, historical, and sociological foundations of education, including analysis of contemporary accountability systems. (3h). (CD, D)
  • EDU 311 – Learning and Cognitive Science. Theories and principles of cognition applied to teaching and learning. (3h). (CD, D)
  • EDU 368 – Professional Experiences in Education.
    This course offers selected students a placement in an educational setting under the supervision of a professional mentor. During this internship, students examine a critical topic in a local school, a community agency, a nonprofit organization or other educational setting. (3h). POI.

Elective Courses in the Minor

Students are required to complete at least two elective courses. Electives may be chosen from among a list of approved courses. They include but are not limited to the courses listed below.

  • EDU 223 – Theatre in Education. Practical experience for theatre and education students to work together with children in the classroom using theatre to teach core curriculum. Emphasis on methods and techniques as well as the development and implementation of creative lesson plans. Weekly public school teaching experience and seminar. (3h).
  • EDU 231 – Adolescent Literature. This course focuses on the reading and interpretation of classic and contemporary young adult literature across genres. (3h).
  • EDU 304 – Social Justice Issues in Education. This course facilitates exploration of issues of social justice and schooling from both theoretical and practical perspectives. It includes a focus on multicultural education, global awareness, issues of equity in school funding, urban and rural education, poverty, and marginalized populations. (3h). (CD, D).
  • EDU 305 – The Sociology of Education. A study of contemporary educational institutions. This course examines such issues as school desegregation, schooling and social mobility, gender equity, and multiculturalism. (3h).
  • EDU 307 – Instructional Design, Assessment, and Technology.  Introduction to contemporary technologies and their applications for supporting instruction, assessment, and professional practice. (3h).
  • EDU 308 – School and Society. A study of continuity and change in educational institutions, including analysis of teachers, students, curriculum, evaluation, contemporary problems, and reform movements. (3h). 
  • EDU 310 – Race, Class, and Gender in a Color-blind Society. An examination of issues surrounding race, class, and gender in the United States. Topics include income and wealth, theories of discrimination, public education, gender bias, and patterns of occupational and industrial segregation. (3h).
  • EDU 312 – Teaching Exceptional Children. Examines the various types of learning differences in K-12 schools. Emphasis is on instructional planning, identification of interventions, and assessment techniques to support diverse learners. (3h).
  • EDU 330 – Fathers and Daughters. Explores father-daughter relationships in contemporary American society through an interdisciplinary lens of film, literature, music, theater, media, and social science research. P-sophomore standing. (3h).
  • EDU 337 – TESOL Linguistics. An introduction to the theoretical and practical linguistics resources and skills for teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) within the U.S. or abroad. Also listed as LIN 337. P-LIN/ANT 150 or ENG 304; knowledge of a second language is recommended (3h).
  • EDU 354a-e – Teaching Secondary English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science or World Languages. Methods, materials, and techniques used in teaching particular secondary subjects. (3h).
  • EDU 373 – Comparative & International Education. This course examines historical, political, economic, cultural, and social issues shaping education throughout the world. (3h).
  • EDU 377 – Literacy in the 21st Century. This course examines the impact of emerging literacy trends on 21st century students in a digital, global world. (3h).
  • EDU 388 – Writing Pedagogy. This course blends theory and practice, providing students from all content areas with a foundational understanding of writing pedagogy methods and approaches. Topics of study will include writing across the curriculum, writing research and assessment of writing. (3h).
  • EDU 395 – Teaching Diverse Learners. This course addresses diversity in the classroom, particularly the needs of English learners and exceptional children. Examines differentiated instruction with appropriate instructional and behavioral strategies to meet the needs of all students. (3h).

For More Information

Undergraduate Schools, Education and Society Minor (SES)

Course Template for SES Minor

For more information about major/minor declaration, see the University Registrar’s Office.

For general inquiries regarding the Schools, Education, and Society minor, please contact Program Director Dr. Dani Parker Moore or Department of Education Academic Coordinator Robin Hawkins.