Education Studies explores all aspects of educational history, philosophy, policy, and practice, from many different disciplinary perspectives.  Education Studies (EDST) courses are open to all students in the College and Conservatory, regardless of whether they intend to become certified as teachers.  In fact, some Education Studies courses do not satisfy any requirements for teacher certification.

Why might you want to take an Education Studies course if you don’t plan to be a teacher?

Here are a few important reasons:

1. Education Studies can play an integral role in your liberal arts education while satisfying general education requirements (GERs) for your Lawrence degree.  If you are curious about education history, philosophy, policy, or practice, you can incorporate Education Studies courses into your program of study at Lawrence.  At Lawrence, Education Studies is approached as a branch of the liberal arts, emphasizing inquiry and understanding.  In an Education Studies course, you will read challenging and thought-provoking texts; wrestle with questions and problems relevant to the world outside the classroom door; be asked to respond critically and analytically to the issues raised in class; and become an active learner through class discussions, written assignments, and projects.  Some Education Studies courses even include a practicum in which you examine how the issues discussed in class are present in settings outside the university.  Because Education Studies courses include students from many different majors in the College and Conservatory, you will participate in a microcosm of this intellectually diverse liberal arts institution.  Finally, all Education Studies courses satisfy the social science distribution requirement; some also satisfy the requirement for dimensions of diversity (D) or are writing- (W) or speaking-intensive (S).  Check the course catalogue for information about this year’s offerings. 
2. Education is a field of study that is intellectually rich and profoundly multidisciplinary.  The theoretical and practical study of education takes many forms.  Scholars within the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences are actively engaged in exploring questions such as: What are the aims of education?  What should a well-educated individual know, and how does he or she acquire that knowledge?  What are the factors that improve or impede one’s ability to teach and to learn?  How can schools create educational environments that benefit all students?  How does education policy shape the practice of education?  How do schools recreate or alter the existing social order?  How do educational practices vary across countries and throughout history?  What are the social, political, and cultural elements at play when we attempt to answer questions about education?  Questions like these can be approached from many disciplinary perspectives, and whether you are a student of biology, the fine arts, psychology, history, or philosophy (just to name a few) it is inevitable that you will find connections between your major area of study and the work that is done in Education Studies.  An Education Studies course may even give you a fresh perspective on your chosen major and help you identify new directions for your own independent study and research.
3. Education Studies courses are particularly relevant to students who want to enter the helping professions.  If you are interested in becoming a school administrator, university professor, social worker, counselor, school psychologist, or medical professional, courses in Education Studies have something to contribute to your professional development.  Disciplinary connections aside, at its core Education Studies is about human relationships.  Our Education Studies courses ask you to consider the nature and dynamics of social interaction, the challenges of unequal distributions of power, and the moral and ethical choices at stake when attending to another person’s well-being.  As a potential member of a helping profession, you will need to become acquainted with such issues, especially since your daily work will have an immediate and palpable effect on the lives of those you assist. 
4. Schools are social institutions that affect people in all segments of society.  As a member of modern society, you have been affected both directly and indirectly by the educational systems that surround you, and this will continue to be the case for the remainder of your life.  Whether you consider your potential role in society as a concerned citizen and taxpayer, a policy maker, an employer, or a parent, it is worth your while to take courses that enable you to develop a well-informed understanding of the issues and challenges at play within our schools. 

As these responses indicate, Education Studies is a dynamic, multi-faceted, and relevant area of inquiry for any student at Lawrence University.  If you have a question about which of our courses might enhance your studies at Lawrence, or if you are interested in pursuing a tutorial or independent study in this burgeoning field, we invite you to meet with a member of our faculty to talk about the role that Education Studies might play in your liberal arts education.