This course is designed to examine race and ethnicity as social constructs and to explore how they matter in the lives of youth through a critical examination of youth development research, policy and practices. We will identify dominant group narratives and analyze how research and policy contribute to these narratives, and how individual, interpersonal, and structural factors mediate the associations between group membership and youth outcomes

This course seeks to uncover and address questions of educational inequality through a historical perspective. In the course, students will consider questions such as: What have been the forms of inequality and the processes that support it throughout US history? How has societal inequality historically shaped American education? How have schools served to disrupt and perpetuate societal inequalities in the US?

This course introduces students to the range of topics, theoretical frameworks, and research strategies appropriate to the study of higher education.

This course introduces college and university management functions, organizational arrangement, administrative style and behavior, functional areas of administrative operations, decision-making, and long-range planning.

This course examines trends and changes in the characteristics of college students and institutions they attend, as well as the larger social context in which they operate. It will explore emerging theories and methodologies that address student experience and research related to how college affects students.

Students apply academic experiences in professional and/or research settings; reflect and critically and constructively analyze experiences from multiple perspectives; and view the work as connecting course content authentic contexts. Students work as professionals with site supervisors and instructors to complete related assignments and relevant background research on the professional and academic resources available.

Prerequisite: Instructor permission.

This course examines contemporary policies and practices in the financing of American higher education. The interpretation and uses of financial data, sources and methods of securing funds, budget processes, and policies and issues regarding the financing of higher education are some of the topics covered.

Explores equity, access, and identity in U.S. higher education through critical analysis of systems, practices, and lived experiences. Emphasizes theory-to practice connections and prepares students to advance inclusion and justice through informed dialogue, reflection, and action.

Prepares students for applied work in student affairs through exploration of campus programs, organizational models, and professional practice. Focuses on real-world issues, student development strategies, and the evolving role of student affairs in fostering inclusion, engagement, and student success. Connects theory to practice through case studies and critical reflection.