Interdisciplinary Urban Education Program
Program Philosophy || Degree Programs || Faculty || Students || Contact
Have Questions? Want to know more about Urban Education programs at Temple?
Join us online for a 30-minute information session. Each session begins with a short overview of our programs, followed by the opportunity to chat with faculty from the Urban Education program.
Upcoming Info Sessions:
- Thur, 11/19, 3-3:30p
- Wed, 12/02, 12-12:30p
- Wed, 01/20, 12-12:30p
Join us online at: UrbanEdInfoSession
Program Philosophy
Addressing important issues and solving pressing educational and social problems requires multiple perspectives. Urban environments are not only or even primarily the sites of problems but are a storehouse of assets, whose potential is not always realized, that are especially vital in the global age. These assets include a rich diversity, a history of popular cultural innovation, and local social and economic activities that maintain community even in extremely difficult circumstances. Policies and programs to "revitalize" urban schools and neighborhoods must emerge from a vision that includes all neighborhood institutions--especially schools, community and youth organizations, churches and service providers--is activist in orientation, and is cognizant of the larger societal and global context for action.
There is a critical need for professionals with a keen understanding of the challenges faced by students and educators in urban schools. Urban students come from many cultures and economic levels, they arrive at school with differing levels of ability and preparation; resources at home and at school may be limited, and environmental conditions may challenge the time and attention they can devoted to learning. Interdisciplinary Urban Education strives to provide the comprehensive training necessary to discern, and then to address, these and other influences, which shape urban education.
Degree Programs
Degrees in Interdisciplinary Urban Education emphasize strong research and analytical skills; a broad knowledge base with an individualized area of concentration; and the integration of theory and practice; at the Master's level, research skills emphasize practitioner research, evaluation, and community-based research. The Program also stresses a commitment to equity and social justice, and advocacy of policies and programs informed by this commitment.
The program currently supports two degree programs:
A flexible course of studies enables students to prepare for various career paths(link to placements of recent alumni) , including higher education, research, policy, advocacy, and program development. In keeping with the small, personalized character of the program, advisors consult closely with students, helping them tailor academic and field experiences to career goals and personal interests. Students and faculty often collaborate on practice and research projects in a supportive environment, and many students indicate that they learn as much from their peers as from faculty members over the course of their studies.
Faculty
The Urban Education Program is both interdisciplinary and inter-college. Grounded in perspectives that emphasize the complexity and systemic nature of urban educational policy and program development, it takes advantage of the particular strengths of different colleges and departments at Temple. In addition to the faculty whose main assignments are in Urban Education, the Program includes a number of Affiliated Faculty in Urban Education. These faculty members, who participate in the Program's Advisory Board and other committees and work with students on independent studies and research projects, come from disciplines such as African American Studies, Anthropology, Communication Science, Educational Psychology, Geography and Urban Studies, History, English, Political Science, Social Administration, Sociology, TESOL(English as Second Language), and Women's Studies.
The Urban Education Faculty Directory contains a complete listing of Program and Affiliated Faculty with links to their personal web pages.
Students
Current students come from varied backgrounds, and this is one of the strengths of the program. Of course, we do look for students who are generally interested in studying issues related to education in cities, which may include formal, school-based education as well as community-based education.
Resources:
Contact Information
For more information about the Urban Education program contact the Graduate Programs Office: grad.ed@temple.edu or (215) 204-5631.