Curriculum Studies programs at DePaul share a commitment to social justice, democracy, and critical engagement with issues affecting urban and marginalized students. Our programs assist educators in reflecting on and strengthening their own practice and challenging themselves and their colleagues to work effectively for justice and educational excellence. Students use critical reflection to improve practice, engage in rigorous theoretical inquiry, and identify, address, and build coalitions around opportunities and problems in education. The Curriculum Studies program is designed for educators who wish to enhance their skills in teaching, curriculum development, or the administration of a department or educational program. It aims to equip leaders in a variety of educational settings with the skills necessary to develop, justify, evaluate, and modify curricula to better serve the needs of students, especially urban and marginalized students.
Within this framework, the Curriculum Studies Program offers a number of Programs of Study (POS) that provide options for students to meet their own professional goals leading to an MEd or MA. These programs of study include a set of carefully chosen electives to support a student’s career goals.
Concentrations
The Curriculum Studies program has two available concentrations:
Curriculum Specialist
This POS allows teacher/practitioners to take the full range of curriculum studies courses. It is designed for those who wish to develop their understanding of curriculum history, theory, development, evaluation, the relationship between theory and practice, and the intersection of teaching and curriculum. This POS serves a solid foundation for teacher/practitioners wishing to enhance their sense of professional identity and their teaching, teachers interested in serving as curricular and instructional leaders, and those working within other educational programs where a knowledge of curriculum history, theory, practice, design, and evaluation are central to their work.
Individualized Plan
This POS is for teacher/practitioners wishing to develop their understanding of curriculum history, theory, development, evaluation, the relationship between theory and practice, and the intersection of teaching and curriculum while allowing them to further specific professional interests. In addition to a set of core courses in curriculum studies, students select (in consultation with their academic advisor) up to four courses that will support their continued development in their content area or other area of professional interest. These courses could be selected in a way that works toward an additional area of endorsement or certificate (although additional course work may be needed beyond these courses to complete the endorsement or certificate). This POS is designed for teacher/practitioners who are interested both in enhancing their curricular knowledge and practice and who have a strong interest in an additional area of study to support their professional development.