Educational Studies

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Minor in Educational Studies

The minor in educational studies is includes six (6) courses that offer a basic knowledge of many elements of the teaching and learning process. Though these courses represent most of prerequisite courses for the MAT program (see further information on the MAT.), this minor is also recommended for students who are interested in pursuing careers related to education, but do not necessarily plan to teach in K-12 settings. For the most part, the courses within the minor may be completed in any order, though it is important to acknowledge that some of the courses have prerequisites, so students need to be mindful of this fact as they plan. Note, too, that EDUC/PSYC 368 is a prerequisite for admission to EDUC 491. For students who are interested in education, but are not planning to apply for the MAT program or teacher certification, it is possible to petition for course substitutions for a portion of the requirements. Please contact the department chair for additional information about this process.

Completion of the minor or equivalent course work is one of the pre-requisites for admission to the MAT, but because these courses are not the only requirements for admission to the MAT program, the successful completion of this minor does not guarantee that a student will be admitted to the program. There are also specific content courses required for teacher certification in Maryland. Students who are considering the MAT should meet with their department chair and/or an educational studies adviser about course selection. For a complete list of these courses, and additional information about the St. Mary’s course equivalencies for St. Mary’s educational studies courses, please contact the department chair.

Students who transfer three or more of the courses from outside institutions are not eligible to earn this minor, but they are not excluded from or otherwise placed at a disadvantage for applying to the MAT program. Students who transfer one or two courses that are not awarded the same credit equivalencies as the comparable St. Mary’s course do need to make up these credits to earn the minor by taking other education-related undergraduate courses; these courses include those not listed in the minor.

The Department of Educational Studies offers several undergraduate courses that are not included in the minor in educational studies. Students are encouraged to pursue these courses to broaden their understanding of relevant issues of learning and teaching.