Program Description
Cornell offers a minor in education that prepares students for a variety of post-graduate opportunities, including graduate programs in teaching and education policy as well as positions in professional development, training, outreach, extension, workplace learning and educational research. Teaching in public schools requires certification, which students can pursue at a variety of graduate and teacher-residency programs around the country. An especially convenient and strong option is the program at Ithaca College that leads to a master's degree and New York State certification. A special agreement between Cornell and Ithaca College streamlines the application process. For information about Cornell's education minor, as well as certification areas available under the agreement with Ithaca College, visit the program website or the Ithaca College Graduate Programs Webpage.
Global Development majors can minor in Education.
Academic Standards
Grade Requirements
Students must take all courses for a letter grade (with the exception of the capstone course that is only offered S/U) and achieve a final grade of C or better.
Program Information
- Minimum Credits for Minor: 18
Minor Requirements
No more than 2 courses can count towards a student’s major and minor for all students.
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| EDUC 2410 | The Art of Teaching | 4 |
| |
| EDUC 2710 | US Education System: Courts, Data, Law and Politics 1 | 3-4 |
| EDUC 3405 | Multicultural Issues in Education | 4 |
| EDUC 4720 | Philosophy of Education | 3.5 |
| |
| EDUC 2155 | Exploring Strategies for Teaching and Learning 2 | 2 |
| EDUC 2200 | Introduction to Adult Learning | 4 |
| EDUC 2210 | Designing and Facilitating Learning for Development | 4 |
| EDUC 3110 | Educational Psychology | 4 |
| EDUC 3142 | Reflecting on the Intersections of Education and Prison Systems 2 | 2-4 |
| EDUC 4200 | Adult Language Learners and Marginalization: Applied Teaching Methods for Empowerment | 4 |
| EDUC 4223 | Community Learning Ecosystems: Place, SDGs & Hope | 4 |
| 6 |
| 2 | |
| SOC 2210 | How College Works: Making Sense of Higher Education | 2 |
| SOC 2250 | Schooling and Society | 3 |
| ENTOM 3350 | Naturalist Outreach Practicum | 4 |
| ILRLE 3445 | Inequality in U.S. Higher Education | 3 |
| PUBPOL 3231 | Comparative Education Policy | 3 |
| PUBPOL 3480 | Sustainability Education Policy in the U.S. and Ecuador | 4 |
| PUBPOL 3550 | Economics of Education | 3 |
| PSYCH 4500 | Psychology at the Sciencenter! | 4 |
| ANTHR 4790 | Latinx Education Across the Americas | 3 |
| PLSCI 4825 | Museum and Park Interpretation | 3 |
| ILRGL 4865 | Thwarting the Dream of Brown v. Board of Education | 1.5 |
Capstone
In the final semester before graduation, Education minors must participate in one of two possible culminating experiences:
- Option 1 (Conversations): Education minors participate in a structured 30-minute discussion with professional educators. Minors spend ten-to-fifteen minutes summarizing their new insights on education, how they developed and how they might be applied in the future. Q&A follows.
- Option 2 (Publications): Education minors submit a publication that summarizes their new insights on education, how they developed and how they might be applied in the future. "Publication" is broad, including but not limited to essays, editorials, short stories and poems.
