Sociology and Education

Welcome to the Sociology & Education program


The sociological examination of education has a long tradition at Teachers College, a graduate school with a strong commitment to social justice. Our Sociology and Education program, one of the oldest and most revered such programs in the nation, provides a curriculum that supports students in developing and fostering their “sociological imagination” – or an understanding of the relationship between micro-level day-to-day experiences and the larger, macro-level structures in which we all live, between our biography and the arc of history. Many students come to our program after having experienced first-hand the impact of inequality in their lives and/or the lives of students they teach. They seek answers to their questions about the larger educational system, the policies that perpetuate inequality, and the disparate impact on students across place, race and gender identity, and socio-economic status.  They want to know how things came to be the way they are today. Through this micro-macro lens, our program enables students to understand educational and social inequality through the careful analysis of evidence. Our coursework and the research opportunities prepare change agents to challenge the inequality within our schools through a deep understanding of its social, political and economic causes.

Our curriculum features a set of Core Requirements in the Foundation of Social Analysis of Education, Education and Social Inequality, Education and Social Organization, and Education and Social Change. The program also requires students to learn both quantitative and qualitative research methods for all of our degree programs. Our students can also opt to complete the Policy Concentration requirements. Our Master’s students choose between taking a Comprehensive Exam or completing an Integrative Project, or a Master’s Thesis, as their Culminating Experience. Doctoral students will complete a Certification Exam and research and write a dissertation.

The curriculum emphasizes the social context of schools in both cities and suburbs; the organization and structure of schooling; and the intersection of race, ethnicity, social class and gender with educational policies and practices. Students are trained in both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Hands-on research opportunities are available on a wide range of projects, including those examining racial segregation, urban gentrification, conditions of New York City Public Schools, suburban demographic change and its impact on schools, and school organization.

The program faculty for the Sociology and Education program includes sociologists from several other programs at the College as well as other nearby academic institutions. Faculty strengths are in sociology of education generally, but also in organizational studies, the sociology of teachers and teaching, stratification, racial inequality, critical race theory and urban sociology. They are actively engaged in the analysis and evaluation of educational policies and programs designed to serve educationally disadvantaged populations.

The program in Sociology and Education also offers an optional Policy Concentration that overlaps with many of our degree requirements. For more information on this concentration, which is open to students throughout Teachers College, please contact Professor Aaron Pallas.

Sociology and Education Virtual Information Session

Fall 2023 webinar for prospective students that premiered on Tuesday, November 14, 2023 at 7:00 pm.  Come hear about our program from faculty, students, and staff! 

 

Choose Your Degree

The graduate program in Sociology and Education offers four degree programs: the M.A., the Ed.M., the Ed.D., and the Ph.D. Each program is designed to meet the needs of students with a particular combination of prior experience and career objectives. The M.A., Ed.M., and Ed.D. programs may be completed on a part-time basis, and most of our classes are offered in the evening hours. The Ph.D. program requires full-time study. Although students from all of the degree programs in sociology and education are prepared to assume positions in education institutions, the program does not offer professional certification for teaching or school/district leadership. Certification programs are available in other departments at Teachers College.


M.A. degree in the Program of Sociology and Education - minimum of 33 points.

The Master of Arts program in Sociology and Education provides an introduction to the application of sociological perspectives to contemporary education issues. The program provides coverage of the core principles and methods of sociology as they are applied to research and analysis. An optional Policy Concentration enables students to focus more closely on the design and effects of education policies. Students completing this program are prepared to assume positions as general analysts in a variety of organizations devoted to applied educational research, policy making, advocacy, consulting, and direct educational service.

Learn More

Ed.M. Degree in the Program in Sociology and Education – minimum of 60 points

The Master of Education in Sociology and Education is an advanced master’s degree typically pursued by students who already possess a master’s degree in a substantive area of education or by students without a prior master’s degree who want an opportunity to combine study in sociology and education with another area in education. The program involves study of sociological perspectives and methods in the context of contemporary education issues. Through an optional Policy Concentration, students can examine a variety of education policy questions in more depth. Current substantive areas that can be combined with study in sociology and policy include evaluation and institutional analysis, human development, technology, curriculum, administration, and foundations. Students completing this program are prepared to assume positions as specialists in a variety of organizations devoted to applied educational research, policy making, advocacy, consulting, and management of educational activities.

Learn More

The coursework for the Ed.D., which totals a minimum of 90 points, has seven components: basic social research design and methods, advanced social research design and methods, social theory, core coursework in the sociology of education, seminars and colloquia, coursework in the social context of teaching and learning, and elective courses. Beginning in the 2024-2025 academic year, the Ed.D. degree required credit load for this program will change from 90 to 75 credits. Up to 30 credits from prior graduate studies may be transferred, subject to advisor approval. Prospective new students who apply for spring, summer or fall 2024 terms and are successfully admitted will follow the new reduced Ed.D. credit requirements. 

The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program in Sociology and Education is designed to provide broad training in the social sciences, education, and education policy. The program prepares students for positions in teaching, research, and policy through interdisciplinary study grounded in the sociological perspective. All coursework is available at Teachers College, and both part-time and full-time study is possible. Students completing this program are prepared to assume positions in college and university programs in education as well as leadership positions in a variety of organizations devoted to applied education research, policy making, advocacy, consulting, and management of educational activities.

Learn More

The coursework for the Ph.D., which totals a minimum of 75 points, has seven components: social theory, basic social research design and methods, advanced social research design and methods, foundational coursework in sociology, core coursework in the sociology of education, seminars and colloquia, and elective courses.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Ph.D.) program in Sociology and Education is designed for students with a strong background and interest in the discipline of sociology and its application to education. The Ph.D. is a highly specialized degree that requires full-time study and substantial coursework to be done at Teachers College, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Columbia University, or through the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium, which provides for cross-registration among member institutions, including NYU, CUNY Graduate Center, and Princeton University. Students completing this program are prepared to assume positions in college and university programs focused on sociological research in the field of education.

Learn More

Student Profiles


Yeonsoo Choi
Ph.D. candidate in the Sociology and Education program

Yeonsoo Choi is a Ph.D. student in Sociology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She earned her B.A. and M.A. in Education from Yonsei University, South Korea. Her research interests include the sociology of elite education, globalization and education policy, school choice, and critical policy analysis. Yeonsoo is interested in better understanding how broader social discourses shape education policies and students’ educational experiences. Prior to coming to Teachers College, she worked as a research assistant for education policy research projects funded by the Ministry of Education, South Korea, and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education.

Previous Education:

B.A. in Education, Yonsei University and M.A. in Education with concentration in Curriculum and Instruction, Yonsei University

Ed.M. candidate in the Sociology and Education program

Shawn Saunders is an M.Ed candidate in the Sociology and Education program. Before TC, Shawn received a B.A. in Anthropology from Brown University and a M.A.T. from Relay Graduate School of Education with a focus in Childhood Education. 

Shawn has spent 9 years teaching various grades in elementary schools in Brooklyn, most recently teaching 4th Grade in Canarsie. During the summer, Shawn works as the Academic Director for Jacob's Ladder, a sleep-away summer camp in Virginia for gifted middle school students.

Through his work with students and other educators, Shawn has developed many interests for study including the intersection of race, socioeconomic status and education, evaluation systems for students and teachers, and the effectiveness of discipline and school systems in urban contexts (with a particular interest in these topics within the world of charter schools). 

Shawn has experienced the educational process in the private, public, and charter sectors as a student and teacher. This has allowed him to see the best of these spaces as well as areas in which there is still work to be done. By joining the TC/Columbia community, Shawn hopes to conduct research that helps better the educational experience for both educators and students especially within urban environments.

Previous Education:
B.A. in Anthropology from Brown University 
M.A. in Teaching with a concentration in Childhood Education from Relay Graduate School of Education 

 

portrait
M.A. candidate in the Sociology and Education program
Jenifer (she/her) is an M.A. student in the Sociology and Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She received her bachelors in History with a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality studies from UConn-Stamford. 
As an undergraduate student, she studied the obstacles and systems of first-generation Hispanic/Latinx students and the results were published in her thesis, "Salir Adelante: Exploring the Systems of Support of First-Generation Latinx College Students in Their Pursuit of Higher Education." Jenifer's research is deeply rooted in her own experiences and identities as the daughter of Ecuadorian immigrants and as a first-generation college graduate. She is returning to graduate school after 3 years in the private sector working as a Market Research Analyst. In this program she plans to continue developing her skills as a researcher, with the goal of helping improve the educational journeys of first-generation, low-income, students of color as she knows first-hand the life-changing potential of acquiring higher education.  
In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, running, and playing with her cats and dog.

Program News


View As

Admissions Information

Application Requirements

Fund Your Degree

Back to skip to quick links