ELP 7500 - Sociocultural Foundations of U.S. Higher Education

This course focuses on the underlying purposes and possibilities of higher education in the United States. Drawing from the fields of philosophy, sociology, history, and cultural studies, this course emphasizes the relationship between higher education and society. We will begin with an historical overview of higher education in the U.S. by exploring the development of different institutional types as well as their missions and goals. Throughout the course we will focus on philosophy of education and special attention will be paid analyzing the contrasting purposes of colleges and universities within society: what should be the mission of higher education in a society that sees itself as democratic?