College of Education and Human Services Core III Courses

CORE 3880 (CPSY 3300)
Institutional Imperatives and Globalization: Competing Influences of Schools, Religion, Government and Media in Shaping and Changing Society
3 credits
In the United States, public schools have relatively recently been viewed as secular, with a heightened sensitivity to church/state separation. This secularization process may also be evident in both government and media. However, there never has been a complete separation given that most administrators, teachers, and students come from a Judeo-Christian background and their belief systems permeate every aspect of the schools’ social justice environment. The aim of the course is to explore the tensions that arise in these areas by means of a comparison between the US and the institutions of another society. Students will come to appreciate the impact of history on current political, educational and social policy as well as the influence of geography and geo-politics on social/cultural/religious development. This course involves travel.

CORE 3881 (CPSY 3105)
Leadership through Service Learning
3 credits
This course responds to contemporary calls for the development of more informed and civic minded citizenry. Themes (human dignity, economic justice) from documents (U.S. Catholic Bishops’ Letters, Papal Encyclicals, Councils, Biblical text) related to Catholic Social Teaching (CST) and from other religions will inform and illuminate the purposes and activities of this course as will readings from education concerning caring and social justice. Exploring principles, theoretical and social, that provide the basis for service to others, in discussions and writings, students will consider broad questions that have consequences for real people. Differing perspectives on purposes of and strategies for service will be discussed as well as service learning role models. Throughout the course, students will discuss and experience service as a social action designed to improve a situation in a setting or community by identifying, discussing, analyzing and acting on needs at a local site.