Education and Society, B.S.

Learn with purpose. Lead with impact.

Few undergraduate degrees will prepare you as broadly – or as purposefully – as one grounded in the study of education and society. Education shapes every institution you will ever work in, advocate for, or seek to change.

The B.S. in Education and Society cultivates inclusive leaders and advocates, exploring education as a lens on society, politics, culture, and human development. It is designed to take you wherever your ambitions lead: law and policy, disability advocacy, educational technology, health care, human services, nonprofit leadership, or a professional path in coaching and athletics.

The Syracuse Advantage

The School of Education offers something rare: the tight-knit feel and close mentorship of a small school, combined with the resources, faculty expertise, and global reach of an R1 research university. Education and Society brings those advantages together in a degree that offers a substantive academic foundation, real-world skills, and a track that appears on your transcript:

• A curriculum with substance, not just flexibility. The 30-credit Education and Society core offers courses in grant writing for nonprofits, analysis of media and youth culture, and a survey of international development and education, giving you analytical tools and practical knowledge in advocacy, communications, policy, and cross-cultural practice.
• Choose your track. Every Education and Society student chooses one of three tracks – Coaching, Disability Studies, or Education and Social Change – each comprising 18 credits of concentrated study recorded on your transcript, giving you a recognized specialization that is meaningful to employers and graduate schools.
• Study as a global citizen. Syracuse University is ranked among the top 10 study abroad providers in the United States. Education and Society students have access to SOE signature programs in Italy, Africa, and beyond as part of a broader set of immersive, credit-bearing experiences built into this degree. Supplemental funding is available for qualified students.
• Small school atmosphere with large university resources. The School of Education gives you close advising relationships and small classes, while Syracuse University surrounds you with the resources of a top-ranked research institution, an alumni network spanning more than 170 countries, and access to world-class faculty.
• A cohort that becomes your professional network.Education and Society students share a common core curriculum, building close peer relationships and faculty mentorships.
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• Guided by three signature areas of focus. Our School is organized around three commitments:
  • Inclusive education, where every student regardless of background, ability, or identity is welcomed and supported.
  • Digital education and technologies, including AI and VR, is integrated into how we teach and how you learn.
  • Experiential education, meaning you will engage with the world through study abroad, study away, internships, and undergraduate research.

“The School of Education is an incredibly supportive environment where you will be encouraged to grow and think in new ways. I have graduated understanding that education occurs in so many spaces and has the power to leave long lasting and transformational change.”

—Sofia DaCruz ’25

Who Should Apply?

Education and Society is the major for you if you are drawn to education as a way of understanding the world. Consider this program if you are:

• A future law student, social worker, health care worker, counselor, or policy professional who wants a rigorous foundation in how education systems shape society and who wants analytical skills, research experience, and a record of community engagement.
• Someone passionate about disability rights and advocacy who wants to build deep expertise in disability studies alongside a broad education foundation.
• An athlete, aspiring coach, or sports professional who wants to prepare for leadership roles in coaching at the collegiate, high school, or community level.
• Thinking about teaching and related fields but is not yet ready to commit to a full teacher preparation program.
• A student who knows they want to study at Syracuse and is looking for a substantive, purposeful degree that provides multiple options for a future professional career.

Program at a Glance

• Education and Society core. The 30-credit core provides a structured, substantive curriculum covering the foundations of education and society, inclusive schooling, schools and popular culture, organizational change, immigration and education, international education, and research. Two core courses fulfill liberal arts requirements, meaning your education coursework does double duty.
• Liberal arts courses. Students take 60 credits of liberal arts courses, including in writing, foreign language, history, math, science, and humanities or social science.
• Three unique tracks (18 credits). Building on the Education Core, these tracks allow students to customize their experience to individual interests:
  • Coaching Track: A structured sequence for students heading into collegiate, secondary, or community coaching, with an educational grounding that sets you apart from candidates with purely technical training. Students passing the Coaching track are eligible for a New York State coaching license.
  • Disability Studies Track: With courses including an introduction to disability studies, disability and deinstitutionalization, and disability and popular culture, students will find no deeper undergraduate specialization at a private research university.
  • Education and Social Change Track: Drawing from SOE courses across counseling, digital pedagogies, social work, and more, this track is deal for students on a pre-law, pre-human services, or pre-graduate school trajectory.
• Experiential learning, built into your degree. Students complete a credit-bearing experiential learning requirement to fit their goals: an internship in an educational or community setting; a study abroad experience, such as SOE’s signature Italy immersion; or another immersive program with an off-site component.
• Explore through open electives. Students can take 12 credits from any school or college across Syracuse University, giving you room to pursue a second interest.

Total credits: 120. More information can be found in the Syracuse University Course Catalog.

What Our Graduates Do

Education and Society graduates are prepared for careers and graduate study across education, government, media, and the social sector:

• Graduate study in law, health care, social work, counseling, policy, and the social sciences.
• Disability rights, social justice, and inclusive community practice.
• Communications and media roles for school districts, education-related companies, and non-profits.
• Coaching and athletic administration at the collegiate, secondary, or community level.
• Higher education administration, including admissions, advising, and student affairs, with a direct pathway into our M.S. in Higher Postsecondary Education.
• Human resources and organizational development, where expertise in equity and inclusion, organizational change, instructional design, and human development is essential.
• Policy research, advocacy, and leadership in state or federal government agencies, think tanks, foundations, and education-focused non-profits.
• Teaching and education-related careers, including instructional design and educational technology, with a direct pathway into our graduate teacher preparation master’s programs.

Ready to Apply?

Financial Aid and Scholarships
Undergraduate Admissions Information

Education and Society is a revision of the previous B.S. in Selected Studies in Education. For questions, please contact Becky Rose, Assistant Director of Academic and Career Advising, at rerose@syr.edu or 315.443.2526.