Cultural Foundations
Cultural Foundations Program Overview
The Master of Education degree in Cultural Foundations engages students in exploring education through various disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives from the humanities and social sciences. Students examine the social contexts of education with particular emphasis on structural inequities, issues of access and the distribution of educational opportunity, normative considerations about the purposes of education, and the transformative potential of education. Students learn to use these perspectives to identify problems of practice through their work as educators and leaders in communities, cultural organizations, and educational organizations. To address these problems of practice, students learn to conduct community-engaged inquiry in partnership with stakeholders and communities.
The degree program promotes students’ responsibilities as change agents in various educational settings, including schools, higher education, cultural and religious institutions, and civic associations. Graduates of the program have the knowledge and skills to interpret and critique educational policies and practices and to promote innovative practices in a variety of educational settings, domestically and worldwide.
Students have six years from the first enrollment term to complete the program.
Program Structure
- 30 minimum total credit hours
- 10 courses
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the program will be able to:
- Use perspectives from the sociocultural foundations of education to identify and explore problems of practice.
- Lead community-engaged inquiry to address problems of practice collaboratively in partnership with diverse communities and with local cultural and educational organizations.
- Enact commitments to equity and social justice through work as scholarly practitioners, educators, and leaders.
What is a Master’s of Education in Cultural Foundations?
The study of cultural foundations of education is the study of the educational issues affecting the nation and the world through the lenses of the humanities and social sciences.
The Master of Education degree in Cultural Foundations explores education through a range of disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives: philosophy of education, history of education, sociology of education, comparative/international education, anthropology of education, gender studies, multicultural studies, and religious studies. Students examine the social contexts of education, with particular emphasis on structural inequalities, issues of access and the distribution of educational opportunity, normative considerations about the purposes of education, and the transformative potential of education.
The degree program promotes students’ responsibilities as change agents in a range of educational settings, including schools, higher education, cultural and religious institutions, and civic associations.
What can I do with a Master’s of Education in Cultural Foundations?
Some possible careers include:
- Education administrators, postsecondary
- Education administrators, kindergarten through secondary
- Education administrators, all other
- Education teachers, postsecondary
What will I learn in Kent State’s Master’s in Cultural Foundations program?
Graduates of the program have the knowledge and skills to interpret and critique educational policies and practices and to promote innovative practices in a variety of educational settings, domestically and worldwide.
Graduates of the program will be able to:
- Use perspectives from the sociocultural foundations of education to identify and explore problems of practice.
- Lead community-engaged inquiry to address problems of practice collaboratively in partnership with diverse communities and with local cultural and educational organizations.
- Enact commitments to equity and social justice through work as scholarly practitioners, educators, and leaders.
Cultural Foundations Admissions Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
- Minimum 2.750 undergraduate GPA on a 4.000-point scale
- Official transcript(s)
- Goal statement
- Two letters of recommendation
- English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning one of the following:
- Minimum 550 TOEFL PBT score (paper-based version)
- Minimum 79 TOEFL IBT score (Internet-based version)
- Minimum 77 MELAB score
- Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
- Minimum 58 PTE score
- Minimum 110 Duolingo English Test Score
Applicants will be assessed holistically, considering academic credentials, related professional experience, academic or professional references, scholarly activities and professional activities, among others.
For more information about graduate admissions, please visit the Graduate Studies admission website. For more information on international admission, visit the Office of Global Education’s admission website.
Cultural Foundations Courses
The online M.Ed. in Cultural Foundations requires 30 credits of coursework (10 courses). Courses for the degree include 9 credits of major requirement courses and 21 credits of Cultural Foundations electives (other electives with faculty advisor approval). M.Ed. students have six (6) years from the term of first enrollment to complete the program.
Cultural Foundations Tuition and Fees
Ohio Residents
| Per Credit Hour | Per 3-Credit Course | Approximate Tuition Cost |
| $571.90 | $1,715.70 | $17,200 part-time1 $12,500 full-time2 |
Non-Ohio Residents
| Per Credit Hour | Per 3-Credit Course | Approximate Tuition Cost |
| $581.90 | $1,745.70 | $17,500 part-time3 $12,600-$12,700 full-time4 |
1The $571.90 per-credit-hour tuition rate applies to part-time Ohio resident graduate students taking fewer than 11 credit hours per semester.
2The flat-rate semester fee of $6,277.40 applies to full-time Ohio resident graduate students taking between 11-18 credit hours per semester.
3The $581.90 per-credit-hour tuition rate applies to part-time non-Ohio resident graduate students enrolled in a fully online degree program and taking fewer than 11 credit hours per semester, PLUS a surcharge of $10 per credit hour.
4The flat-rate semester fee of $6,277.40 applies to full-time non-Ohio resident graduate students enrolled in a fully only degree program and taking between 11-18 credit hours, PLUS a surcharge of $10 per credit hour of actual credits taken per semester (between 11-18 semester credits or $110-$180).
An additional Distance Learning fee for all students enrolled in a distance learning course is $15 per credit hour. Program tuition and costs are estimated and subject to change.
Actual tuition costs may vary based on a student’s chosen academic plan. For a complete listing of tuition rates for approved online programs please contact the One Stop for Student Services at 330-672-6000, or via our website Contact Us link.
The total program costs are estimates and are not final or binding. Program costs are based on standard fees, but fees may vary based on the actual classes taken. Kent State University disclaims any liability arising from the use of or reliance upon these program cost estimates by any person. Program costs are subject to change without notice.
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