Racial justice in urban schooling minor
The Racial Justice in Urban Schooling minor prepares students to analyze educational practices that marginalize students and to develop liberatory alternatives. RJUS support students interested in intersections of race/ethnicity, social class, language, gender, and sexuality working towards social justice.
Central experiences in this minor bridge analysis with transformative pedagogies of possibilities, including culturally relevant pedagogy, funds of knowledge, and inquiry. Students explore the relationships among home, community and school cultures for students of color, focusing on classroom contexts, but extending outside of school to educational practices and knowledge from home and community organizations. Students are community-engaged learners to address local issues of urban education. Students select additional core coursework in critical perspectives in education on race, social class, or language and in ethnic studies classes.
In RJUS, students position themselves to critically engage their communities on educational issues or for graduate work in teacher licensure, educational policy, and other educational studies. This minor supports exploration of student interest in education, organizing, systems, and policy, and it appeals to students who are interested in education as a social issue, whether or not they want to become a classroom teacher.
Quote from Nhia Chang
By learning about minoritized cultures, engaging in service-learning, and exploring the relationship between community, family, and students, I hope it can advance my understanding and skill in providing a welcoming, inclusive, and competent learning environment for all students.
About this program
Curriculum
This minor coursework will critique contemporary commentary on urban education and support students whose educational interest is in the intersections of race, social class, language status, gender or sexual orientation.
The minor consists of two required core courses and three elective courses. Each core and strand class develop an intersectional approach to racial justice in urban education.
Core curriculum and instruction courses:
- Issues in urban education
- Culture power and education
Additional strand/elective courses:
- One course (3 credits) in a designated race, class, or language strand
- One required course (3 credits) (from an approved list) in gender or ethnic studies
- One additional elective in a complementary area such as pedagogy, policy and leadership, urban studies, Native American studies, African American studies, Chicano studies, gender studies, youth studies, or family social science
See the detailed curriculum and approved electives in the course catalog.
Educational experience
Students who complete this minor will be able to evaluate ways in which school experiences can either perpetuate social inequalities or reduce them, and gain a deeper understanding of urban schools as complex institutions.
Key experiences include:
- learning about minoritized cultures and histories through an ethnic studies class
- studying culturally-responsive approaches to teaching
- completing a service-learning activity in partnership with a school to create a digital story about educational issues.
- exploring the relationships among home, community, and school cultures for students of color that impact educational practices and provide insights into student experience and classroom contexts.
Career paths
Students who combine this minor with an undergraduate degree in liberal arts, sciences, or ethnic studies will position themselves for graduate work in teacher education, educational policy, sociopolitical analysis of education, and engagement with educational issues as informed citizens. For students considering a career in the classroom, the racial justice in urban schooling minor opens space for students to complete some remaining prerequisites and to explore their interest in teaching.
How to apply
Admissions information
Admission information
The RJUS application is open and we are currently accepting applications. If you have any questions or circumstances (transferring to the UMN, current UMN junior hoping to teach) please contact our Student Services Specialist, Stephanie Fore. For questions related to the minor program, contact Faculty Coordinator, Abigail Rombalski.
Application deadlines
The RJUS minor accepts applications on a rolling basis. Acceptance decisions will be communicated to students within a month of application.
Students must be enrolled at the University of Minnesota and hold at least a 2.0 GPA to enroll in the program.
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