Master's Degree Program

Program Information

The Master's degree in Policy Studies is a graduate program designed to prepare students for a broad array of career opportunities related to educational policy development, analysis and evaluation. The program of studies incorporates a core of policy courses with courses in the humanities, social sciences and research areas.

Admission Requirements

Students must meet the minimum requirements for admission to Florida State University at the graduate level as a degree seeking student. Students should have had some prior experience in a professional role related to educational policy or have career goals, personal interests, education and professional experiences consistent with the philosophy, structure and content of the program.

Basic Degree Requirements

This program requires a minimum of 36 credit hours of course work and successful completion of a comprehensive exam. Students must complete 12 credit hours in core courses.. In addition, students must complete six credit hours in the Humanities and Social Sciences core as well as amass nine credit hours towards the Research core. In consultation with their academic advisor, students choose three elective courses from the list below that may include credits towards a policy internship

The typical framework used by the academic advisor and individual students in developing a program of studies includes three core courses:

A. Core Courses: 9 credit hours

• EDF 5641 Introduction to Policy Studies in Education
• EDF 5652 Policy Development in Education
• EDF 5935 Special Topic: Economics of Education

B. Humanities and Social Sciences: 6 credit hours (choose two of the following)

• EDF 5630 Sociology of Education
• EDF 5551 Social Philosophies and Education
• EDF 5517 History of Education in the U.S.
• EDA 5288 Politics of Education

C. Research Component: 9 credit hours

Required (9 credit hours):

• EDF 5481 Methods of Educational Research *
• EDF 5400 Basic and Inferential Statistics *

Select one of the following (3 credit hours):

• EDF 5626 Economic Evaluation of Education Programs
• EDF 5461 Program Evaluation *

D. Electives: 9 credit hours (choose three of the following**)

• EDF 5631 Education and Equality (applied regression)
• EDF 5612 Education and Culture
• EDF 5651 Case Studies in Education Policy
• EDF 5661 The Language of Education Policy
• EDF 5853 Comparative Educational Policy
• EDA 5569 State Education Policy
• EDF 5519 History of Higher Education
• EDF 5543 Introduction to Philosophy of Education
• EDF 5548 Philosophy of Teaching and Learning
• EDF 5710 Black and Latino Education: Policy & History
• EDF 6475 Qualitative Research Methods
• EDF 6648 Policy Analysis in Education
• EDF 6945 Additional 3 credits for internship
• EDF 5935 Special Topic - Philosophical Foundations of Ed Inquiry
• EDF 5935 Special Topic: Urban Education Policy
• EDF 5935 Special Topic: School Finance Theory
• EDF 5935 Special Topic: Federal Role in Education Policy
• EDF 5935 Special Topic: Economics of School Choice
• EDF 5935 Special Topic: Anthropology and Education
• EDF 6945 Policy Internship

* This course is offered in the College of Education's Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems.
** You may substitute other courses as electives with the approval of your advisor.