General Education in the College of Education

The College of Education and Human Development offers a range of General Education (GenEd) course offerings each semester.  Check the current course schedule for updated information. 

General Education Courses

Albums & Algorithms

EDUC 0865
Quantitative Literacy (GQ)
Music is a constant, from Hip-hop to country to Gospel. We can play it on our phones, computers, and turntables. You have access to music from the 1700s, 1920s and 2020s. In this class, we will explore lyrics, beats, music history, and the health and wealth of artists and the music industry using tools from statistics and data analysis. This course helps students explore and consider potential explanations for different phenomena they might observe while learning about music, such as how Hip-hop record sales have changed throughout the last 25 years.

Education for Liberation Here and Abroad

URBE 0855
Global & World Society (GG)
This course explores educational issues in urban America and indigenous educational traditions in the “Third World.” The course focuses on the connections between education and politics, cultural diversity and economics, and the existence and persistence of poverty in developing nations.

Interpersonal Communication

AOD 0836
Human Behavior (GB)
Assess your own communication skills. Develop and set personal goals and an action plan by which to create the change you wish to see. Learn the basic components of interpersonal communication situations (communicators, content, and contexts) and investigate how interpersonal communication needs and effectiveness change throughout life (in early childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, middle age, and old age).

It's Bigger Than Hip-Hop: Exploring the Evolution of Race and Identity Through Hip-Hop

EDUC 0806
Race & Diversity (GD)
Hip-hop is no longer a subculture where members of marginalized groups are rapping and DJing, break dancing, and participating in the activity of graffiti. No, Hip-hop has evolved into a worldwide phenomenon. Not only do Hip-hop artists such as Jay-Z perform to sold out crowds at Madison Square Garden, but they also headline such mega-events as the Global Citizen Festival in South Africa. Hip-hop is now a global force, ubiquitous with mainstream culture. In this class, we will explore, analyze, and critique the beliefs, practices and behaviors associated with Hip-hop in the context of the conditions of systemic racial oppression and marginalization. Further, the course content will reflect a historical, sociological, and psychological perspective of U.S. culture. Students will follow Hip-hop from its early days in New York City, to the dark and gritty environments that produced the sounds of Hip-hop in the 1990s, to the "bling-bling" era of the early 2000s, and now to contemporary Hip-hop that influences fashion, urbanization, and the mainstream lexicon. Models of racial identity development and race-related psychological impact will be used to explore the development of the group and personal identities for those who are part of Hip-hop culture. At the end of the course, students will be able to critically examine the extent to which Hip-hop has helped form a new cultural identity in the 21st century.

Kids in Crisis: When Schools Don't Work

EDUC 0823
Race & Diversity (GD)
Social problems are part of modern society. They represent a gap between what we would like society to be like and the lived reality for individuals in the society. Devising solutions to social problems and participating in their implementation is an important role for citizens in a democracy. In order to do so we need to understand the role of race and diversity in modern American society and in our own lived experience. This General Education course will examine three pressing social problems in American society that play out in our schools--segregation and racial isolation in schools, school violence, and dropout.

Language in Society

EDUC 0815EDUC 0915 (Honors)
Human Behavior (GB)
How did language come about? How many languages are there in the world? How do babies develop language? In this course we will address these and many other questions, taking linguistic facts as a point of departure and considering their implications for our society. Through discussions and hands-on projects, students will learn how to collect, analyze, and interpret language data and how to make informed decisions about language and education policies as voters and community members.

Race and Diversity in Children's and Young Adult Books: Reading Between the Lines

EDUC 0809
Race and Diversity (GD)
Explore a wide range of historically popular and current picture-books, chapter books, graphic novels and young adult fiction that features characters from traditionally underrepresented racial groups. Explore the role of literature in identity development, and identify and carefully consider broader ideological beliefs about race and culture raised by the texts.

The Meaning of Madness

SPSY 0828
Human Behavior (GB)
What is madness? Insanity? Mental illness? Who decides where the line between madness and normalcy is drawn? How have ideas about madness changed over time? Can the same behaviors be considered "insane" in one culture but "normal" in another? What is "stigma" and how does it affect individuals with mental illnesses? This course will explore biological, social, and cultural factors that influence mental illness, perceptions of individuals with mental illness, and treatments of mental illness over time and across cultural groups.

Tweens & Teens

EDUC 0819EDUC 0919 (Honors)
Human Behavior (GB)
Using literature, TV and film, as well as articles and books from the field of human development, the course will explore how children grow into teenagers, how they survive the challenges of adolescence, and how they become productive adults.

Why Care About College: Higher Education in American Life

EDAD 0855
U.S. Society (GU)
You have decided to go to college. But why? What role will college and in particular Temple University play in your life? Reflect on this important question by looking at the relationship between higher education and American society. What do colleges and universities contribute to our lives? They are, of course, places for teaching and learning. They are also research centers, sports and entertainment venues, sources of community pride and profit, major employers, settings for coming-of-age rituals (parties, wild times, courtship, etc.), and institutions that create lifetime identities and loyalties. Learn how higher education is shaped by the larger society and how, in turn, it has shaped that society. Become better prepared for the world in which you have chosen to live for the next few years.

Youth Cultures

EDUC 0817EDUC 0917 (Honors)
Human Behavior (GB)
Often related to gender, race, class and socio-economic circumstances, youth cultures enable young people to try on identities as they work their way to a clearer sense of self. Students in this class will investigate several youth cultures, looking closely at what it means to belong.

Notes for College of Education and Human Development Students

All students are strongly encouraged to work with your academic advisor to select general education courses that enhance your program, meet your requirements, and develop your interests.  Students matriculated in the College of Education and Human Development who are successfully completing their program in Early Childhood Education, Middle Grades Education, or Secondary Education may receive a waiver for some General Education requirements and should consult DARS and/or an Advisor for details.

For assistance with course planning or scheduling, we encourage you to make an appointment to see a College of Education and Human Development advisor.