The Department of Education offers a 12–month program to prepare students for a variety of professional careers and/or advanced study involving policy analysis, planning and development in urban public education.
The program integrates research, theory, and practice to provide students with foundational concepts and core skills in areas such as urban school governance, race and democracy, program evaluation, data analysis and data-based decision making, economic analysis, community assets and needs assessment, and strategic and organizational management.
The academic coursework is grounded in practice and is complemented by a concurrent nine-month internship in a local urban education policy setting. The program draws on the urban education policy expertise of the faculty in the Education Department and the Annenberg Institute for School Reform. Collaborations with the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America, the Policy Lab, the Swearer Center, and other academic departments at Brown augment the practical and interdisciplinary aspects of the program.
Application Information
If you have any questions regarding the application process for this program, please email masters_admissions@brown.edu.
Application Requirements
GRE Subject:
Not required
GRE General:
Not required for the 2022-23 application to the Urban Education Policy Program. However, applicants may submit optional GRE scores to be considered. To do so, be sure to request official GRE scores to be sent to Brown University.
TOEFL/IELTS:
Required for any non-native English speaker who does not have a degree from an institution where English is the sole language of instruction or from a University in the following countries: Australia, Bahamas, Botswana, Cameroon, Canada (except Quebec), Ethiopia, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, New Zealand, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tanzania, Gambia, Uganda, United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales), West Indies, Zambia).
The TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition and the IELTS Indicator exam are accepted. Students from mainland China may submit the TOEFL ITP Plus exam.
Official Transcripts:
Required. All applicants may upload unofficial transcripts for application submission. Official transcripts are ONLY required for enrolling students before class start. An international transcript evaluation (WES, ECE, or SpanTran) is required for degrees from non-U.S. institutions before enrollment.
Letters of Recommendations:
Three (3) recommendations required
Personal Statement:
1000 word personal statement that gives your reasons to pursue graduate work in the field of your study. The statement should include examples of your past work in your chosen field, your plans for study at Brown, issues and problems you'd like to address in your field and your professional goals.
Resume/CV:
Required
Additional Requirements:
In no more than 200 words, please comment on your training, policy, research, and/or management experience in using any type of data, both qualitative and quantitative.
Dates/Deadlines
Application Deadline
5th Year Deadline
Tuition and Funding
- Graduate Tuition & Fees: Please visit the Bursar's Office for up-to-date tuition rates.
- Scholarships: Need-based and merit-based scholarships are available. More information can be found on the Graduate Tuition & Fees website. International students are eligible for scholarships.
Completion Requirements
The program is one year (twelve months) and consists of nine courses: eight required core courses and one elective course. Brown University 5th-Year students will complete eight courses in one year, and Teach for America Rhode Island Corps Members will complete eight courses over two years.
The required courses are in the areas of urban education policy – system and governance; race and democracy; policy analysis and program evaluation; education inequality and community assets; quantitative research methods and data analysis; economic analysis of education policy; and strategic management of school organization. One of the required courses is the nine-month internship, which serves as a key feature of the program.
The elective component of the curriculum allows students to either gain a greater depth of training in a core area or broaden their graduate experience by seeking coursework in areas that are related to, but not directly covered by, the core courses in the program.
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