Choosing the right major is a tough choice. Some of us want to change the world. Some of us are focused on getting a good job. Some are committed to doing both. And all of us want to be happy. 

That’s why choosing a major is such a challenge. There are a lot of factors to consider and there are a lot of questions to ask yourself.  What do I want to do with my life? Can I make a good living? Would I be good at this? Will there be jobs available once I graduate?

At the School of Education, we don’t have all the answers, but we can promise that a degree in Education, Society, and Human Development will provide many opportunities. Education is a universal human experience; we all remember the teachers who changed our lives. The need for people who care and understand how to improve our system of education will always exist. Those jobs, those skills, the need for this degree is a constant.

That is exactly why our undergraduate degree is called Education, Society, and Human Development. Our concern, our research, and the fields of study that we explore include the entire human experience that starts well before the first day a child walks into a class. From preschool to high school to community college to graduate school, we study human experiences, our successes and our challenges, and we ask questions. As a student, you will ask questions too, and together, we will search for answers.

Education, Society, and Human Development will teach you about yourself as you learn about the systems and processes that society uses to teach others. Whether you major, minor, or choose ESHD as your double major, you will be more prepared for life, for your career, and for the future. 

Before you can change the world, ask yourself how. Before you start a career, ask yourself which one. We may not have all the answers, but we know where to find them ­– inside you. Inside every student. That’s where it all begins. Are you ready to begin?

America has the best system of education in the world, for some. For others, it’s actively harmful. The question we ask is why? Why do those inequities exist and what can we do about it?

As a student at the School of Education, you will confront those inequities through coursework and discussion. You will be surrounded by faculty, staff and students who care deeply about erasing the inequities in our educational systems. You will be prepared to take on societal challenges and you will make a difference in the world, whether your work is in the classroom or out. 

Read our mission statement and be prepared to disrupt the conventional thinking that maintains the status quo. Having an educational system that doesn’t work for all, that isn’t as equitable as it can be, is not good enough for us. We know it can be better and our research and scholarship strive to unearth those inequities and start dialogues that will break us free from the status quo. 

We want to make a difference in the world. Do you?

Why do we go to college? Some would argue that the pursuit of knowledge is the ultimate goal, and many of us would also say that a major reason is to get a better job. 

An ESHD degree will lay the groundwork for both. From being a teacher to a school administrator, from counseling to school psychologist, from working in early education to working in special education, from working in politics to academia, from leading a class to managing a team, from working in the public sector to the nonprofit sector, from understanding how we learn to how we behave, from learning about who we are to how we communicate, from understanding our past to building hope for our future, there are multiple career paths in education, psychology, sociology, linguistics, social work, politics, research and academia that begin with a degree in Education, Society, and Human Development. 

Plus, we offer classes and programs that keep us aligned with some of the jobs that are growing at the highest rate: STEM education, bilingual education, special education, school psychology and speech pathology.

We know you want a good degree and a good job. Here’s how.

The School of Education offers a small, human-focused experience with all the resources and excitement of a large public university.

UCR is a big school and it’s growing. Our campus is adding classrooms, residence halls and athletic facilities. Our medical school is growing, our business school is growing, and our reputation is growing. The UCR Long Range Development Plan assumes we will have 30,000 students by 2030. But is bigger better?

Sometimes it is and sometimes it isn’t. At the School of Education, you don’t have to make a choice because we offer both. As a student you have access to all the resources of the largest public university in the Inland Empire, but you have a support network more similar to a small college. 

The SOE has approximately 1,000 students and is the second smallest school at UCR. However, it’s not the size that matters, it’s the culture. Students get to know the dean and SOE faculty. They get to know their advisors. Students are invited to lunch sessions, school celebrations and have access to learning communities. Every student at the SOE will have a unique experience based on their needs and desires. Other schools and colleges can’t accommodate separate requests. They can’t be as flexible. We can.

Our goal is always to put the student experience first. We provide Peer Advisors and Student Ambassadors. For us, community engaged learning is mandatory for every undergrad so every student can leave campus and experience the real world. And we are the only school or college on campus that offers our own dedicated writing support center just for SOE students.

Our writing support center helps with all writing and works with writers at all levels. You can choose to join a session or opt for one-on-one support. You can ask for help with a paper, a resume or an application. We want you to be a better writer, so we offer hands-on support to help you achieve that goal. 

Yes, we think big, but believe every small act matters. Come see for yourself.