Undergraduate Minor in Education Leadership and Policy for Equity
Explore the transformative power of education and learn how to be a catalyst for equity and innovation. Open to all majors, this program equips you to tackle critical social justice issues and prepares you for impactful careers in education, non-profits, public administration and beyond.
Inspire Action
Engage with the critical issues shaping education today with the Education Leadership and Policy for Equity minor. This program empowers you to explore the sociopolitical, cultural and economic challenges impacting equity in schools, colleges and communities. Through dynamic coursework, you'll build the knowledge and skills needed to drive meaningful change, opening doors to entry-level roles in educational leadership, policy and non-profits.
Why Minor in Education Leadership and Policy for Equity?
The Education Leadership and Policy for Equity minor combines coursework and experiential learning to address pressing issues such as inequality, poverty and homelessness in education and society. Through this program, students develop practical skills and a deep understanding of how social, cultural and economic inequities shape education systems and policies. By critically examining topics like race, gender and class inequality, immigrant and refugee education and school-community partnerships, students are empowered to advocate for justice and implement meaningful solutions that foster equity and inclusivity in diverse contexts.
Program Overview
| Academic minor completed | Educational Leadership and Policy for Equity |
|---|---|
| Credits required for completion | 18 |
| Time to completion | 2 to 3 semesters |
| Course delivery | On campus, online or hybrid |
The equity minor program consists of 18 credits, including four required courses and two electives. You must achieve a minimum of 2.0 in all courses to remain in good standing in the minor. Course descriptions can be found in the UB Undergraduate Catalog.
Required Courses (12 credits)
- ELP 200 Foundations of Education Policy and Leadership for Social Justice
- ELP 201 Educational and Social Policy in Action
- ELP 405 Sociology of Education
- ELP 407 Language, Culture and Education in a Global Society
Elective Courses (6 credits) (choose two)
- AAS 355 Race, Class, and Society
- ECO 464 Economics of the Public Sector
- ELP 406 Global and International Perspectives on Education
- ELP 492/592 American Education for International Students
- LAI 350 Introduction to Education
- SOC 331 Sociology of Wealth and Poverty
- UBE 496 Leadership for Action
Course Substitution
- Generally, course substitutions are not permitted.
- For transfer students who may have already successfully completed equivalent courses at other institutions, course substitutions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. In order for the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy (ELP) to review requests for course substitutions, you must have been admitted to the education leadership and policy for equity minor and must submit relevant course information to ELP, such as the course syllabus and official transcript from the other institution.
- Course substitutions will not be permitted for current University at Buffalo students who wish to concurrently complete courses at other institutions.
- Students should expect that decisions regarding course substitutions will be rendered in no less than 30 days from the date that ELP receives the request and all relevant course information.
Admission to this minor, continued enrollment in the minor, and/or conferral of the minor as part of the undergraduate degree may not be approved if a student demonstrates a lack of professionalism.
- As a UB student, you must have an overall UB GPA of at least 2.5. As a transfer student, your GPA must include at least one semester of UB courses as a full-time, matriculated student.
Application Process:
- Complete the online application and submit it electronically.
- The department reviews your application and makes a determination regarding admission.
- The department notifies you of the admission decision by email.
Enrollment and Conferral: Enrollment in this minor will be verified via email from the department. In order to include this minor as part of your undergraduate degree, you:
- Must have been admitted to this minor prior to your application for degree.
- Must include this minor in your application for degree (for questions regarding the application for degree, you should consult your undergraduate advisor).
- Must successfully meet the requirements of this minor, which includes successful completion (grade of C or better) of the required and elective courses, as well as maintenance of an overall UB GPA of 2.5 or better.
Completing this minor will better prepare you for careers in:
- educational leadership, administration or policy in K–12
- educational leadership, administration or policy in higher education
- leadership and policy in related fields, such as:
- community development
- government
- non-profits
- public administration
- social work
- urban planning