EDAD 8141 - History of Higher Education
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section A01, CRN 43942,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Phyllis M. Paul
Email: pmpaul@ysu.edu
Course Description
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | A history of American higher education (3rd ed.) | Thelin | |
| Required | The uses of the university | Kerr | |
| Required | Tell them we are rising | PBS |
Required Texts:
Kerr, C. (1963). The uses of the university. Harvard University Press.
Myers, N. R. (2007). American Pestalozzianism revisited: Alfred Holbrook and the origins of object-based pedagogy in 19th century America. American Educational History Journal, 34(1), 85–96.
Nelson, S., & Williams, M. (Directors). (2018). Tell them we are rising: The story of Black colleges and universities [Film]. Firelight Films, Inc.; National Black Programming Consortium; Independent Television Service. (Retrieved from www.pbs.org. May be accessed here – log in with YSU Y#.)
Thelin, J. R. (2019). A history of American higher education (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press.
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Week of | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | Read: Thelin, 1-40 Watch: Myers Module 1 Lecture: "American Higher Education in the 17th & 18th Centuries" |
Colleges in the Colonial Era | Quiz over Reading/Lecture Discussion |
| 8/31 | Read: Thelin, 41-73 Watch: Myers Module 2 Lecture: "The Free & Protected Market in American Education" Read: Myers, N. R. “American Pestalozzianism revisited: Alfred-Holbrook & the origins of object-based pedagogy in 19th century America” |
The “American Way” in Higher Education | Quiz over Reading/Lecture Discussion |
| 9/7 | Read: Thelin, 74-154 Watch: Myers Lecture Module 3: "So goes the nation: The maturation of US higher education " |
A Changing Nation: American Higher Education Matures | Quiz over Reading/Lecture Discussion |
| 9/14 | Read: Thelin, 155-204 Watch: Myers Lecture Module 4: "Institutional Artifacts as History" |
Alma Mater: America Goes to College | Quiz over Readings/Lecture Discussion Institutional Artifact Assignment |
| 9/21 | Read: Thelin, 205-259 Watch: Myers Lecture Module 5: "Graduate Education and the Research Function in US Higher Education" Watch: "Tell Them We Are Rising" (Film, 83 minutes) |
Expansion & Reforms in Higher Education, 1920-1945 | Quiz over Reading/Lecture Discussion |
| 9/28 | Read: Thelin, 260-316 Read: Kerr, Chapter 2 Watch: Myers Lecture Module 6: "Does Higher Education Form or Reflect American Values?" |
Higher Education’s Golden Age: 1945-1970 | Quiz over Reading/Lecture Discussion |
| 10/5 | Read: Thelin, 317-440 Watch: "Thelin on US Higher Education" (Film, 5 minutes) |
US Higher Education 1970 to Present | Historical Spotlight Assignment |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.