Middlebury

SOCI 0430

Higher Education and Society

Higher Education and Society
Concerns about quality, value, and cost have raised doubts about whether higher education remains a pathway to opportunity. In this seminar we will consider these issues by reviewing research on the changing demographics of students, the evolving definition of “merit” in admissions, the challenges of assessing what students learn, and the relationship between student loan debt and economic inequality. We will also examine how college shapes later outcomes such as income, health, and family formation. Finally, we will discuss efforts to reform higher education and the potential for innovations like global expansion to reshape postsecondary schooling in the future. 3 hrs. sem.
Subject:
Sociology
Department:
Sociology
Division:
Social Sciences
Requirements Fulfilled:
SOC
Equivalent Courses:
SOCI 0330 *

Sections in Spring 2024