Graduate Certificate in Anti-Racism
All coursework is 100% online. Three out of four courses are Quality Matters Certified is the fourth is currently submitted for QM review now. Quality Matters is the standard for high-level online education.
The Graduate Certificate in Anti-Racism provides a coherent curriculum that draws from four content courses addressing race and racism in professional or organizational spaces.
The certificate program caters to people interested in an advanced certificate with a focus on race, racism, and anti-racism. The certificate will demonstrate that students have completed coursework enabling them to become justice-oriented change agents in the organizations in which they work.
The four courses will address different foci and content, yet all have the aim that students will uncover the underlying social, economic, psychological and political conditions that disproportionately and inequitably channel advantages and opportunities to particular racialized groups while denying them to others.
The certificate is appropriate for educators in public and private settings, administrators in non-profit settings, counselors, religious/spiritual leaders, local, regional and state government employees and others interested in topics of racial equity. Visit the student profile link to see the variety and diversity of students and their diverse roles in their various industry/field/background.
The program is 100% online and designed to be flexible for working professionals hoping to continue their education.
Featured Story: Professors Bring Passion and Lifelong Dedication to Anti-Racism Education
“This program challenged me to think about my role as an educator and how I can use that position to teach, learn from others, and challenge racist policies in place that hinder progress. Dr. Miller and Dr. Glass once again shine in that they challenged me to think outside of my box.” -2022 graduate
“Relevant, insightful, powerful, and life-changing.” -2022 graduate
“This program has altered the way I view the world and my own thoughts and perceptions. It is powerful! I would recommend it to every student, staff, and faculty member. It should be a part of the required curriculum and orientation for employment processes.” -2022 Graduate
Program Directors
Dr. Erin Miller
Dr. Erin Miller (she/her/hers) is an Associate Professor in The Reading and Elementary Education Department in the Cato College of Education at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dr. Miller has been an educator for approximately 25 years. She is the current program director of the Graduate Certificate program in Antiracism. Dr. Miller teaches courses such as: Theories and Practice for Equity in Urban Education, Racial Identity Development (Quality Matters Quality Matters certified), and Anti-Racist Activism in Urban Education (QM certified). Dr. Miller is a former 2nd grade teacher and former 1st grade reading specialist. She was a 2021 UNC Charlotte Bank of America Teaching Excellence finalist.
Dr. Miller conducts research in racial identity development and antiracist pedagogy. She has authored or co-authored 28 peer-reviewed articles, 12 book chapters, 2 books, and numerous policy briefs. Her scholarly work has won a Taylor and Francis Distinguished Article award, and an Outstanding Dissertation Award.
Dr. Miller serves on the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) Elementary Education Steering Committee. In 2017, she won the NCTE Early Childhood Assembly Social Justice Education Award. Dr. Miller earned a research grant from the Spencer Foundation to conduct studies of anti-racist pedagogical implementations in elementary school settings; Dr. Miller is the co-editor of Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy.
Dr. Tehia Starker Glass
Dr. Tehia Starker Glass (pronounced Tee-uh; pronouns: she/her/hers) is the Cato College of Education Director of Diversity and Inclusion, the Inclusive Excellence Executive Fellow for Faculty Development in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, and an award-winning Associate Professor of Elementary Education and Educational Psychology in the Department of Reading and Elementary Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Dr. Glass teaches courses like History and Psychology of Racism, Race in Education and Schooling, and Theories of Human Development and Learning in Cultural Contexts, and the Elementary School Child. She enjoys conducting professional development and building curricula that represents racial diversity. Dr. Glass’ research includes culturally responsive teaching self efficacy, culturally responsive teaching in teacher education, Black women in the academy, and examining education through the lens of racial perspectives. She has published numerous articles, book chapters, books, and blog posts that revolve around her aforementioned research interests.
A true educator at heart, Dr. Glass has 25 years of teaching experience and now consults nationally with teachers, schools, districts, and organizations to revise their instruction and curriculum to be more anti-racism oriented. Dr. Glass is a TED speaker, and co-author of Teaching for Justice and Belonging- A Journey for Educators and Parents. Dr. Glass is an Educational Advisor and Certified Trainer with Brownicity: Many Hues, One Humanity. She co-founded and is the co-director of the Anti-Racism Graduate Certificate Program at UNC Charlotte.
Application Deadlines
- August 1 (Fall)
- May 1 (Summer first half term)
- June 15 (Summer second half term)
Program Outcomes
- Candidates are able to use appropriate research and theory to identify and analyze anti-racist movements through a historical and cultural context.
- Candidates are able to develop a plan of action to effectively address racism in local contexts.
Coursework
The certificate requires 12 credit hours of coursework: ELED 6260, ELED 6261, ELED 6262, ELED 6263
Course Descriptions
ELED 6260: History and Psychology of Racism
The history and psychology of race and racism will be examined and an analysis of how racism manifests and is sustained by individuals living within systems of power and privilege (micro and macro levels) will be explored. An in-depth examination of unconscious racial bias, awareness of privilege, and the impact of ideologies that sustain racism, including colorblind ideology and meritocracy will be conducted. Course readings will allow students to individually build a knowledge base and develop multiple perspectives. Research methods for the psychology of racism are reviewed as a basis for interpreting research results. Notion of Whiteness as normative in the US will be investigated. How those notions of race and racist beliefs and practices exist in the US (politics, education, psychological perspectives) are included.
Learning Outcomes: Self-reflect on personal contributions to racism and examine institutional racism.
ELED 6261: Racial Identity Development
The purpose of this course is to examine (a) how individuals construct and maintain their sense of themselves as raced beings within historical and ideological constructions of race, and (b) personal- and societal-level consequences of such identities. This course includes a review of essential theories pertaining to racial and ethnic identity in the United States and practical applications related to understanding how racial and ethnic identities play a meaningful role in the human experience and in schools and classrooms.
Learning Outcomes: Report on personal racial identity development.
ELED 6262: Race in Education and Schooling.
This course will analyze schooling and education from a historical, sociological, political, economic, and contemporary perspective with institutional racism at the center. By examining schooling and education from these perspectives, investigations of urban schools will occur to understand how these schools were formed based on White supremacist ideologies. Contributions to the movement of improving schools for students of color will be discussed.
Learning Outcomes: Develop an educational plan for a school environment to dismantle racism.
ELED 6263: Anti-Racist Activism in Education.
The purpose of this course is to examine (a) the long and inspiring history of anti-racist movements and resistance to racist practices and policies among both people of color and white people throughout American history, (b) explore the characterizations and impetus for contemporary anti-racist movements, particularly the role of social media as a vehicle for organizing momentum and disseminating information, and (c) analyze how systems, including education, can organize for lasting social change in effort to create a more equitable and just society.
Learning Outcomes: Restorative Justice project in which students will develop an anti-racist vision and plan for change within education institution.
Students may complete the certificate in multiple ways:
- Complete the courses over two summers:
ELED 6260: History and Psychology of Racism (3) (First Half Summer Year 1)
ELED 6261: Racial Identity Dev. (3) (Second Half Summer Year 1)
ELED 6262: Race and Education in Schooling (3) (First Half Summer Year 2)
ELED 6263: Anti-Racist Activism in Education (3) (Second Half Summer Year 2)
*There are flexible options if you would like to complete the program in a more expedited manner.
- Recommended path for students pursuing the certificate while concurrently enrolled in the MEd in Urban Education:
ELED 6260: History and Psychology of Racism (3) (Fall Year 1)
ELED 6261: Racial Identity Dev. (3) (Spring Year 1)
ELED 6262: Race and Education in Schooling (3) (Fall Year 2)
ELED 6263: Anti-Racist Activism in Education (3) (Spring Year 2)
Questions? Contact us at arue-cert@charlotte.edu