EDUCATION:

College as a Social Institute

By K ath erine Fresn ido
Prof. Em ily Prior
Sociolog y 001

History of Higher Education

During the colonial era, religious denominations established most

early colleges in order to train ministers. The first college to be
established was Harvard College in 1636. Eventually when the
Revolutionary War begun, other colleges were established such as
Oxford, Cambridge, Yale and Princeton.

HOW COLLEGE INSTITUTES CHANGED

OVER TIME
College during the 19th Century
Many small colleges for women were opened by Catholics. The schools'
curriculum primarily based on liberal arts where students learned Greek, Latin,
Geometry, Logics, Ethics, Rhetoric and Ancient History.
The impact of the 19th-century colleges helped young men in transitioning
from rural farms to complex urban occupations. It also increased mobility
through having ministers and community leaders, contributing a great power in
elite societies.

In 1920, Junior colleges were established by City School systems. By the 1960s,
junior colleges were renamed as Community Colleges. Students desired for
higher education but wanted low-cost schools to attain a white collar labor
force as well as advance technical jobs in the blue collar sphere thus the
establishment of these colleges.

Before, higher education was exclusive for

training clergy and the elite but eventually
transitioned to serve a new function of
preparing individuals for the labor force.
Ever since then, higher education has grown
tremendously. According to College Life
Expert Kelci Lynn Lucier, a college degree
could also give an individual a lifetime of
increased opportunities. Higher education is
now seen as a must since statistics shows that
nearly 60% of all jobs in the US economy
require higher education.

THE FUNCTIONALIST VIEW

mile Durkheim on Education
Education creates social solidarity
Through education, culture is easily
transmitted to values, beliefs and
norms

Education maintains social roles

Education maintains division of labor

THE FUNCTIONALIST
PERSPECTIVE
Having a degree on a hig her education does
have its benefits. It allows an individual to
have a higher salary and it gives access to
havi ng a stable career, enabling to r aise a
family well. It also trai ns peopl e to ful fi ll
roles and maintain a division of labor.

THE CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE

Marxism on Education
Education helps meet the needs of
society by dividing it into distinct social
classes.

Hidden curriculum is the tool of the

ruling class.

Schools reproduce social inequalities.

Social Conflicts on Higher Education

Cost of books, supplies,

admissions, and living on campus

Student Debt
Decrease in job markets
Budget cuts

Social Conflict

Although attaining a college degree can be

perceived as a great accomplishment for an
individual, the process of attaining its
benefits could be overwhelming.
Community colleges might help save money
but the cost of other resources are still high.
This would the lead to the perception of
getting a student debt, which most students
struggle to pay. And even if an individual
finishes college, he or she would then find it
difficult to get a job due to the decrease in
the job market.

 Require a Core Curriculum

WAYS TO IMPROVE
HIGHER EDUCATION

As societies are changing, so are the

institutes within these societies. So as
members of the society, how can we
enhance higher education? These are some
ways on i mproving it:

-Schools must maintain such curricula in order for their students to

still recall even basic knowledge of cultures and the world which they
live in.

Financial Aid
-The cost of college could be overwhelming. Students should
always apply for scholarships and financial aids. This is a great help
especially for those low-income students.

Asses Student Learning

-Schools shou ld offer tutorial classes in order for their students to
be on track with their studying.

Emergence of lifelong relationships between Alumni and

their Alma Mater
-Graduates could support their alma mater by being a donor for
scholarships, which could greatly help students.

Education is an integral part in society since it is considered to be a crucial structural

element that governs behavior. This is something that society should not limit to its
members. With education, here we can get our lawyers, doctors, teachers and other
social roles that contributes to have a functional society. Every member of the
society has the right to have education. Pursuing for a higher education may not be
accessible to all but, as societies are gradually changing, there is always a way. It's just
a matter of hard work and perseverance.

Work Cited
"Benefits of Ear ning a College Degree." Careerprofile.info. Web. 10 O ct 2015
Freedman, Josh. "Why American Colleges Are Becoming a Force of Inequality." Theatlantic.com. 2015. Web. 10 Oct
2015

Hanford, Emily. "The Value of a Colleg e Degree." Americanradioworks.publicradio.org. American Radi o Works, Web. 10
Oct 2015

Kajiwar a, Michaela. "5 Trends That Could Change the Face of Higher Education." Higheredlive.com. Web. 10 O ct
2915

Katz, Michael. "The Role of American Colleg es in the Nineteenth Centur y." Histor y of Education Quarterly, Vol.
23 No. 2

Luci er, Kelci Lynn. "10 Reasons to Get A College D eg ree." Careerprofile.info. Web. 10 O ct 2015
Thelin, John R. "A History of Am erican Higher Education (2004)."pp. 1-40
Thompson, C.H. "What's the Point of Education? A Marxist Perspective." Sociologytwynham.com. Web. 10 O ct 2015