Education Minor Fieldwork Pathways

For the Undergraduate Education Minor, fieldwork can be obtained via the following pathways:

Pathway 1: Standalone Fieldwork Course

EDUC W144: Practicum in Education/Capstone Project is offered for 1-3 units. This course teaches students to become better practitioners by learning to think like researchers.  Alongside their fieldwork, students develop an inquiry project to address a puzzle or phenomenon they identify in their fieldwork site. Through scaffolded assignments, students develop habits of inquiry and learn to engage in a cycle of action, reflection, and learning.

A wide variety of education-related fieldwork is possible through this course, including tutoring, coaching, providing classroom support, and working with a community organization.  Students need to contact the course instructor to discuss possible placements in advance of the start of the semester.

A list of practicum sites currently partnering with EDUC W144, along with the hours required per unit, is available here: EDUC W144 Approved Sites. Students are also able to propose their own site subject to the approval of the course instructor.
For more information about w144, please email educw144@berkeley.edu.

Key EDUC W144 Links:

Pathway 2: 4-unit Courses with Embedded Fieldwork

Below is a list of the 4-unit EDUC courses that integrate fieldwork. Students can obtain 1 unit of fieldwork through each of these courses:

  • EDUC 140AC/W140A - Language and Literacy in a Global World (4)
  • EDUC W190A / 190AC - Critical Studies in Education (4)

FAQ

If I’m an Education Minor, can I count other fieldwork units towards my 3 units of fieldwork?

We strongly advise students to take at least one unit of EDUC W144. EDUC 140AC/W140A and EDUC W190A/190AC  are 4 unit courses that also include 1 unit of Education fieldwork.

Note: EDUC W190 is a 3 unit course offered in the summer. This summer course does not include 1 unit of fieldwork.

Can I use 197 units towards my minor requirements?

A: Beginning Fall 2026, students will no longer be able to use EDUC 197 units to count towards their fieldwork requirement. Students who have taken EDUC 197 units Spring 2026 or earlier will still be allowed to count these units as fieldwork. Students can continue volunteering with field sites associated with EDUC 197, but will need to enroll in EDUC W144 to receive fieldwork units for the Ed Minor.

Do other EDUC Courses have a fieldwork component?

Yes. Below is a list of other BSE course offerings that integrate fieldwork:

  • EDUC 130 - Knowing and Learning in Mathematics and Science (3)
  • EDUC 135A - The Developing Child Practicum: Linking Research and Practice (3)
  • EDUC C181- Race, Identity, and Culture in Urban Schools (3)
  • EDUC 187A - Teachers of Color In the United States (3)
  • EDUC W144 Practicum in Education (1-3)
  • EDUC 197 (1-3)

Notes: 

1. Although these courses have a fieldwork component, only courses with 4 units count towards fieldwork for the Education Minor. Students cannot earn fieldwork through 3-unit courses.

2. EDUC C181. Through Spring 2026, students must enroll in the EDUC 197 section associated with EDUC C181 and must commit to 3 hours (1 unit) or 6 hours (2 units) of fieldwork to earn Education Minor fieldwork units.

3. Beginning Fall 2026, EDUC 197 units cannot count toward the undergraduate minor.

4. EDSTEM 82 does not satisfy any Education Minor requirement. This course does not meet the minimum total hours required for a fieldwork unit.

Can my fieldwork units overlap with another major or minor's program requirements?

No, students may not overlap fieldwork units with another major or minor's program requirements.