What is Fair in University Admissions?

Catalog description

Around the world, more students than ever are seeking a university education. When admission is competitive, how does a society and its universities answer the question: who should get in? This question is complicated by the recognition of educational disparities in the primary and secondary systems that prepare students for university. Today, about a quarter of all countries have some sort of affirmative action programs - also known as reservations, quotas, or preferential admissions - and eligibility criteria range from race, caste, gender, ethnicity, and ruralness to educational and socioeconomic disadvantage. This course analyzes the development and impact of affirmative action policies within broader debates about equity and fairness in higher education. Case studies and guest speakers will be drawn from South Africa, Brazil, India, and the United States. Special focus will be given to South Africa, which first developed its policies under the country's post-Apartheid Constitution. Site visits to higher education institutions in Cape Town and elsewhere will offer in-depth insights into the practical implications of these policies and the controversies that surround them. This course will be offered in June-Term 2026. This course will be taught in South Africa and will count as an Away J-Term course.