TCU Graduate Courses Integrated Decolonial Theory
The university included new course materials on settler colonialism and land acknowledgments this fall.
Updated on Oct. 2, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Texas Christian University integrated curriculum focusing on settler colonialism and decolonial theory into two graduate courses during the fall 2026 semester. The materials include land acknowledgments and historical analyses of Indigenous displacement.
Why it matters
These graduate course materials aim to foster deeper engagement with the history of the land and the university’s relationship to Indigenous populations. The syllabi specifically address the impact of forceful removal on local communities and the historical context of education in America.
The Evil and Education seminar is a 3-credit course, while the Curriculum History syllabus includes an essay originally published in 1935 by W.E.B. Du Bois. These courses supplement existing university resources provided through the Intercultural Center.
The players
Texas Christian University
This is a private university located in Fort Worth that operates outside the purview of state law SB 17.
Wichita and Affiliated Tribes
These are the Indigenous nations recognized in the land acknowledgment statement found in the university graduate courses.
The details
Texas Christian University requires Curriculum Studies students to engage with texts such as The White Architects of Black Education and Eugenics and Education in America. The university, which adopted an official land acknowledgment in 2021, encourages the inclusion of such statements in official syllabi and employee orientations.
Timeline
Texas Christian University adopted an official land acknowledgment statement in 2021.
The graduate courses containing the specified syllabi were offered in fall 2026.
Culture Shift
The university's approach reflects a broader trend among private institutions that maintain autonomy from state-level directives like Texas state law SB 17. This positioning highlights the growing divergence between private and public university policies regarding academic curricula and social advocacy.
Students enrolling in Curriculum Studies at the university will encounter these updated materials as part of their standard degree requirements. Prospective students and faculty may observe how these changes influence the broader institutional culture regarding Indigenous relations and advocacy.
The takeaway
These curriculum updates signal a commitment to integrating historical perspectives on land use and colonialism into graduate-level teacher training. Students can expect these themes to continue shaping the academic environment as the university maintains its current advocacy programming.
Further reading
For more information on trends in local academic programs, visit the Secondary Education section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Dallas Express.
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