The program requires a minimum of 68 semester credits in social sciences and history. It is a large major and to graduate "on-time" you will need to pay close attention to what classes you will take and when you will take them. You will complete a 15-credit area of concentration. Most of those classes will be taken in the junior and senior years.
You will be prepared broadly in the social sciences and history completing an introductory course in each of the disciplines associated with social studies. In four of the disciplines an additional class or classes are required. These are taught in part in the context of secondary teaching. You will also take a women's studies class or an ethnic studies class and two social studies seminars.
Students who graduate with a bachelor in teaching degree (secondary social studies) will be eligible for a Minnesota license to teach social studies in grades 5-12. Consequently, the program prepares students to teach all of the areas of the social studies with a concentration in one discipline.
A grade of C is required in all courses in the major and no more than 12 credits may be taken pass/no pass.
Descriptions of courses listed below are available on the Undergraduate Bulletins page.
Students take a set of courses that provides a broad base for teaching social studies. These include introductory courses in seven disciplines associated with social studies (anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, sociology); additional upper division courses in geography, history, and political science; and an interdisciplinary course from ethnic studies, or women's studies.
Students complete two seminars in social studies, SOST 200 – introduction to social studies, and SOST 450 – teaching social studies in the secondary school. Students enrolled in SOST 200 are introduced to secondary social studies teaching and begin the development of a professional portfolio. Students in SOST 450 learn about and practice methods of social studies teaching and curriculum development (SOST 450 Assignments). Students enrolled in SOST 200 should consider enrolling concurrently in KSP 201, media utilization in secondary education, and students enrolled in SOST 450 must enroll concurrently in KSP 420, planning, instruction, and evaluation in the secondary school.
** (Admit to program required to enroll)
Select one of:
In addition, students must complete 30 credits through the College of Education in education foundations, curriculum and instruction, student teaching and human relations.
Students must be admitted to Professional Education to take upper division courses. You will take 30 credits in a professional education sequence. You must also complete a class in drug education {Health 310 (3) or PSYC 490 (1): Workshop Drug & Alcohol Education}. The 30 credits include 12 credits that you earn during your student teaching {KSP 477, student teaching (11) & KSP 475 (1)}. You may receive advising about Professional Education in AH 117 or in the Department office of K-12 & Secondary Programs (KSP) in AH 313.
In the semester before you student teach you must enroll in SOST 450, KSP 410 & KSP 420
Students select one of the seven disciplines in which they will concentrate their study. This set of courses offers the student greater depth and breadth of study in one discipline.
Anthropology: Select one course from the following: ANTH 220, 230 or 240. Select 12 credits of upper-division (300/400) level anthropology electives: Contact Paul Brown, paul.brown@mnsu.edu, Anthropology Dept.
Economics: Required courses: ECON 202, 314, 406, 412, 420. Contact Ashok Chowdhury, ashok.chowdhury@mnsu.edu, Economics Dept.
Geography: Required Courses: GEOG 101, 103. Choose one Cultural-Systematic from the following: GEOG 425, 435, 437. Choose one Physical-Systematic from the following: GEOG 313, 315, 317, 410, 420. Choose one Foreign Regional from the following : GEOG 445, 450, 454, 456, 458. Contact Jose Lopez, jose.lopez@mnsu.edu;, Geography Dept.
History: Choose 15 credits of upper division history courses; including at least one course at the 400 level from each of the following areas: Europe, Third World (i.e. Latin America, Middle East, Asia and Africa) and the United States. Contact Erwin Grieshaber, erwin.grieshaber@mnsu.edu, History Dept.
Political Science: Require Courses: POL 371, 414,431, 473. Choose 3 credits of independent study or choose one of the following: POL 342, 433, 441, 442, 443. Contact Joe Kunkel, joseph.kunkel@mnsu.edu, Political Science Dept.
Psychology: Required Courses: PSYC 201, 211. One course from: PSYC 404, 407, 413, 421; One course from: PSYC 340, 433, 436, 455, 456. Contact: Kevin Filter, kevin.filter@mnsu.edu, Psychology Dept.
Sociology: Choose one course from each of the five areas: Sociological Theory: SOC 456, 457, 458 Methods: SOC 201, 469, 479, 480. Level of Focus: Micro/Macro: SOC 351, 352, 401, 407, 423, 461. Family: SOC 408, 409, 411, 483. Social Issues: SOC 255, 307, 425, 441, 446, 463, 482. Contact Vicki Hunter, vicki.hunter@mnsu.edu, Sociology Dept.
No minor is required.
