History/Social Studies Major

Contents:

• History/Social Studies Advising Guidelines
  • The Major - Requirements
  • Relationship of History/Social Studies Major to education programs in other colleges and schools
  • Middle Level - Humanities Endorsement
• What should strong applicants to Teacher Education demonstrate?
• What route should students take to certification? 
  • BA, Post-Baccalaureate, MIT

History/Social Studies Advising Guidelines

The History/Social Studies major is designed to provide the academic major and content knowledge necessary to earn a Social Studies teaching endorsement at the Secondary level.  It is not the sum total of what students must have to earn a Washington State teacher certificate, for they must also successfully complete a teacher education program that includes a number of education-related classes, exams, etc.  

Western's teacher education program is completed separately from the academic major through the Woodring College Secondary Education program.  It may be completed through one of three routes:  as an undergraduate, as a post-baccalaureate following completion of the BA in History/Social Studies, or through a Master's in Teaching program. 

Students must realize that declaring this major does not automatically qualify them for admission to the Woodring College Secondary Education program or to teach in the public school system.  It does provide more than the minimum requirements in the academic concentration than the state mandates, which from our perspective is a good thing. In order to qualify for a Social Studies endorsement through the Department of History, students must complete the equivalent of the History/Social Studies major.  Beginning September 1, 2005, students must also successfully pass the WEST-E/Praxis II subject knowledge test.

The Major Requirements

• The History/Social Studies major is essentially the "History Major" plus a  Social Studies component that is "welded" into a single unit.  This major leads to a teaching endorsement in Social Studies when accompanied or followed by a professional teacher education program.

• The History component of the major requires:

  • 60 total credits

  • 30 credits must be upper division

  • No more than 12 of the total credits may double count for GURs

  • 3 courses must be in US History, 2 in European, and 2 from other areas as defined in the catalog (including ancient)

  • Hist 391 Pacific Northwest History or its equivalent from another institution is required and may not be counted toward the US History component.

  • History 499 is required and may not be counted in any of the "fields"

• The Social Studies component of the major requires:

  • 30 total credits in Social Studies (anthropology, economics, geography, political science, psychology, sociology)

  • Students may count any number of these as GURs (the 12 credit limit only applies to the History component of the major)

  • One course or its equivalent is required in the following:

    • Human or cultural geography  (EGEO 201 at WWU) - not physical geography, though this may be counted toward elective credits

    • Introduction to Political Science or International Politics (POLS 101 - Government and Politics in the Modern World, at WWU)

    • American Government (POLS 250 - The American Political System, at WWU)

  • Two courses in economics.  Either:

    • Macro and Micro Economics (ECON 206 and 207 at WWU) or

    • ECON 446 and 447 (economics for teachers, which Woodring prefers)

  • Additional electives to reach a total of 30 credits in the social sciences.  These electives should be relevant to the student's long-term goals or some area of focus and expertise.  (In the former, developmental psychology might be a good idea or the sociology of the family, and in the latter any coursework that would help the student develop a distinctive profile for employment as a teacher.)

• In both the History and Social Studies components of the major, no grade of less than a "C" may count toward the major.  Students must maintain a GPA of 2.5 or better within the major. However Woodring College requires students to maintain a GPA of 2.75.  Realistically, students with a 3.0 or higher are more likely to gain admission than students with a 3.0 or lower.  They may calculate this using the grade calculator available online through Academic Advising.  Students with marginal grades should have done this prior to meeting with an advisor for the final major evaluation.

 

In the major, students should seek to distinguish themselves from others in the "pack" through a strong academic record and various possible specializations that might make them better candidates for a school district.  As many schools have curricula in World History, Asian History, and Ancient History, these are several likely areas for additional concentrations.  Students should take advantage of the department's strengths outside U.S. and European History and should consider African, Middle Eastern, Canadian, Latin American, and Asian History to broaden their profiles.  In short, while students need grounding in US and European History, these are not the "be all and end all" of their undergraduate studies in the academic major.  It is also clear that schools will often assign new teachers to geography, civics, economics, and/or other social science classes.  It can be most helpful to have more than the minimum preparation in those areas.

Relationship of History/Social Studies Major to education programs in other colleges and schools

1. This is an academic major so the focus is on history and social studies.  Students interested in teaching at the secondary level (high school) cannot major in education, but must complete an approved academic major that qualifies for a teaching endorsement.
2. This major does not automatically qualify students for certification by the state, nor does it guarantee acceptance into any Secondary Education program.  It prepares them only in the academic areas.  (Redundant, but worth repeating!)
3. Students must apply separately, outside the History Department, to the Woodring College of Education Secondary Education teacher certification program or a similar program at another school.   Students must check with the specific program as to requirements.   Although History faculty are conversant with teacher education requirements at Western, students must consult with WCE Teacher Education Admissions or like individuals at other institutions regarding professional teacher education programs.
4. Students graduate with an academic major in History/Social Studies.  This is the responsibility of the History Department, and students must satisfy all the requirements of the major to graduate.
    

Middle Level - Humanities Endorsement

This is a newly approved additional endorsement program through which History/Social Studies majors may obtain necessary language arts and middle level pedagogy coursework to qualify to teach a social studies/language arts core block at the middle level.  Students taking this option will have an academic major in History/Social Studies (or one of the other five Social Studies majors), or English Language Arts - Secondary.  Students in these majors should not expect to teach in middle or junior high schools unless they earn the Middle Level - Humanities endorsement.  The Middle Level - Humanities Additional Endorsement program is offered through the Department of Secondary Education and includes the following requirements. Students interested in pursuing this additional endorsement should contact Dr. Angela Harwood in Miller Hall 301, for further advising.

History/Social Studies students take the following English courses as a minimum :

• ENG 202  - Writing About Literature (or equivalent) (5)

• ENG 370 - Introduction to English (5)
• One of the following (5)
• ENG 347  - Studies in Young Adult Literature

• ENG 441 - Children's Literature for the Elementary and Middle School Teacher

• One of the following (5):
• ENG 301 - Writing Studies
• ENG 302  - Introduction to Technical and Professional Writing
• ENG 350 - Introduction to Creative Writing
• ENG 371 - Studies in Rhetorical Analysis

• ENG 443 - Teaching English Language Arts in the Secondary Schools I (5)

English/Language Arts students take a teaching methods course within the Secondary Education program - SEC 426 (4); and the following History/Social Studies courses as a minimum:

• HIST 103 - American History to 1865 (4)
• HIST 104 - American History Since 1965 (4)
• HIST 391 - History of the Pacific Northwest (4)
• HIST 111 - Prehistory to 476 (4)
• EGEO 201 - Human Geography (4)
• POLS 250  - The American Political System (5)
  
  One of the following:
• ECON 206 - Microeconomics (4)
• ECON 446 - Macroeconomics (3)

All students take the following Middle Level emphasis courses within the Secondary Education program.

• SEC 450 - Introduction to Middle Schools (4)

• SEC 451 - Curriculum and Instruction in Middle Schools (4) (substitutes for SEC 431)
• SEC 451a -   Intensive Middle School Practicum (3) (substitutes for SEC 431a)

Beginning September 1, 2005, all students must also pass two WEST-E/Praxis II subject knowledge tests required for the Middle Level - Humanities endorsement.

What Should Strong Applicants to Teacher Education Demonstrate?

1. Much weight is given to experiences with adolescents in a variety of settings as a key indicator of success as a teacher.  Typically, students will obtain this experience through volunteering as mentors, tutors, and school aides as well as through selective paid jobs.  Students should not expect History faculty to be aware of all opportunities in these areas and should rely on staff and faculty from the individual certification program for suggestions. Information on student-based volunteer programs offered through the Woodring College of Education is available at www.wce.wwu.edu under Tutoring Programs.
2. Multicultural understandings are also highly valued for admission to certification programs.  Students should be aware that their personal, work, volunteer, and academic experiences may serve in this capacity.  Again, beyond the academic major, students are themselves responsible for developing this component of their "profile."  They should check with teacher education staff and faculty for guidelines and opportunities, who may suggest that students explore student-based volunteer programs offered through the Woodring College of Education.
3. A strong record in the academic major and overall academic profile.  For example, Woodring College of Education at Western has a minimum standard of a 2.75 GPA in the last 45 graded credit hours or overall graded college-level course work.  The applicant pool for social studies is highly competitive and realistically, students with a 3.0 or higher are more likely to gain admission than students with a 3.0 or lower.
   

What route should students take to certification?  BA, Post-Baccalaureate, MIT

There are three key routes to teacher certification.  Information on these programs can be found on the Secondary Education website at www.wce.wwu.edu/depts/sec.  In addition, students may contact the Program Manager in Secondary Education for clarification on the differences in the programs.  Students will want to assess their individual needs and preferences in order to effectively determine which option is best for them.  The three program options are:

BA

In this scenario, students earn an academic major and certification at the same time by completing all the requirements for the History/Social Studies major and, having been accepted by Secondary Teacher Education, all of the teacher certification coursework.

1. Advantages:
   1. Potentially lower cost of education (paying only for undergraduate credits)
   2. Possible earlier arrival on job market.  ($ in hand sooner!)
2. Disadvantages:
   1. Potentially slows time to undergraduate degree because of number of courses required and may offset any cost savings for undergraduate credits.
   2. Severely limits flexibility in electives and major as students must balance the major requirements and the certification coursework simultaneously.
   3. BA's start at the lowest salary levels once on the market.

Post-Baccalaureate

In this option, students finish the History/Social Studies academic major and earn the BA prior to applying for admission to Secondary Teacher Education or taking any education courses.  These students enroll for the identical course sequence as those in the undergraduate program.

1. Advantages:
   1. Potentially better mastery of academic subject areas with more opportunity for electives and supplemental classes.
   2. More flexibility in undergraduate program in general.
   3. Slightly higher pay since courses taken subsequent to granting of the degree result in pay step increases according to the Washington State salary schedule.  
   4. Concentrated program slightly shorter than MIT.
   5. Tuition the same as for the undergraduate program.
2. Disadvantages:
   1. May slightly delay entry into job market in comparison to BA .

MIT

In this option, students finish the History/Social Studies academic major and earn the BA prior to applying to Secondary Teacher Education or taking any education courses.  Students apply to the Secondary Master's in Teaching program (MIT) through the Graduate School.

1. Advantages:
   1. Same as i-ii in Post-Bac.
   2. Those earning a Master's degree may earn approximately $5000-$6000 more per year according to the Washington State salary schedule.
   3. Students enroll in a more rigorous graduate course of study.
   4. The MIT is only 10 credits more than the undergrad/post bac program; and therefore is a time and cost-effective way to earn a master's degree.
2. Disadvantages:
   1. Most costly financial investment of all options
   2. In contrast to the undergrad/post bac programs, MIT students must meet a higher GPA requirement and successfully complete the Graduate Record Exam.

Conclusion

Students may hear that school districts prefer to hire BA's because they are cheaper and at the same time they hear that employers prefer to hire MIT's because they are more experienced.   Students should be aware that any district that uses the Washington State Salary schedule passes along the additional cost of the (master's) degree to the State.  Superintendents indicate that it is the quality of the candidate -- not the specific degree earned -- that determines who they hire.   Students should analyze their immediate and long-term situations and balance those against their desire to obtain as much as possible from the academic major and the teacher certification program.