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Bachelor of Arts in History-Social Science
This program is for students who wish to teach history and social studies in the Virginia public school system. The degree is made up of 127 credit hours that include classes in History, Education, Geography, Political Science and Economics. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to apply for a Virginia teaching license for secondary education in social studies.
What to Expect as a History Student
Your courses will provide you with the knowledge and understanding of how the major civilizations have shaped human behavior over time and space. You should have a working knowledge and an appreciation of the world's cultural diversity. Your education courses will provide a strong grounding in modern pedagogy and teaching methods to prepare you for classroom teaching.
Degree at a Glance
- Average Class Size: 30
- Classes are offered on campus. Some courses may be taken online.
Curriculum
The curriculum for the Bachelor's of Arts in History-Social Science are available in the NSU Catalog.
Endorsement Requirements
The Department requires 27 hours in history including 15 hours in lower level U.S. history, world civilization, and introduction to history courses, as well as 12 hours of advanced history courses (300-400 level) with a minimum of 6 credit hours of non-Western courses. The candidate must also complete 18 hours of professional education courses and 12 hours of student teaching for certification in secondary education.
A minimum grade of “C” is required in all history and geography, political science, economics, professional education, and English 101, 102, and 203 courses. These requirements apply to all areas of endorsement.
Prior to enrolling for SED 499, students must pass the PRAXIS II Test for Social Studies and must give the Department a hard copy of both their overall scores and content-specific subscores from this examination. Failure to pass the content areas of the Praxis II Test and to give the Department a hard copy of those Praxis II scores and subscores for verification will prevent the student from graduating.
To be endorsed as a teacher in Social Studies, the applicant shall complete 30 hours of education courses and 42 hours of Social Studies courses, including 18 upper-level semester hours in History, 18 semester hours in Political Science, 9 semester hours in Geography, and 6 semester hours in Economics. Within the endorsement, the applicant wishing to teach a course in Cultural Anthropology and Sociology or Social Psychology must complete a minimum of 6 semester hours in these disciplines.
An applicant seeking a separate endorsement in history must complete 24 semester hours: American history (including Virginia history), European history, World history, and contemporary affairs (State Department of Education Guidelines).
*Students must pass the PRAXIS I Test prior to applying for admission to Teacher Education and enrollment in upper level professional education courses. SED 233, while not required, may be taken before taking the PRAXIS Test.
**Must be taken prior to directed teaching
Students must fulfill the degree requirements for the History and Social Science Curriculum and take the following courses in Early Childhood Education and professional education (18 semester hours) as well as student teaching (12 semester hours):
Degree Requirements
| Course |
Course Title |
| ECE 374 |
Developmental Psychology |
| ECE 460 |
Curriculum and Instruction in Preschool and Kindergarten |
| ECE 461 |
Curriculum and Instruction in Early Primary |
| ECE 484 |
Teaching Reading in Early Childhood Education |
| ECE 499 |
Directed Teaching |
| EDU 201 |
Foundations of Education |
| SED 233 |
Seminar in Assessment and Evaluation |
Teacher Licensure Endorsement in History and Social Science--Special Education
Students must fulfill the degree requirements for the History and Social Science curriculum and take the prescribed curriculum (24 semester hours) in Special Education and professional education (see Department of Special Education) as well as 12 semester hours of student teaching:
Degree Requirements
| Course |
Course Title |
| CSSE 423 |
Rehabilitation Technical of Exceptional Children |
| EDU 201 |
Foundations of Education |
| SED 233 |
Seminar in Assessment and Evaluation |
| SED 405 |
Reading in the Content Area |
| SED 486 |
Educational Psychology and Behavior |
| SPE 310 |
Characteristics of Exceptional Students |
| SPE 371 |
Aspects for Handicapping Conditions |
| SPE 440 |
Curricula Adjustment for Exceptional Students |
| SPE 490 |
Assessment of Exceptional Students |
| SPE 499 |
Supervised Classroom Experience/Directed Children |