About the Program

Accredited: Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) (formerly NCATE)

Enrollment in all teacher education programs follows the guidelines for "Admission to Teacher Education Programs" found in this catalog. Applicants who do not yet meet all admissions criteria should consult with the department.

Professional Licensure: This program leads to a recommendation for NYS certification; please check for certification requirements in all other states.

The social studies secondary education program prepares students to meet the educational requirements leading to New York State Initial Certification in Adolescence Education required to teach social studies in grades 7–12, with an extension for middle childhood that qualifies the holder to teach social studies in grades 5–9. The program supplies a knowledge base that provides the background knowledge necessary for teachers to implement the NYS Learning Standards for students in grades 5–12.

Candidates should consult the Teacher Certification website for current seminars and workshops.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all history and social science courses.

Prerequisites for Student Teaching: See prerequisites for SSE 409 and SSE 410.

A departmental honors program is also available. Students should contact the department for additional information.

The social studies content core constitutes a 42-credit major in social studies that consists of study in economics, government, and a minimum of 33 credit hours of study in the history and geography of the United States and the world.

All program majors are required to complete a minimum of 150 clock hours of field experience related to coursework prior to student teaching. These field experiences consist of observations, individual tutoring, and the teaching of small groups of students under the supervision of certified teachers. These experiences are an integral component of the pedagogical core courses specified in the previous section, with learning outcomes specified and their achievement evaluated by course instructors.

Students complete a minimum of 30-35 clock hours of field experience in each of three courses: SSE 200, SSE 303, and SSE 309. Another course, SSE/HIS 488, will be used by students to complete the additional 50 clock hours in field experience required for the grades 5–6 extension. The department has established relationships with several "high-need" urban and suburban school districts where field experiences are held. All majors will have study and experiences that together provide a solid foundation for teaching in high-need schools.

To student teach, students are required to be in the major and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the social studies major, as well as obtain a minimum grade of C in SSE 303 and SSE 309. All majors meeting these requirements must enroll in two practicum courses following successful completion of all other coursework, and satisfaction of English and math competency requirements. Placements for these practica include urban and suburban settings. The urban placements may be in high-need districts that provide opportunities for student teachers to work with students from diverse backgrounds, including socio-economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, and students who are English-language learners. Experiences include individual and group instruction, daily and long-view planning, unit teaching, classroom management and routine procedures, use of audiovisual aids, community resources, record-keeping, evaluation procedures, and participation in the total school program.

Learning Outcomes

1. The Learner and Learning Candidates will use understanding of adolescent development, individual differences and diverse cultures to ensure inclusive, student-centered learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.

2. The Content Candidates will demonstrate understanding of central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of disciplines to be taught and be able to connect concepts to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity and collaborative problem solving related to authentic issues.

3. The Teacher and Teaching Candidates will use multiple methods of assessment, plan instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals and use varied an innovative instructional strategy to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content.

4. The Profession and Professional Dispositions Candidates will engage in ongoing professional learning, use evidence to reflect on their own practice, seek appropriate leadership roles and collaborate with families, colleagues, and the community to advance the profession.

Program Requirements

General Education 23 Requirements (33 credit hours)
Program majors should enroll in an introductory psychology course, such as PSY 101, to satisfy their General Education requirements. It is recommended that majors take history courses to meet their U.S. History & Civic Engagement and World History & Global Awareness requirements. (Note: No more than two courses from the primary major can count in the General Education program).

Social Sciences Major Requirements (42 credit hours)


History of the Western Hemisphere (15 credit hours)

Required Courses
Complete ALL of the following Courses:
HIS106 HISTORY OF AMERICAN LIFE I | 3 - Credit Hours
HIS107 HISTORY OF AMERICAN LIFE II | 3 - Credit Hours
HIS314 MODERN LATIN AMERICA | 3 - Credit Hours
HIS415 HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT OF NEW YORK STATE | 3 - Credit Hours

Selected Course
Select one from the following:

Complete at least 1 of the following Courses:
HIS308 HISTORY OF EARLY CANADA | 3 - Credit Hours
HIS316 HISTORY OF MODERN CANADA | 3 - Credit Hours
HIS326 HISTORY OF THE GREAT LAKES REGION | 3 - Credit Hours

History of the Eastern Hemisphere (15 credit hours)

Required Course
Complete ALL of the following Courses:
HIS230 WORLD CIVILIZATIONS I | 3 - Credit Hours

Upper Division Electives
Two upper-division electives (any Asian, African, or Middle-Eastern world history courses).

Selected Courses
Select two from the following:

Complete at least 2 of the following Courses:
HIS115 FOUNDATIONS OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION | 3 - Credit Hours
HIS116 EUROPE SINCE 1500 | 3 - Credit Hours
HIS117 TWENTIETH-CENTURY EUROPE | 3 - Credit Hours

Geography (3 credit hours)

Required Course
Complete ALL of the following Courses:
GEG300 WORLD REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY | 3 - Credit Hours

Political Science (3 credit hours)

Select One from the Following:
Complete at least 1 of the following Courses:
PSC102 INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS | 3 - Credit Hours
PSC302 INTERNATIONAL CONFLICT AND PEACEFUL RESOLUTION | 3 - Credit Hours

Economics (3 credit hours)

Select One from the Following:
Complete at least 1 of the following Courses:
ECO101 THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM | 3 - Credit Hours
ECO201 PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS | 3 - Credit Hours
ECO202 PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS | 3 - Credit Hours

Seminar (3 credit hours)

Seminar Course
Complete ALL of the following Courses:
HIS300 RESEARCH AND WRITING SEMINAR | 3 - Credit Hours

Professional Education Requirements (30 credit hours)

Required Courses
Complete ALL of the following Courses:
SPF303 EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY: MIDDLE AND SECONDARY EDUCATION | 3 - Credit Hours
EDU416 TEACHING LITERACY IN MIDDLE AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS | 3 - Credit Hours
ENG309 TEACHING AND EVALUATING WRITING | 3 - Credit Hours
OR EDU417 ADOLESCENT LITERACY | 3 - Credit Hours
EXE100 NATURE AND NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS | 3 - Credit Hours
OR EXE372 FOUNDATIONS OF TEACHING ADOLESCENTS WITH DISABILITIES | 3 - Credit Hours
PSY357 ADOLESCENT AND YOUNG ADULT DEVELOPMENT | 3 - Credit Hours
SSE200 INTRODUCTION TO SECONDARY TEACHING | 3 - Credit Hours
SSE303 METHODS AND MATERIALS IN TEACHING MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES | 3 - Credit Hours
SSE309 METHODS AND MATERIALS IN TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES | 3 - Credit Hours
SSE370 COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSROOM | 3 - Credit Hours
SSE402 HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL EDUCATION | 3 - Credit Hours
OR SSE407 THE TEACHING OF HISTORY | 3 - Credit Hours
OR HIS407 THE TEACHING OF HISTORY | 3 - Credit Hours

Field Experience and Student Teaching Requirements (15 credit hours)

Required Courses
Complete ALL of the following Courses:
SSE409 STUDENT TEACHING OF SOCIAL STUDIES IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6 - Credit Hours
SSE410 STUDENT TEACHING OF SOCIAL STUDIES IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 6 - Credit Hours
SSE488 INTERNSHIP | 1 - 12 Credit Hours
OR HIS488 INTERNSHIP | 1 - 12 Credit Hours

One Year (or Equivalent) of a Foreign Language (0 credit hours)
Completion requirement

120 Total Credit Hours