Secondary Education Social Studies

Capital College (SESST)

PROFESSOR J. SCOTT LEWIS, Program Coordinator, School of Behavioral Sciences and Education

The Secondary Education Social Studies major prepares students to meet the requirements as established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, to be certified for the Social Studies Instructional I Certificate. The major prepares students to teach history, government, economics, geography, psychology, sociology, and anthropology.

Students are challenged to prepare for teaching assignments at the middle and high school level, and in diverse settings characterized as rural, urban, and suburban. The art and science of teaching in secondary schools is undergoing significant transformation as new technologies, time allocation for instruction, and new instructional strategies are impacting the delivery of social studies instruction.

Students admitted to the program must have the appropriate clearances. These include FBI fingerprint check, Act 151 child abuse history clearance, and Act 34 criminal record check.

Students thinking seriously about entering the education program should plan their freshman and sophomore years carefully. Semesters 5 through 8 are very structured.

Entry to Secondary Education Social Studies requires the following:

1. A minimum grade point average of 3.0.
2. Completion of ENGL 015 GWS(3) or ENGL 030 GWS(3) and three credits of literature from approved list with a C or higher grade.
3. Completion of six credits of college-level mathematics (MATH or STAT prefixes) with a C or higher grade.

Selective Retention:
Following entrance to the major, students will be evaluated for retention in the program based on:

1. maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher;
2. completion of required courses with a C or higher grade;
3. an acceptable or above rating on the Penn State Harrisburg Professional Dispositions for Teacher Education.*

To be eligible to student teach, students must:

1. maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher;
2. complete all required Content and Education Courses with a C or higher grade;
3. submit passing scores from the PAPA (Pre-Service Academic Performance Assessment) for Reading, Writing and Mathematics;*
4. be rated acceptable or above on the Penn State Harrisburg Professional Dispositions for Teacher Education.*

In order to successfully complete the Secondary Education Social Studies Program, students must:

1. complete EDUC 490 with a grade of C or higher;
2. maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher;
3. complete all required Content and Education Courses with a C or higher grade;
4. complete a presentation portfolio; and
5. be rated acceptable or above on the Penn State Harrisburg Professional Dispositions for Teacher Education.*

*FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION SEE THE SECONDARY EDUCATION HANDBOOK.

For a B.SOSC. degree in Secondary Education Social Studies, a minimum of 122 credits is required.

Scheduling Recommendation by Semester Standing given like (Sem: 1-2)

GENERAL EDUCATION: 45 credits
(21 of these credits are included in the REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR)
(See description of General Education in front of Bulletin.)

FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR:
(Included in ELECTIVES, GENERAL EDUCATION, or REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR)

UNITED STATES CULTURES AND INTERNATIONAL CULTURES:
(Included in REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR)

WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM:
(Included in REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR)

ELECTIVES: 3 credits

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR: 95 credits
(This includes 21 credits of General Education courses: 6 credits of GH courses, 3 credits of GN courses, 6 credits of GS courses, 6 credits of GQ courses.)
(At least 15 credits must be at the 400 level.)

PRESCRIBED COURSES (65 credits)[1]
BI SC 003 GN(3), C I 280 GH(3), EDPSY 014(3), , HIST 020 GH;US(3), HIST 021 GH;US(3), PSYCH 100 GS(3), SOC 001 GS(3) (Sem: 1-4)
EDUC 313(2), EDUC 314(3), EDUC 315W US(3), EDUC 415(3), EDUC 458(3), EDUC 459(3), EDUC 490(12) (Sem: 5-8)
GEOG 040 GS;IL(3), GEOG 128 GS;IL(3), HD FS 239 GS(3), HIST 320(3), PL SC 001 GS(3) (Sem: 5-8)

ADDITIONAL COURSES (12 credits)
Select 6 credits from the following:
MATH 017 GQ(3), MATH 018 GQ(3), MATH 021 GQ(3), MATH 022 GQ(3), MATH 026 GQ(3), MATH 030 GQ(3), MATH 035 GQ(3), MATH 036 GQ(3), MATH 040 GQ(5), MATH 200 GQ(3) or MATH 220 GQ(2-3), STAT 100 GQ(3), STAT 200 GQ(4) (Sem: 1-4)
Select 3 credits from: ECON 104 GS(3) or ECON 014 GS(3) (Sem: 1-4)
Select 3 credits from: HIST 001 GH;IL(3) or HIST 010 GH;IL(3) (Sem: 1-4)

SUPPORTING COURSES AND RELATED AREAS (18 credits)
(6 of these 18 credits must be a the 400-level. In addition, 3 of these must be US cultures)
Select 3 credits of literature courses from approved department list (Sem: 1-4)
Select 3 credits of African African-American studies, American studies, history or minority studies from approved department list (Sem: 5-8)
Select 3 credits of anthropology from approved department list (Sem: 5-8)
Select 3 credits of psychology from approved department list (Sem: 5-8)
Select 3 credits of political science (Sem: 5-8)
Select 3 credits of sociology (Sem: 5-8)

[1] A student enrolled in this major must receive a grade of C or better, as specified in Senate Policy 82-44.

Last Revised by the Department: Spring Semester 2013

Blue Sheet Item #: 41-06-034A

Review Date: 04/09/2013

Program Coordinator updated: 3/21/11

UCA Revision #1: 9/1/06
UCA Revision #2: 7/30/07

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