Major in Social Sciences with Concentration in Secondary Education
Social Sciences majors with a concentration in Secondary Education are eligible to apply for Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) certification to teach history/social studies at the secondary level upon successful completion of the program and MSDE content testing requirements. Please visit the Department of Secondary and Middle School Education catalog page for admission requirements.
In addition to the Core Curriculum requirements and the requirements specified by the Department of Secondary Education, students must complete 54 units with a grade equivalent of 2.00 or higher from among the following courses. Students must also complete a Social Sciences portfolio.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ANTH 207 | CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY | 3 |
| ECON 201 | MICROECONOMIC PRINCIPLES | 3 |
| ECON 202 | MACROECONOMIC PRINCIPLES | 3 |
| SOSC 401 | TOPICS IN SOCIAL SCIENCE | 3 |
| HIST 102 | EUROPE: FROM THE AGE OF CAESAR TO THE AGE OF CALVIN, FIRST TO SEVENTEENTH CENTURY | 3 |
| HIST 103 | HISTORY OF EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION FROM THE 17TH CENTURY | 3 |
| HIST 145 | HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE CIVIL WAR | 3 |
| HIST 146 | HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES SINCE THE CIVIL WAR | 3 |
| HIST xxx | African, Asian or Latin American History Course | 3 |
| HIST xxx | Elective HIST course | 3 |
| POSC 103 | AMERICAN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT | 3 |
| SOCI 101 | INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY | ||
| WORLD REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY | ||
| GEOGRAPHY OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN GEOGRAPHY | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGY | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL SCIENCE | ||
| GOVERNMENTS OF THE WORLD | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS | ||
| STATE GOVERNMENT | ||
| Electives | ||
| Students must complete three upper-division courses (300-400) from any of the seven disciplines in the program. The upper-division courses must be taken at Towson University. | 9 | |
| Total Units | 54 | |
Secondary Teacher Education Requirements
Secondary Education Requirements
In addition to majoring in one of the certification subject areas and satisfying the University Core Curriculum requirements, students must complete the courses listed below.
Minimum requirements for admission into teacher education programs, maintaining candidate status and formal entry into the capstone internship are outlined on the Standards for Teacher Education page in the Undergraduate Catalog.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary Education General Requirements (12 Units) | ||
| EDUC 202 | HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES: AMERICA'S URBAN SCHOOLS (Core 10) | 3 |
| EDUC 203 | TEACHING AND LEARNING IN A DIVERSE SOCIETY (Core 13) | 3 |
| HIST 145 | HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE CIVIL WAR (Core 11) | 3 |
| or HIST 146 | HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES SINCE THE CIVIL WAR | |
| SCED 304 | EDUCATION, ETHICS AND CHANGE (Core 14) | 3 |
| Secondary Education Professional Education Requirements (44-47 Units) 1 | ||
| ISTC 301 | INTEGRATING INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY | 3 |
| SCED 305 | ADOLESCENT LEARNING, DEVELOPMENT, AND DIVERSITY (prerequisite: PSYC 101) | 3 |
| SCED 341 | PRINCIPLES OF SECONDARY EDUCATION | 4 |
| SCED 401 | ANALYZING THE INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE | 3 |
| SCED 460 | USING LITERACY IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS 2 | 3 |
| SCED 461 | TEACHING LITERACY IN THE SECONDARY CONTENT AREAS 3 | 3 |
| SCED 499 | INTERNSHIP IN EDUCATION 4 | 6 |
| SPED 301 | INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL EDUCATION | 3 |
| Methods Requirement | ||
| Select one of the following based on major: 5 | 3-6 | |
| TEACHING MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGE | ||
| TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL | ||
| TEACHING ENGLISH IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL and YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE | ||
| Internship Requirement | ||
| Select one of the following based on major: | 12 | |
| INTERNSHIP IN SECONDARY EDUCATION- ENGLISH | ||
| INTERNSHIP IN FRENCH EDUCATION | ||
| INTERNSHIP IN SECONDARY EDUCATION- HISTORY | ||
| INTERNSHIP IN SPANISH EDUCATION | ||
| INTERNSHIP IN SECONDARY EDUCATION- SOCIAL SCIENCE | ||
| Total Units | 56-59 | |
- 1
Students in the English major with a Secondary Education concentration will complete the Secondary Education Requirements with 47 units of professional education courses and 59 units of Secondary Education requirements total.
- 2
Taken concurrently with SCED 341 and shares a required field experience
- 3
Taken concurrently with SCED 499.
- 4
Taken at a professional development school during the fall or spring term, whichever precedes the full-time internship term, with Methods of Teaching Major Subject and SCED 461
- 5
Some methods courses are offered spring or fall only. Check with your adviser.
The Professional Year and Full Time Internship
All teacher candidates conduct their internship in Professional Development Schools (PDS). These are schools in which there is a partnership between the schools and the College of Education (COE). All students wishing to enroll in their internship courses must meet with their Secondary School adviser to receive permission to register. Students will not be admitted to the internship without prior approval of an adviser.
Sample Four-Year Plan
The selected course sequence below is an example of the simplest path to degree completion. Based on course schedules, student needs, and student choice, individual plans may vary. Students should consult with their adviser to make the most appropriate elective choices and to ensure that they have completed the required number of units (120) to graduate.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| HIST 102 or 103 | 3 | COMM 131 (Suggested: Core 5) | 3 |
| HIST 145 or 146 (Core 11) | 3 | HIST 103 or 102 | 3 |
| POSC 103 or SOCI 101 | 3 | HIST 146 or 145 | 3 |
| PSYC 101 (Suggested: Core 6) | 3 | SOCI 101 or POSC 103 | 3 |
| Core 1 (or Core 2) | 3 | Core 2 (or Core 1) | 3 |
| Core 3 | 3 | ||
| 18 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| ECON 201 or 202 | 3 | ANTH 207 (Core 12) | 3 |
| EDUC 202 (Core 10) | 3 | ECON 202 or 201 | 3 |
| GEOG 101 or 109 (GEOG 101 fulfills Core 8) | 3 | EDUC 203 (Core 13) | 3 |
| HIST xxx: African, Asian or Latin American History Course | 3 | SOSC 401 | 3 |
| ISTC 301 | 3 | Core 7 | 4 |
| Core 4 | 3 | ||
| 18 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| GEOG 101 or 109 (GEOG 101 fulfills Core 8.) | 3 | SCED 304 (Core 14) | 3 |
| HIST xxx: Elective Course | 3 | SCED 341 | 4 |
| SCED 305 | 3 | SCED 460 | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | SPED 301 | 3 |
| Upper-Level Social Science course (HIST or POSC strongly recommended) | 3 | ||
| Core 9 (Suggested: HIST 300) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 16 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| SCED 355 | 3 | SCED 389 | 12 |
| SCED 461 | 3 | SCED 401 | 3 |
| SCED 499 | 6 | ||
| Upper-Level Social Science course (HIST or POSC strongly recommended) | 3 | ||
| Upper-Level Social Science course (HIST or POSC strongly recommended) | 3 | ||
| 18 | 15 | ||
| Total Units 131 | |||
- Demonstrate an understanding of specific disciplines of the social sciences, including basic and advanced concepts, the vocabulary of the disciplines, the ability to do research in the field, and awareness of recent developments in the disciplines.
- Integrate information from the various disciplines of the social sciences and demonstrate an understanding of interdisciplinary connections.
- Write clearly and effectively on subjects related to the social sciences.
- Engage issues in the social sciences analytically and do meaningful, original work.
Five Core Competencies for Social Studies Teacher Education
- Standard 1. Content Knowledge Candidates demonstrate knowledge of social studies disciplines. Candidates are knowledgeable of disciplinary concepts, facts, and tools; structures of inquiry; and forms of representation.
- Standard 2. Application of Content Through Planning Candidates plan learning sequences that leverage social studies knowledge and literacies, technology, and theory and research to support the civic competence of learners.
- Standard 3. Design and Implementation of Instruction and Assessment Candidates design and implement instruction and authentic assessments, informed by data literacy and learner self-assessment, that promote civic competence.
- Standard 4. Social Studies Learners and Learning Candidates use knowledge of learners to plan and implement relevant and responsive pedagogy, create collaborative and interdisciplinary learning environments, and prepare learners to be informed advocates for an inclusive and equitable society.
- Standard 5. Professional Responsibility and Informed Action Candidates reflect and expand upon their social studies knowledge, inquiry skills, and civic dispositions to advance social justice and promote human rights through informed action in schools and/or communities.