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.

Required Courses
ANTH 207CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY3
ECON 201MICROECONOMIC PRINCIPLES3
ECON 202MACROECONOMIC PRINCIPLES3
SOSC 401TOPICS IN SOCIAL SCIENCE3
HIST 102EUROPE: FROM THE AGE OF CAESAR TO THE AGE OF CALVIN, FIRST TO SEVENTEENTH CENTURY3
HIST 103HISTORY OF EUROPEAN CIVILIZATION FROM THE 17TH CENTURY3
HIST 145HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE CIVIL WAR3
HIST 146HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES SINCE THE CIVIL WAR3
HIST xxx African, Asian or Latin American History Course3
HIST xxx Elective HIST course3
POSC 103AMERICAN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT3
SOCI 101INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY3
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 Units54

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. 

Secondary Education General Requirements (12 Units)
EDUC 202HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES: AMERICA'S URBAN SCHOOLS (Core 10)3
EDUC 203TEACHING AND LEARNING IN A DIVERSE SOCIETY (Core 13)3
HIST 145HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE CIVIL WAR (Core 11)3
or HIST 146 HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES SINCE THE CIVIL WAR
SCED 304EDUCATION, ETHICS AND CHANGE (Core 14)3
Secondary Education Professional Education Requirements (44-47 Units) 1
ISTC 301INTEGRATING INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY3
SCED 305ADOLESCENT LEARNING, DEVELOPMENT, AND DIVERSITY (prerequisite: PSYC 101)3
SCED 341PRINCIPLES OF SECONDARY EDUCATION4
SCED 401ANALYZING THE INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE3
SCED 460USING LITERACY IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOLS 23
SCED 461TEACHING LITERACY IN THE SECONDARY CONTENT AREAS 33
SCED 499INTERNSHIP IN EDUCATION 46
SPED 301INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL EDUCATION3
Methods Requirement
Select one of the following based on major: 53-6
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 Units56-59
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 1UnitsTerm 2Units
HIST 102 or 1033COMM 131 (Suggested: Core 5)3
HIST 145 or 146 (Core 11)3HIST 103 or 1023
POSC 103 or SOCI 1013HIST 146 or 1453
PSYC 101 (Suggested: Core 6)3SOCI 101 or POSC 1033
Core 1 (or Core 2)3Core 2 (or Core 1)3
Core 33 
 18 15
Sophomore
Term 1UnitsTerm 2Units
ECON 201 or 2023ANTH 207 (Core 12)3
EDUC 202 (Core 10)3ECON 202 or 2013
GEOG 101 or 109 (GEOG 101 fulfills Core 8)3EDUC 203 (Core 13)3
HIST xxx: African, Asian or Latin American History Course3SOSC 4013
ISTC 3013Core 74
Core 43 
 18 16
Junior
Term 1UnitsTerm 2Units
GEOG 101 or 109 (GEOG 101 fulfills Core 8.)3SCED 304 (Core 14)3
HIST xxx: Elective Course3SCED 3414
SCED 3053SCED 4603
Select one of the following: 3SPED 3013
Upper-Level Social Science course (HIST or POSC strongly recommended)3
 
 
 
Core 9 (Suggested: HIST 300)3 
 15 16
Senior
Term 1UnitsTerm 2Units
SCED 3553SCED 38912
SCED 4613SCED 4013
SCED 4996 
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
  1. 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.
  2. Integrate information from the various disciplines of the social sciences and demonstrate an understanding of interdisciplinary connections.
  3. Write clearly and effectively on subjects related to the social sciences.
  4. 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.