2012-2013 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

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Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Social Studies

• Requirements for a Major in Social Studies

Coordinator: Morison; Assistant Chair: Cooley; Professor: ONeill; Associate Professor: Cooley, Stabler; Assistant Professor: Andrews.

The major in social studies is designed for students seeking teacher certification in secondary and middle school social studies or in elementary education. The major includes a minimum of 42 credit hours in economics, geography, history, and political science. Students seeking teacher certification also complete a teachable minor and the professional major offered by the College of Education. The social studies major meets State of Michigan content standards for teacher preparation in social studies, which require at least six credit hours and two courses in each of the four disciplines and at least 18 credits and six courses in one of the four areas. In order to meet State Certification requirements for non-duplication of credits in the major and the minor, it is necessary to have 36 unduplicated credits in a group major and 18 unduplicated credits in the minor.

All social studies majors complete the core courses and select an area of concentration from the component disciplines. Students must complete a substantial portion of the major, including SST 310, before admission to the College of Education. The College of Education requires that candidates for admission present an overall GPA of 2.7 as well as a GPA of 2.7 in the major and minor. Students may earn the B.A. or the B.S. degree. Students seeking the B.A. must demonstrate third-semester proficiency in a foreign language; students seeking the B.S. complete the following:

• STA 215 - Introductory Applied Statistics Credits: 3
• ED 370 - Technology in Education Credits: 3
• HST 290 - Research Methods in History Credits: 3

Students who decide not to seek teacher certification may complete the Social Studies major and receive a bachelors degree without completing the professional program in education; such students may graduate with a GPA lower than 2.7 provided they meet the universitys minimum requirements.

Transfer and post-graduate students seeking a teachable major in social studies should consult with the CLAS Advising Center for an evaluation of their previous work. Post-baccalaureate students must present a record substantially equivalent to that required of Grand Valley State University undergraduates; such students whose previous academic work is not equivalent to the Grand Valley program or whose previous work does not include at least six credits and two courses in each of the four disciplines and at least 18 credits and six courses in one of the disciplines must take additional courses to meet those requirements. Post-baccalaureate students seeking admission to the College of Educations undergraduate professional program must also take SST 310, Strategies for Social Studies Teachers before admission to the College of Education.

Requirements for a Major in Social Studies

Core:

• ECO 210 - Introductory Macroeconomics Credits: 3
• ECO 211 - Introductory Microeconomics Credits: 3
• GPY 100 - Physical Geography Credits: 3
• GPY 235 - World Regional Geography Credits: 3
• HST 203 - World History to 1500 A.D. Credits: 3
• HST 204 - World History since 1500 Credits: 3
• HST 205 - American History to 1877 Credits: 3
• HST 206 - American History since 1877 Credits: 3
• PLS 206 - American Constitutional Foundations Credits: 3
• PLS 211 - International Relations Credits: 3

The following course must be taken before admission to the College of Education.

• SST 310 - Strategies for Social Studies Teachers Credits: 3

The following course must be taken with or after Student Assisting or Student Teaching:

• SST 495 - Education in Plural Societies (Capstone) Credits: 3

Concentration:

Students take a total of six courses (at least 18 credits) in the area of concentration. Students may select any of the four disciplines as their area of concentration; core courses may be included among the six required for the concentration. In order to meet State Teacher Certification requirements for non-duplication of credits in the major and the minor, it is necessary to have 36 unduplicated credits in a group major and 18 unduplicated credits in the minor.

Requirements for each concentration follow:

Geography:

Core plus four geography courses numbered between GPY 345 and 370.

History:

Core plus two history courses numbered between HST 301 and 391; at least one course must be in European or non-Western history (see Categories 2 and 3 in the History Major section of the catalog).

Political Science:

Core plus four courses, including:

• PLS 203 - State Politics (3 credits)
  OR
• PLS 304 - Political Parties and Interest Groups (3 credits)
  OR
• PLS 305 - Congress and the Presidency (3 credits)
  
  AND EITHER:
• PLS 221 - Government and Politics of Western Europe (3 credits)
  OR
• PLS 327 - Politics of Developing Countries (3 credits)
  
  AND:
• Two additional PLS courses.
  
  Note: At least two of the four courses must be at the 300-level.

Economics: (for secondary candidates only):

Core plus two economics courses and

• ECO 312 - Applied Microeconomics Credits: 3
• ECO 313 - Business Cycles and Growth Credits: 3

Social Studies Program Description

Click here for the program description.