B.S. Degree in Social Studies
Description
To receive the B.S. Degree in Social Studies, the student must meet the minimum university requirements and specific requirements for the program. Completion of 120 credits is required for this degree which includes the Liberal Arts and Sciences Core (42 credits) and Secondary Teaching Licensure Education requirements (36 credits).
Students must complete a primary and a secondary emphasis.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Reading Comprehension and Cognitive Skills: Students should be able to identify the main point or thesis in a piece of historical writing; analyze how authors develop their theses and support them with evidence; and recognize and evaluate the differences in historical interpretation among different authors.
- Historical Thinking Skills: Students should be able to recognize potential sources of bias in historical writings; understand and interpret events in their appropriate historic context; understand and interpret relations of cause and effect and other sequential relations; understand the complexity of human motivations, and appreciate cultural differences in patterns of behavior and ideation; and synthesize a variety of evidence into a coherent and plausible account of events.
- Research Skills: Students should be able to recognize the difference between primary and secondary sources, and understand the uses and importance of each type; select and refine an appropriate topic for a given assignment; identify a variety of different kinds of source materials that could shed light on a particular topic; use the library and various bibliographic aids to identify and locate different sources relevant to a particular topic; evaluate which of their sources are the most authoritative; compile and annotate a bibliography and present in proper format; and conduct an oral history interview.
- Written Communication Skills: Students should be able to formulate a thesis on the basis of insights gained from research; develop their thesis in an organized logical progression; use appropriate evidence to support points; cite their sources properly; summarize points made in source materials and make the connections between different points of view and their own; recognize the shortcomings of their evidence and anticipate possible objections; respond constructively to criticism and make appropriate revisions; write clear and grammatical prose; and critically evaluate the work of other students.
- Oral Communication Skills: Students should be able to respond clearly and thoughtfully to questions and comments in class discussion; draw upon and summarize reading materials in ways that address larger themes and issues; deliver an effective oral presentation; and critically evaluate the work of other students.
- Computer Literacy: Students should be able to produce a paper using work processing software; use email; and conduct research using the internet in addition to traditional sources.
Program Delivery Mode
Land plus: face-to-face where some online courses may be available or required
Core Requirements
( 63 credits )
ANTH 110 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology (3)
ECON 100 The American Economy (3)
GEOS 111 Cultures and Regions (3)
HIST 121 History of the United States to 1877 (3)
HIST 122 History of the United States Since 1877 (3)
HIST 440 Secondary Social Studies Instruction (3)
POL 105 Making Sense of Politics (3)
PSY 113 General Psychology (3)
SOC 110 Introduction to Sociology (3) or
SOC 210 Social Problems (3)
Total: 27 credits
Secondary Education Licensure Requirements
Students must earn at least a C- or higher in all licensure coursework.
AMCS 233 Education and Multicultural America (3)
COMM 100 Speech Communication (3)
ED 205 Introduction to Education (3)
ED 294 Educational Psychology (3)
ED 310 Social Foundations of Education (3)
ED 498 The Professional Teacher in the Classroom (3)
ED 448 Reading Study Skills in the Content Areas (3)
ED 461S Student Teaching: Secondary (12) or
ED 460S Student Teaching: Secondary (6) and
EECE 480E Student Teaching: Elementary (6) or
ED 461V Student Teaching: Secondary/K-12 (12)
SPED 225 Individuals with Exceptionalities (3)
Total: 36 credits
Program Requirements
Information on MSUM Teacher Licensure can be found HERE.
Emphasis in Anthropology
Program Requirements
Anthropology Primary Emphasis (24 credits)
In addition to the courses listed below, students must take 12 elective credits in Anthropology and at least one of the courses must be a cultural anthropology course. Students must also choose a secondary emphasis in Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology.
ANTH 115 Introduction to Archaeology (3)
ANTH 120 Introduction to Physical Anthropology (3)
ANTH 265 Language and Culture (3)
ANTH 300 Archaeology (3)
Anthropology Secondary Emphasis (12 credits)
In addition to one of the courses listed below, students must also choose at least nine credits of Anthropology electives.
ANTH 115 Introduction to Archaeology (3) or
ANTH 120 Introduction to Physical Anthropology (3)
Emphasis in Economics
Program Requirements
Economics Primary Emphasis (24 credits)
In addition to the courses listed below, students must complete at least nine elective credits in Economics courses. Students must also choose a secondary emphasis in Anthropology, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology.
ECON 202 Principles of Economics I: Micro (3)
ECON 204 Principles of Economics II: Macro (3)
ECON 300 Global Economic Issues (3)
ECON 302 Intermediate Microeconomic Theory (3)
ECON 304 Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory (3)
Economics Secondary Emphasis (12 credits)
In addition to the courses listed below, students must complete three credits in economics electives at the 300 level or higher.
ECON 202 Principles of Economics I: Micro (3)
ECON 204 Principles of Economics II: Macro (3)
ECON 300 Global Economic Issues (3)
Emphasis in Geography
Program Requirements
Geography Primary Emphasis (25 credits)
All students in this emphasis must complete GEOS 110 Introductory Physical Geography (3) and GEOS 492 Senior Seminar (1). Additionally, students must complete six credits from the following courses. Students must also choose a secondary emphasis in Anthropology, Economics, History, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology.
GEOS 235 Geography of Minnesota and North Dakota (3)
GEOS 310 United States and Canada (3)
GEOS 410 Eastern Europe and Russia (3)
Students must complete fifteen credits from the following courses. Students may not fulfill the "Restricted Electives" section with any of the courses applied toward the "Requirements" section of this emphasis.
ANTH 307 Ecological Anthropology (3)
GEOS 235 Geography of Minnesota and North Dakota (3)
GEOS 305 Oceanography (3)
GEOS 307 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (3)
GEOS 310 United States and Canada (3)
GEOS 320 Economic Geography (3)
GEOS 325 Reading Landscape: Ways of Seeing (3)
GEOS 330 Elementary Meteorology (3)
GEOS 335 Environmental Geography and Conservation (3)
GEOS 410 Eastern Europe and Russia (3)
Geography Secondary Emphasis (12 credits)
Students must take GEOS 110 Introductory Physical Geography (3) and must also take one of the following courses:
GEOS 235 Geography of Minnesota and North Dakota (3)
GEOS 310 United States and Canada (3)
GEOS 410 Eastern Europe and Russia (3)
Students will complete six credits from the listed courses. Students may not fulfill the "Restricted Electives" section with any of the courses applied toward the "Requirements" section of this emphasis.
ANTH 307 Ecological Anthropology (3)
GEOS 235 Geography of Minnesota and North Dakota (3)
GEOS 305 Oceanography (3)
GEOS 307 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) (3)
GEOS 310 United States and Canada (3)
GEOS 320 Economic Geography (3)
GEOS 325 Reading Landscape: Ways of Seeing (3)
GEOS 330 Elementary Meteorology (3)
GEOS 335 Environmental Geography and Conservation (3)
GEOS 410 Eastern Europe and Russia (3)
Emphasis in History
Program Requirements
History Primary Emphasis (21 credits)
Students must take the following. Students must also choose a secondary emphasis in Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology.
HIST 104 World History I (3)
HIST 105 World History II (3)
HIST 205 Introduction to Historical Methods (3)
Additionally, students must take 12 credits of electives at the 300 level or above distributed in the following areas: at least three credits in European History, at least three credits in U.S. or Canadian History, and at least three credits in African, Asian, Latin American, or modern Middle Eastern History. In addition, students must take a 3 credit elective which can be in any area of history.
History Secondary Emphasis (12 credits)
Students must take HIST 105 World History II (3)
Students must also take 9 credits of courses at the 300 level or above distributed as follows: one course in European History; one course in the history of either Africa, Asia, Latin America, or the modern Middle East; and one course in the history of the United States or Canada.
Emphasis in Political Science
Program Requirements
Political Science Primary Emphasis (24 credits)
Students must also choose a secondary emphasis in Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Psychology, or Sociology.
POL 120 American National Government and Politics (3)
POL 160 International Relations (3)
POL 221 Minnesota State and Local Government (3)
POL 310 Political Science Research Methods (3)
POL 315 Political Thought (3)
POL 350 Comparative Governments of Western Europe (3)
Students must also choose six credits in Political Science electives.
Political Science Secondary Emphasis (12 credits)
POL 120 American National Government and Politics (3)
POL 160 International Relations (3)
Students must also choose six credits in Political Science electives.
Emphasis in Psychology
Program Requirements
Psychology Primary Emphasis (24 credits)
Students must also choose a secondary emphasis in Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, or Sociology.
PSY 202 Developmental Psychology (3)
PSY 261 Personality (3)
In addition to the courses listed above, students must complete 15 elective credits in Psychology courses. Six of the elective credits must be at the 300 level or above.
Psychology Secondary Emphasis (12 credits)
PSY 202 Developmental Psychology (3) or
PSY 261 Personality (3)
Students must also complete 9 elective credits in Psychology courses. Six of the elective credits must be at the 300 level or above.
Emphasis in Sociology
Program Requirements
Sociology Primary Emphasis (26 credits)
Students who choose Sociology as their primary emphasis must take SOC 110 as part of the Core requirements. In addition to the courses listed below, students must take 11 credits in Sociology electives at the 300 level or above. Students must also choose a secondary emphasis in Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, or Psychology.
SOC 120 Social Psychology (3)
SOC 210 Social Problems (3)
SOC 302 Social Theory (3)
SOC 310 Dominant-Subordinate Group Relations (3)
SOC 412 Sociology of Complex Organizations (3)
Sociology Secondary Emphasis (12 credits)
Students who choose Sociology as their secondary emphasis must take SOC 110 as part of the Core requirements. In addition to the courses listed below, students must take three credits at the 300 level or above in Sociology courses.
SOC 210 Social Problems (3)
SOC 302 Social Theory (3)
SOC 310 Dominant-Subordinate Group Relations (3)