Please contact the Social Studies Coordinator in the History Department if you have specific questions or concerns.
Very important for BSEd undergraduate students: You MUST PASS Praxis Social Studies Content Knowledge (5081) before applying to student teach. That means you’ll need to pass Praxis Social Studies Content Knowledge very soon after entering the Professional Program. It’s important that you prep for and pass this Praxis test as soon as you finish your introductory courses. There’s no need to wait until you enter the Professional Program to take it.
Find out more about registering for the test
Review a free preparation guide
We recommend taking Praxis at a testing center to avoid problems with technology and disruption.
Congratulations!
You have already made significant progress toward your bachelor's degree with certification or your post-bacc certification. With acceptance into the Professional Program, you are responsible for conducting yourself with the highest professional standards.
First Things First
From now on, it is vital that you keep an accurate and up-to-date record of your educational and professional paperwork. Your files should start with a copy of your letter of acceptance into the Professional Program. Save all your syllabi, course assignments, lesson plans, observations, letters of recommendations, etc. You should update your resume every semester.
Student Teaching
You must apply for student teaching before September 15 in the fall semester before you intend to student teach. You MUST PASS Praxis Social Studies Content Knowledge (5081) before applying to student teach.
Students take SSCI 415: Secondary Social Studies Methods and SSCI 416: Secondary Social Studies Field Experience in the fall, and you will spend a lot of time in class and with your host teacher discussing the expectations of student teaching for the spring.
All placements and student teaching are coordinated by the Office of School-Community Partnerships.
Advising Meetings
It is your responsibility to make sure that you are on track to meet the general education, major, and Professional Program requirements. It is important to know exactly which courses are left for you to take in addition to the Professional Program sequence, especially because you can take only the two student teaching classes in your student teaching semester. Failure to follow the suggested sequence of classes could mean delays in graduation and having to do additional field experience hours.
Ideal Sequence of Classes
1st Semester in Professional Program
The first class you need to take is EDTE 316: Principles of Learning in Diverse Settings.
It is a prerequisite for EDSC 425: Multicultural, Interdisciplinary Teaching and for LLA 440: Literacy Instruction in the Secondary School.
You also need to take SPED 315 Secondary Level this first semester. It will provide you with needed information and experience for the other semesters.
EDTE 316: Principles of Learning (4 credits - 30 field experience hours)
SPED 315: Introduction to Educating Learners with Exceptionalities - Secondary (3 credits – 10 field experience hours)
EDT 315: Technology (1 credit) can be taken in the first or second semester, if completed BEFORE your student teaching semester.
2nd Semester - Always in Fall
The following three courses should be taken in the semester just prior to student teaching. You can use the one placement for SSCI 416 for all your field experience hours.
SSCI 415: Secondary Social Studies Methods (3 credits)
SSCI 416: Secondary Social Studies Field Experience (1 credit - 30 field experience hours)
LLA 440: Literacy in the Secondary School (3 credits – 30 field experience hours in history/social studies)
EDSC 425: Multicultural, Interdisciplinary Teaching at the Secondary Level (3 credits – 30 field experience hours)
Student Teaching Semester - Always in Spring
No other courses can be taken in the semester of student teaching.
EDSC 435 is the course for the student teaching practicum with your university supervisor, and SSCI 421 is the once-per-week seminar that all History/Social Science student teachers attend on campus.
EDSC 435: Secondary Education Student Teaching (9 credits)
SSCI 421: Social Studies Student Teaching Seminar (1 credit)