Sociology with Teacher Certification in Social Studies (Preschool-Grade 12) (B.A.)

Students who wish to pursue P-12 teacher certification in Social Studies must apply to and be admitted to the Teacher Education Program. Once admitted, students will be matriculated into the B.A. in Secondary Education program as a second major.

Please visit the Teacher Education Program website for the required professional sequence of courses and other important Program requirements, guidelines, and procedures. Because Praxis exams in this area are heavily weighted towards history, we STRONGLY advise students to include History (as a second major ideally) as a primary component of their program. Students also are strongly advised to review the Teacher Education Program Handbook. The course SASE 401 is the departmental requirement.

The social studies teacher is expected to have a broad understanding of the cultural and environmental factors which shape the individual and society. To meet the approved program for certification in social studies, course work is required in each of the following:

  • Anthropology, Psychology or Sociology
  • Economics
  • Geography
  • History
  • Political Science

A detailed description of the requirements is available in the office of the Social Studies Teacher Education Coordinator in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

120 credits of coursework is required for the baccalaureate degree with a minimum 3.0 overall GPA. Major GPA requirements differ depending on field of study. Consult the Teacher Education Handbook for more information.

Program Requirements Overview

General Education Requirements21
World Languages and Cultures Requirements3
Major Requirements39
Social Studies Support Courses for Teacher Education21
Teacher Education Program Requirements36
Total Credits120

Major Requirements

Required Courses
SOCI 201Foundations of Sociological Inquiry4
SOCI 240Statistics for Social Research4
SOCI 301Sociological Research Methods I4
SOCI 313Sociological Theory: A Critical Analysis3
SOCI 400Senior Project3
Major Electives
Complete a total of 21 credits from the list below.21
Total Credits39

Major Electives

Upper Level Electives
Complete 12-21 credits from the following:
SOCI 302Interviews and Focus Groups3
SOCI 303Large Scale Organizations3
SOCI 304Sociology of Work and Professions3
SOCI 309Sociology of Health and Illness3
SOCI 310Directed Independent Research3-9
SOCI 312Environmental Sociology3
SOCI 314Environmental Justice3
SOCI 315Social Inequality3
SOCI 316Sociology of Education3
SOCI 318Sociology of Population3
SOCI 330Political Sociology3
SOCI 336Sociology and Social Work3
SOCI 340Social Change in a Global World3
SOCI 350Special Topics in Social Issues3
SOCI 364Religion, Culture, and Society3
SOCI 401Sociology of Emotions3
SOCI 405Deviance and Social Control3
SOCI 407Sociology of the Mass Media3
SOCI 408Social Movements3
SOCI 411Special Topics in Sociology3
SOCI 420Sociology of Law3
SOCI 426Sociology of Sexuality3
SOCI 430Sociology of Gender3
Lower Level Electives
0-9 credits may be taken from the following:
SOCI 100Introduction to Sociology3
SOCI 102Racial and Ethnic Relations3
SOCI 104Sociology of the Family3
SOCI 106Individual and Society3
SOCI 113Social Problems3
SOCI/GSWS 208Men and Masculinities3
SOCI 212Sociology of Technology3
SOCI 215Sociology of Sports3
SOCI 219Sociology of Aging3
SOCI 220Sociology of Rich and Poor Nations3
SOCI 230Sociology of Conflict and Violence3
SOCI 250Special Topics in Current Sociology Issues3
SOCI 290Cooperative Education in Sociology3-4

Social Studies Support Courses for Teacher Education

ECON 100Introduction to Economics3
or ECON 101 Applied Macroeconomics
or ECON 102 Applied Microeconomics
HIST 103Gods, Empires, Crusades Plague3
HIST 114Early Latin American History3
HIST 117Foundations of America3
HIST 118Emergence of the Modern United States3
HIST 141Emergence of the Modern World3
EAES 170World Geography3
Total Credits21

Second Major in Secondary Education

Secondary Education (B.A.)

General Education Requirements

Click here for a list of courses that fulfill General Education categories.

A. New Student Seminar
Complete a 1 credit New Student Seminar course.1
C. Communication
1. Writing 3
2. Literature
Sociological Theory: A Critical Analysis (Fulfilled in the major.)
3. Communication3
D. Fine and Performing Arts
Complete a 3 credit Fine and Performing Arts course.3
F. Humanities
1. Great Works and Their Influences3
2. Philosophical and Religious Perspectives 3
H. Mathematics
Statistics for Social Research (Fulfilled in the major.)
I. Natural Science Laboratory
Complete a 4 credit Natural Science Laboratory course that also fulfills the Teacher Education Health/Hygiene requirement.4
J. Physical Education
Complete a 1 credit Physical Education course.1
K. Social Science
1. American and European History
Foundations of America (Fulfilled in the collateral requirements.)
2. Global Cultural Perspectives
Early Latin American History (Fulfilled in the collateral requirements.)
3. Social Science Perspectives
Psychological Foundations of Education (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.)
L. Interdisciplinary Studies
Public Purposes of Education: Democracy and Schooling (Fulfilled in the Teacher Education sequence.)
Total Credits21

World Languages and Cultures Requirements

Click here for a list of courses that fulfill World Languages and Cultures categories.

World Language
Based on placement exam, complete one World Language course.3
Total Credits3

Recommended Roadmap to Degree Completion

This four-year plan is provided as an outline for students to follow in order to complete their degree requirements within four years.  This plan is a recommendation and students should only use it in consultation with their academic advisor.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
GENERAL EDUCATION: (A) New Student Seminar1GENERAL EDUCATION: (C2) Literature3
GENERAL EDUCATION: (C1) Writing3GENERAL EDUCATION: (C3) Communication3
 4 6
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
SASE 3203SASE 3223
SASE 3213 
 6 3
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
SASE 4503SASE 4523
SASE 4513SASE 4539
Teaching Methods course(s)3-7 
 9-13 12
Total Credits 40-44