Broad Field Social Studies
Mission
The broad field social studies (BFSS) major is
an interdisciplinary degree with a major emphasis in history and support
courses drawn from the social sciences and humanities. Although designed
primarily as a degree for individuals seeking teaching certification at the
middle and secondary levels, there are B.S. and B.A. degree options for those
students with an interest in history and social studies, but who do not want
teacher certification. A BFSS B.S. degree with secondary teaching preparation
and a history emphasis will prepare students for teaching positions, the
majority of which include content in American or world history.
The BFSS B.S. and B.A. degrees without teacher
certification foster the development of critical thinking skills necessary for
preparation for a variety of career paths, including law school or graduate
school. With or without teacher certification, the BFSS degree provides a broad
knowledge base that enriches one’s life intellectually, a characteristic of a
liberally educated person.
Goals
The
goal of the BFSS program is to provide a broad education in history and the
social sciences that prepares students to teach history and social studies in
the middle and secondary levels, or to succeed in graduate studies, law
schools, or career paths in nonprofit, private, or public sectors.
Student
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the complexity of continuity and
change in the chronology of human experiences.
- Develop historical perspective by relating
subject matter to the broader historical context in which it occurred.
- Recognize the relationship between past and
present by understanding history as provisional interpretations of the past by
both the individual and society.
- Locate, evaluate, and interpret historical
evidence from primary and secondary sources for establishing causation, context,
and credibility.
- Express defensible historical interpretations
based on evidence and construct arguments in either / both oral and written
forms.
Policy
Students
must earn grades of C or higher in history courses to fulfill the history
requirement. Students must earn grades of C or higher in the social studies course
requirements for graduation. Any student whose BFSS grade point average (GPA)
falls below 2.0 will be placed on probation for one semester. If the GPA is not
raised to 2.0 by the end of this
one semester grace period, the student may not enroll in additional social
studies courses as a BFSS major. No student will be allowed to graduate as a
BFSS major if his/her GPA in BFSS courses is below 2.0.
Students may not
double major in broad field social studies and history.
Broad Field Social Studies, Early
Adolescence through Adolescence, Education Major (Bachelor of Science)
- core curriculum and mission seminars – see
the core curriculum section of this catalog Education
majors are required to take specific core curriculum courses to satisfy DPI
requirements.
- history requirements – HIST
100, 101 or 105, 102 or 106, 111, 112, 370, 465, 466, 488; 12 elective HIST
credits (excluding 487 or portfolio), with at least nine at the 300 level or
above
- other social studies requirements – ECON
101, 102, ESCI 103, GEOG 132, POSC 120, 121, PSYC 171, 220, 250, RLST 410, SOCL
125, 320, 330
- education requirements – EDUC
150, 215, 255, 306, 316, 330, 338, 390, 459, 482
- final degree requirements – see
the degree requirements section of this catalog for specific requirements of
the Bachelor of Science degree as well as final graduation requirements
The total credits of the major
and education requirements are 103-110. The core curriculum and mission seminars
require 33-53 credits. A total of 128 credits, 43 of which need to be at the
300/400 level, are required to graduate. Transfer courses and waivers and/or
substitutions could modify these credit totals.
See
the School of Education section for teacher education policy.
Broad Field Social Studies Major (Bachelor
of Arts or Bachelor of Science)
- core curriculum and mission seminars
– see the core curriculum section of this catalog
- history requirements – HIST
100, 101 or 105, 102 or 106, 111, 112, 370, 465, 466, 12 elective HIST credits
(excluding 487 or portfolio), with at least nine at the 300 level or above
(HIST 295 recommended)
- other social studies requirements – ECON
101, GEOG 132, POSC 120, 121, PSYC 171, RLST 410, SOCL 125, 320, 330
- final
degree requirements – see the degree
requirements section of this catalog for specific requirements of the Bachelor
of Arts degree and the Bachelor of Science degree as well as final graduation requirements
The total credits of the
major requirements are 57. The core curriculum and mission seminars require. A
total of 128 credits, 43 of which need to be at the 300/400 level, are required
to graduate. Transfer courses and waivers and/or substitutions could modify
these credit totals.