Bachelor of Arts
The history/secondary education option is designed to provide in-depth training in history for those seeking careers as high school history teachers. Students are expected to fulfill all the requirements of the history concentration and to follow a program of courses established by the Secondary Education Program for secondary teacher preparation. The combination of history and education courses meets the requirements for certification of history teachers in the state of Rhode Island and most other states.
History/secondary education majors are required to complete 33 credits in history. These are normally fulfilled by completing a three-credit gateway course, nine credits in United States history and European history, and 12 from departmental electives, of which two non-Western history courses and a junior/senior seminar are required. Necessary adjustments and appropriate substitutions for departmental requirements may be made in accordance with approved department policy and with the permission of the chairperson of the department.
Advanced Placement Policy
History/secondary education majors with an Advanced Placement grade of “5” on the A.P. U.S. and/or European History exam(s) will be given a one-course reduction in the required courses for the specific area(s) and will be given flexibility in choosing the remaining two courses (i.e., any two courses for the particular area). For instance, a major with a grade of “5” in U.S. History would be required to take only two courses in U.S. History and may choose any pre-1877 and any post-1877 U.S. History courses for those required courses. A major with a grade of “5” in European History would be required to take only two courses in European History and may choose any pre-1715 and any post-1715 European History courses for those required courses.
History/secondary education majors with an Advanced Placement grade of “5” on the World History exam will be given a one-course reduction in the number of required electives for the major.
A limit of two A.P. scores of “5” will be recognized by the Department for reduction of the total number of courses in the major.
History/secondary education majors with an Advanced Placement grade of “4” on the A.P. U.S. and/or European History exam(s) will be given flexibility in choosing any three courses for U.S. and/or European History, including at least one pre-1877 and post-1877 for U.S. History and/or at least one pre-1715 and post-1715 for European History. For such students, the required number of History credits to be earned for the major would remain at 33.
