History/Secondary Education

Bachelor of Arts

The history/secondary education option is designed to provide in-depth training in history for those seeking careers as middle/high school social studies 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 social studies 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 each in United States history and European history, and 12 from departmental electives, of which two global 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 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 European History courses for those required courses.

History majors with an Advanced Placement grade of “5” on the World History exam will be given a one-course reduction, which will satisfy the requirement for a course in global history.

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 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. For such students, the required number of History credits to be earned for the major would remain at 33.

Please Note:

Academic programs vary in their requirements. Students should consult with their faculty advisor and the Academic Guidebook to review the Academic Planning Form pertinent to their program of study. In addition, students should review course descriptions regarding any prerequisites for required courses. Graduation requirements include a minimum of 120 credit hours, although some academic programs may require additional credits. Please refer to the Academic Resources section of the catalog for more information. Information regarding the Core Curriculum is available within each course and online.

Required Courses

Other assessment requirements include, but are not limited to, Basic Skills Tests, minimum of 2.75 cumulative GPA, minimum 2.0 average in History major courses, C or higher in all Education courses. Please visit the Secondary Education section for additional information.

HIS 100 - Thinking and Writing about History 3 credits-
(3) United States History courses, chosen from:
HIS 255 - Colonial North America: From Contact to Constitution (to 1789) 3 credits-
HIS 256 - Creating a Nation from Founding to Civil War (1789-1877) 3 credits-
HIS 257 - Redefining the United States at Home and Abroad (1877-1939) 3 credits-
HIS 258 - The American Century (1939-Present) 3 credits-
(3) European Period History Courses:
- One Pre-1715
- One Post-1715
- One Pre- OR Post-1715
(2) Courses from any of the following areas: African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American, Indigenous, or Transnational History.

(1) History Elective

Junior/Senior Seminar or Honors Thesis in History
EDU 201 - Educational Psychology 3 credits-
EDU 206 - Principles of Secondary Education 3 credits-
EDU 206L - Principles of Secondary Education Field Experience 1 credit-
EDU 301 - Foundations of Education 3 credits-
EDU 303 - The Child with Special Needs in the Regular Classroom 3 credits-
EDU 303L - The Child with Special Needs in the Regular Classroom Field Experience 1 credit-
EDU 401 - Educational Measurement 3 credits-
EDU 401L - Educational Measurement Field Experience 1 credit-
EDU 414 - Teaching History and Social Studies in Secondary Schools 3 credits-
EDU 414L - Teaching History and Social Studies in Secondary Schools Field Experience 1 credit-
EDU 449 - Classroom Management for High/Middle School Teachers 1 credit-
EDU 450 - Student Teaching in the Secondary School 9 credits-

Global Requirement

History majors are required to take at least two global History courses as part of their History requirements. History/Secondary Education majors are required to take two global History courses.

Courses that fall into the following categories can be used to fulfill the global requirement: Asian, Russian*, Latin American, Middle Eastern, African, and Native American histories, or any histories that focus on autochthonous peoples, provided that they (a) include a significant amount of content beyond the scope of the study of Western history and/or (b) offer alternative perspectives to those peoples who emanate from Western Europe or the United States by focusing on the response to contact, conquest, and colonialism.

Courses not explicitly included in the above categories may fulfill the global requirement with the approval of the instructor and the chair or assistant chair.

HIS 215 - The Diversity of Latin American Religious History 3 credits-
HIS 230 - Early Latin American History 3 credits-
HIS 231 - Modern Latin American History 3 credits-
HIS 240 - Native American History to 1815 3 credits-
HIS 241 - Native American History since 1815 3 credits-
HIS 298 - Early Modern East Asia 3 credits-
HIS 299 - Modern East Asia 3 credits-
HIS 339 - Ancient Egypt 3 credits-
HIS 342 - History of the Middle East to 1920 3 credits-
HIS 344 - Colonialism and Nationalism in Modern Africa 3 credits-
HIS 345 - History of the Modern Middle East 3 credits-
HIS 352 - Global Feminisms in the Age of Empires and Beyond 3 credits-
HIS 368 - Modern Japan 3 credits-
HIS 369 - Modern China 3 credits-
HIS 481 - Seminar 3 credits- (on global history topic)
HIS 482 - Seminar 3 credits- (on global history topic)
*Russian History may not count as global history for Secondary Education majors. Please consult with the assistant chair or with your advisor for clarification.

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