Middle Level Education in Social Studies and Language Arts, Bachelor of Science (5001)

Department website: http://www.wku.edu/ste

Program Coordinator

Janet L. Tassell, janet.tassell@wku.edu, (270) 745-5306

The Middle Level Education in Social Studies and Language Arts program leads to the Bachelor of Science degree and certification for grades 5-9 in Social Studies, Language Arts / Communication, or both.  

The program requires completion of:

• A biological science course and a physical science course, generally taken as part of the Colonnade program;
• 44-47 semester hours of professional education courses: EDU 250, EDU 260, PSY 310, EDU 350, PSY 422, EDU 360, MGE 395, MGE 396, plus a 3-hour MGE methods course for each area of certification, MGE 490, and EDU 489, plus a 3-hour computer literacy course selected from CIS 141 and LME 448; and
• The indicated content-area coursework for dual area or single area teacher certification in one of the three concentrations.

Concentrations

• Social Studies and Language Arts/Communication - dual certification (MESD)
• Social Studies - single certification (MESS)
• Language Arts/Communication - single certification (MELA)

Program Requirements (77-101 hours)

A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.

Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.

Core Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Select a Biological Science course 1		3-4
Select a Physical Science course 1		3-4
EDU 250	Discover Teaching: Introduction to Teacher Education	3
EDU 260	Classroom Assessment	3
PSY 310	Educational Psychology: Development and Learning	3
EDU 350	Student Diversity and Differentiation	3
PSY 422	Adolescent Psychology	3
EDU 360	Behavior and Classroom Management in Education	3
MGE 395	Clinical Practices in Middle School Teaching I	6
MGE 396	Clinical Practices in Middle School Teaching II	1
Select a 3-hour MGE methods course for each area of certification		3
MGE 490	Student Teaching	10
EDU 489	Student Teaching Seminar	3
CIS 141	Analytics and Technology	3
or LME 448	Technology Applications in Education
Total Hours		50-52

¹

Generally taken as part of the Colonnade program

Concentration 1: Dual Area Certification in Middle Level Social Studies and Language Arts/Communication

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Methods Courses
MGE 475	Teaching Language Arts	3
MGE 481	Clinical Practices in Secondary Teaching II: Social Studies	4
Social Studies (dual area certification)		27-30
HIST 101	World History I
or HIST 102	World History II
HIST 240	The United States to 1865
HIST 241	The United States Since 1865
GEOG 110	World Regional Geography
GEOG 360	Geography of North America
PS 110	American National Government
SOCL 100	Introductory Sociology
or ANTH 120	Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Select one of the following:		3-6
ECON 150	Introduction to Economics
ECON 202 & ECON 203	Principles of Economics (Micro) and Principles of Economics (Macro)
Select a 3-hour elective from an upper-division, non U.S., non-European history course		3
HIST 364	Colonial Latin America, 1400-1825
HIST 365	Modern Latin America, 1800-Present
HIST 370	Modern South Asia: from Empires to Nations
HIST 460	Traditional East Asia
HIST 461	Modern East Asia
HIST 462	History of the Middle East
HIST 464	Latin America and the United States
HIST 465	The Mexican Republic
HIST 471	Modern China
HIST 472	Modern Japan
HIST 479	Topics in World History
Language Arts/Communication (dual area certification)		24
ENG 100	Introduction to College Writing
ENG 300	Writing in the Disciplines
ENG 302	Language and Communication
ENG 391	Survey of American Literature I
or ENG 392	Survey of American Literature II
COMM 145	Fundamentals of Public Speaking and Communication
LME 407	Literature for Young Adults
Select two of the following:		6
ENG 301	Argument and Analysis in Written Discourse
ENG 401	Advanced Composition
ENG 410	Composition Theory and Practice in Writing Instruction
Total Hours		70-76

Concentration 2: Single Area Teacher Certification in Middle Level Social Studies

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Professional Education Coursework
MGE 481	Clinical Practices in Secondary Teaching II: Social Studies	4
Social Studies (single area teacher certification)		36-39
HIST 101	World History I
or HIST 102	World History II
HIST 240	The United States to 1865
HIST 241	The United States Since 1865
GEOG 110	World Regional Geography
GEOG 360	Geography of North America
PS 110	American National Government
SOCL 100	Introductory Sociology
or ANTH 120	Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Select one of the following:		3-6
ECON 150	Introduction to Economics
ECON 202 & ECON 203	Principles of Economics (Micro) and Principles of Economics (Macro)
Select 12 hours of electives of the following: 1		12
HIST 305	Ancient Greece
HIST 306	Ancient Rome
HIST 307	The Middle Ages
HIST 317	Renaissance Europe
HIST 353	Native American History to 1865
HIST 358	Blacks in American History to 1877
HIST 456	Kentucky History
HIST 453	American Women’s History
GEOG 330	Introduction to Cultural Geography
GEOG 350	Economic Geography
GEOG 352	Geography of Kentucky
GEOG 480	Sustainable Cities
Total Hours		55-61

¹

At least one of these courses must be a non U.S., non-European history course.

Concentration 3: Single Area Teacher Certification in Middle Level Language Arts/Communication

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Professional Education Coursework
MGE 475	Teaching Language Arts	3
Language Arts/Communication (single area teacher certification)
ENG 100	Introduction to College Writing	3
ENG 204	English Language	3
ENG 300	Writing in the Disciplines	3
ENG 301	Argument and Analysis in Written Discourse	3
ENG 302	Language and Communication	3
ENG 391	Survey of American Literature I	3
or ENG 392	Survey of American Literature II
ENG 401	Advanced Composition	3
ENG 410	Composition Theory and Practice in Writing Instruction	3
Select any ENG upper-division course		3
COMM 145	Fundamentals of Public Speaking and Communication	3
LME 407	Literature for Young Adults	3
Total Hours		36

In order to meet the prerequisites for admission to student teaching, students must complete all professional education and content courses with grades of “C” or higher; attain at least a 2.75 GPA overall, in professional education courses, and in each content area; and achieve specified ratings on dispositional and critical performance assessments. For details on the prerequisites for student teaching, see http://www.wku.edu/teacherservices/student_teaching/index.php.

Students in the Middle Level Education in Social Studies and Language Arts program receive advising in the School of Teacher Education, GRH 1005, (270) 745-5414. Refer to the School of Teacher Education website (http://www.wku.edu/ste) for additional information. Students with a major in Middle Level Education in Social Studies and Language Arts receive a 12-hour waiver in the upper-division hour requirement in the major field.

Finish in Four Plans

Middle Level Education Social Studies and Language Arts/Communication dual certification

First Year
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
EDU 250	3	HIST 101 or HIST 102	3
MATH 109 or MATH 116	3	Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences w/lab	4
ENG 100	3	PS 110	3
COMM 145	3	CIS 141	3
GEOG 110	3	ECON 150, ECON 202, or ECON 203	3
	15		16
Second Year
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
ENG 200	3	HIST 241	3
Colonnade: Social & Behavioral Sciences	3	GEOG 360	3
Colonnade: Natural & Physical Science	3	EDU 260	3
HIST 240	3	PSY 310	3
Colonnade: Arts & Humanities	3	SOCL 100 or ANTH 120	3
		ENG 300	3
	15		18
Third Year
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
EDU 350	3	MGE 395	6
ENG 301, ENG 401, or ENG 410	3	ENG 391 or ENG 392	3
ENG 302	3	PSY 422	3
EDU 360	3	Colonnade: Connections (Local to Global)	3
Colonnade: Connections (Social & Cultural)	3
	15		15
Fourth Year
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
MGE 396	1	EDU 489	3
MGE 481	4	MGE 490	10
MGE 475	3
ENG 301, ENG 401, or ENG 410	3
Colonnade: Connections (Systems)	3
LME 407	3
	17		13
Total Hours 124

Middle Level Education Language Arts/Communication single area certification

First Year
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
EDU 250	3	Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences w/lab	4
MATH 109 or MATH 116	3	CIS 141	3
ENG 100	3	ENG 200	3
COMM 145	3	World Language, if needed OR General Elective	3
Elective Course	3	Elective Course	3
	15		16
Second Year
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
ENG 300	3	ENG 302	3
Colonnade: Social & Behavioral Sciences	3	ENG 204	3
HIST 101 or HIST 102	3	ENG 301	3
Colonnade: Natural & Physical Science	3	PSY 310	3
Colonnade: Arts & Humanities	3	EDU 260	3
	15		15
Third Year
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
EDU 350	3	MGE 395	6
ENG 391 or ENG 392	3	ENG 410	3
EDU 360	3	Colonnade: Connections (Local to Global)	3
Colonnade: Connections (Social & Cultural)	3	ENG 401	3
ENG Elective (any upper level ENG course)	3
	15		15
Fourth Year
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
MGE 396	1	EDU 489	3
PSY 422	3	MGE 490	10
MGE 475	3
LME 407	3
Colonnade: Connections (Systems)	3
Elective Course	3
	16		13
Total Hours 120

Middle Level Education Social Studies single area certification

First Year
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
EDU 250	3	HIST 101 or HIST 102	3
MATH 109 or MATH 116	3	Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences w/lab	4
ENG 100	3	PS 110	3
COMM 145	3	CIS 141	3
GEOG 110	3	ECON 150, ECON 202, or ECON 203	3
	15		16
Second Year
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
ENG 200	3	EDU 260	3
Colonnade: Social & Behavioral Sciences	3	GEOG 360	3
Colonnade: Natural & Physical Science	3	SOCL 100 or ANTH 120	3
HIST 240	3	ENG 300	3
Colonnade: Arts & Humanities	3	PSY 310	3
	15		15
Third Year
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
EDU 350	3	MGE 395	6
HIST 241	3	PSY 422	3
EDU 360	3	HIST or GEOG Elective	3
HIST or GEOG Elective	3	Colonnade: Connections (Local to Global)	3
Colonnade: Connections (Social & Cultural)	3
	15		15
Fourth Year
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
HIST or GEOG Elective	3	EDU 489	3
HIST or GEOG Elective	3	MGE 490	10
Elective Course	3
MGE 396	1
MGE 481	4
Colonnade: Connections (Systems)	3
	17		13
Total Hours 121