Undergraduate Catalog 2023-2024

Social Studies, Bachelor of Arts (592)


Program Coordinator

Jennifer A. Hanley, jennifer.walton-hanley@wku.edu, (270) 745-4723

The Social Studies major, a 51-credit-hour program, is interdisciplinary by design: students must complete courses in History, Political Science, Economics, and Geography, with elective options in History, Political Science, Geography, Anthropology, Sociology, and Psychology. This program of study provides students with a strong foundation in history and equips them with the skills to collect, analyze, and summarize data and the ability to apply those skills to construct arguments and use evidence to support them. The Social Studies major prepares students to bring a range of skills from the social and behavioral sciences, economics, and geography to the study of the past. The major is designed to prepare students to teach Social Studies in grades 8-12, and students who complete this major may become eligible for teacher certification in Social Studies. Social Studies, particularly when combined with a second major in History, enables students to pursue careers in education (at all levels), library sciences, management, law, administration, and sales. Social Studies graduates are well suited for work in local, state, and federal government; banking; journalism; and politics. Many businesses seek job candidates with a strong background in the liberal arts because of their critical thinking, analytic, and writing abilities. Students with a major in Social Studies who pursue teacher certification receive a 12-hour waiver in the upper-division hour requirement in the major field. In choosing elective courses, students should consider the number of upper-division courses required for graduation. No minor or second major is required.

Concentrations

  • General (No Concentration)
  • Teacher Education (TCHR)

Program Requirements (51 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.

History
HIST 101World History I3
HIST 102World History II3
HIST 240The United States to 18653
HIST 241The United States Since 18653
HIST 498Senior Seminar3
Select 12 hours of upper-division courses including a course from each of the following areas:12
United States 1
Europe 2
Global South 3
Ancient to Early Modern 4
Political and Behavioral Sciences
PS 110American National Government3
PS 250International Politics3
Select two courses, each from a different discipline, from the following (at least three hours must be upper division):6
Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
Peoples and Cultures of the Caribbean
Applied Anthropology – Understanding and Addressing Contemporary Human Problems
Foodways
The American Presidency
The Legislative Process
Constitutional Law
Civil Liberties
Criminal Justice Procedures
U S Foreign Policy
American Political Parties and Interest Groups
Minority Politics
Women and Politics
American Political Thought
Social Psychology
Social Psychology
Introductory Sociology
Religion in Society
Social Institutions: Race, Class, and Gender
Population, Society, and Development
Diversity in American Society
Sociology of Globalization
Economics
ECON 202Principles of Economics (Micro)3
ECON 203Principles of Economics (Macro)3
Geography (at least three hours must be upper division):
GEOG 110World Regional Geography3
or GEOG 330 Introduction to Cultural Geography
Select one of the following not already counted toward the major:3
World Regional Geography
Our Dangerous Planet
Our Vulnerable Planet
Introduction to Cultural Geography
Geography of Kentucky
Food, Culture, and Environment
Global Sustainability
Geography of East Asia
Sustainable Cities
Spatial History
Total Hours51
1

United States: HIST 302HIST 303, HIST 316, HIST 320, HIST 321, HIST 325, HIST 329, HIST 343, HIST 347, HIST 348, HIST 349, HIST 352, HIST 353, HIST 354, HIST 358, HIST 359, HIST 390, HIST 430, HIST 440, HIST 441, HIST 442, HIST 443, HIST 444, HIST 445, HIST 446, HIST 447, HIST 448, HIST 449, HIST 450, HIST 451, HIST 453, HIST 454, HIST 456, HIST 457, HIST 458, HIST 464, HIST 494

2

Europe: HIST 305, HIST 306, HIST 307, HIST 308​, HIST 317, HIST 318, HIST 322, HIST 323, HIST 324,HIST 334HIST 335HIST 338HIST 340HIST 407HIST 419HIST 422HIST 423, HIST 425, HIST 426, HIST 428, HIST 438, HIST 439, HIST 463

3

Global South: HIST 330, HIST 331, HIST 364, HIST 365, HIST 370, HIST 378, HIST 379, HIST 404, HIST 460, HIST 461, HIST 462, HIST 465, HIST 466, HIST 471, HIST 480

4

Ancient to Early Modern: HIST 304, HIST 305, HIST 306, HIST 307, HIST 308, HIST 317, HIST 318, HIST 323, HIST 330, HIST 364, HIST 404, HIST 407, HIST 419, HIST 440, HIST 460, HIST 463

Teacher Education Requirements

The major in Social Studies with Teacher Certification is intended for those seeking certification to teach in grades 8-12. It requires a minimum of 51 semester hours and leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree. No minor or second major is required. Teacher certification requires additional coursework in education specified by the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. A grade of "C" or higher is required in all courses applying to certification. Students seeking Teacher Certification must complete the requirements for the Social Studies major as well as the following professional education courses:

EDU 250Discover Teaching: Introduction to Teacher Education3
PSY 310Educational Psychology: Development and Learning3
SEC 350Clinical Practices in Secondary Teaching I4
EDU 350Student Diversity and Differentiation3
EDU 360Behavior and Classroom Management in Education3
SEC 481Clinical Practices in Secondary Teaching II: Social Studies4
EDU 260Classroom Assessment3
SEC 490Student Teaching10
EDU 489Student Teaching Seminar3
Total Hours36

Finish in Four Plan

Without Teacher Certification

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
HIST 240 or HIST 2413HIST 101 or HIST 1023
ENG 100 or COMM 1453HIST 241 or HIST 2403
Colonnade Quantitative Reasoning3COMM 145 or ENG 1003
GEOG 110 or PS 1103Colonnade Natural & Physical Sciences w. Lab3
Colonnade Arts & Humanities3PS 110 or GEOG 1103
 15 15
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
Upper-Level History Elective 3HIST 102 or HIST 1013
Colonnade Natural & Physical Sciences3Geography Elective3
PS 2503ECON 2033
ENG 2003Political and Behavioral Sciences Elective3
ECON 2023General Elective or Course for Optional Second Major or Minor3
 15 15
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
Upper-Level History Elective3Upper-Level History Elective3
Political and Behavioral Sciences Elective3Colonnade Connections Course 3
ENG 3003Colonnade Connections Course3
General Elective or Course for Optional Second Major or Minor3General Elective or Course for Optional Second Major or Minor3
General Elective or Course for Optional Second Major or Minor3General Elective or Course for Optional Second Major or Minor3
 15 15
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
Upper-Level History Elective3HIST 4983
Colonnade Connections Course3General Elective or Course for Optional Second Major or Minor3
General Elective or Course for Optional Second Major or Minor3General Elective or Course for Optional Second Major or Minor3
General Elective or Course for Optional Second Major or Minor3General Elective or Course for Optional Second Major or Minor3
General Elective or Course for Optional Second Major or Minor3General Elective or Course for Optional Second Major or Minor3
 15 15
Total Hours 120

Teacher Certification

First Year
FallHoursSpringHours
HIST 240 or HIST 2413HIST 101 or HIST 1023
ENG 100 or COMM 1453HIST 241 or HIST 2403
Colonnade Quantitative Reasoning3COMM 145 or ENG 1003
GEOG 110 or PS 1103Colonnade Natural & Physical Sciences w. Lab3
EDU 2503EDU 2603
 15 15
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHours
Upper-Level History Elective 3HIST 102 or HIST 1013
ECON 2023ECON 2033
Colonnade Natural & Physical Sciences3ENG 2003
Colonnade Arts & Humanities3PS 2503
PS 110 or GEOG 1103EDU 3503
 15 15
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHours
Upper-Level History Elective3SEC 3504
Political and Behavioral Sciences Elective3Upper-Level History Elective3
EDU 3603Colonnade Connections Course3
ENG 3003Colonnade Connections Course3
Geography Elective3PSY 3103
 15 16
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours
SEC 4814EDU 4893
HIST 4983SEC 49010
Upper-Level History Course3 
Colonnade Connections Course3 
Political and Behavioral Sciences Elective3 
 16 13
Total Hours 120

 PLEASE NOTE: Many course options in the Social Studies major fulfill requirements in the Colonnade program. Consult with your advisor when selecting electives.