The department faculty members seek to foster our students’ competence and understanding in the disciplines of history, political science, and geography. Thus we emphasize the study of the global human past, the institutions and traditions of law, government, and politics, and the interactions of humans and the environment as understood through geographical study. By balancing courses in history and political science with speech communication, English, mathematics, and other courses outside the department, students gain the broad education necessary for success in many careers. Students completing a history major should be able to understand, research, write, and analyze history in accordance with recognized research principles, methodology, and processes. Students seeking State of Texas teacher certification must meet or exceed the state minimum criteria on the TExES. The department offers Bachelor of Arts majors and minors in History, Political Science, and International Studies; the Bachelor of Science in Political Science (Governance and Pre-law tracks); and the Bachelor of Science in Education. Additional minors are offered in American Studies, British Studies, and Social Sciences.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Graduates with a major in Social Studies will demonstrate the ability to analyze sources critically.
- Graduates with a major in Social Studies will demonstrate the ability to organize and communicate historical arguments.
- Graduates with a major in Social Studies will demonstrate adequate mastery of historical content in the history curriculum.
- Candidates with a major in secondary education will create and synthesize lessons in a comprehensive unit plan.
- Candidates with a major in secondary education will demonstrate mastery of the required standards in the TEA clinical teaching domains.
- Candidates with a major in a secondary education field will demonstrate competency of the required standards related to pedagogy and professional responsibility as specified by the Texas Education Agency.
Courses
General Education Requirements - 42 hours
English 1301, 1302, and three hours sophomore literature - 9 hours
Communication 1311, 1315, or 1318 - 3 hours
History 1301 and 1302 - 6 hours
Political Science 2305 - 3 hours
Science (must be a lab science) - 4 hours
Mathematics 1342 - 3 hours
Fine Arts (three hours from music, theatre, fine arts, arts, or equivalent) - 3 hours
Physical Activity - KINE 1238 - 2 hours
Christian Ministry 1320 and 1330 - 6 hours
Psychology 3331 - 3 hours
Professional Development (See Professional Development Requirements in the Teacher Education section) - 24 hours
Major area of study - 49 hours
Minor (see below) - 18-29 hours
Plan I does not require a minor, but a minor is optional (minimum of 18 hours).
Plan II requires a minor (second teaching field) selected from those specified in the Department of Teacher Education section- 24-29 hours
Plan III requires a minor from any available non-teacher education minor- 18 hours
Electives (to total 120 hours)
Total: Minimum one hundred twenty (120) semester hours
Forty-three - forty-nine (43-49) semester hours of history, political science, geography, economics, speech
communication, and social sciences:
Background Surveys (12 hours) - HIST 1301, HIST 1302, HIST 2311, HIST 2312
HIST 2301 History of Texas
HIST 3301 Historiography
HIST 3320 Non-Western Civilizations
HIST 3323 Themes in U.S. History
HIST 4102 Professional Review
GEOG 1303 Foundations of Geography
ECON 2301 Macroeconomics
ECON 2302 Microeconomics
Three (3) additional hours of 3000-level United States History
Three (3) additional hours of 3000-level Global History
Three (3) additional hours of 4000-level History
Three (3) advanced hours from social sciences.