Secondary Education Certification: Social Studies (7-12)
Become a Social Studies Teacher
Deep understanding of the diverse cultures—each with their own unique history—that make up our world provides young learners with the critical-thinking skills, cultural understanding, and knowledge of national and global affairs that will lead them to become productive and informed citizens. Gaining a broader perspective on our past and present is especially important for middle and high school students, who are preparing to forge their own path as history-makers.
If you’re passionate about instilling civic responsibility and an appreciation for history in the next generation, then being a social studies teacher can be a rewarding career. To achieve this, you may pursue a major in History and complete a predetermined selection of Education courses that will prepare you for social studies teaching certification for grades 7-12. Students must also fulfill all testing and GPA requirements of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Your major advisor and the Director of Education, who serves as a second advisor, will ensure that all required coursework is completed prior to student teaching.
Why Study Social Studies Education at Rosemont?
Our Education program has a 100% job placement rate: We give credit to our outstanding, committed faculty, who are all seasoned practitioners at local schools. They are genuinely invested in each student’s success, providing firsthand insight on how to not just land a job, but thrive as an educator at schools of all types. The Education department also offers networking opportunities, help with resume writing, and engagement in mock interviews with teachers and administrators who work at area schools.
Publish research in our History program: Rosemont students collaborate with faculty to publish original research—an invaluable opportunity that’s often unavailable at the undergraduate level. In fact, nearly 50 students have been published over the past three years! They also create digital history projects that showcase innovation, creativity, and the ever-growing use of technology to document history.
Thrive in a close-knit, supportive setting: Rosemont’s intentionally small class size allows our students to make deep connections to their peers and professors, helping you find your unique voice and expanding your worldview. Our intimate academic environment means that you’ll be an active participant in your learning: contributing to discussions, engaging with different viewpoints, and thinking critically about your own.
Degree Requirements for a BA in History + Secondary Certification in Social Studies
General Education Requirements (57-58 credits)
In addition to meeting the course requirements for the Biology major and education certification, all students must also fulfill the General Education requirements for the Undergraduate College. Student may apply 9 credits from their major toward these requirements.
Education Requirements (34.5 credits)
The following courses are required for certification at the Grade 7-12 span level in the Undergraduate College. The course requirements detailed below have been developed so that they meet the certification standards which the Pennsylvania Department of Education has promulgated. Students will be eligible for certification upon completion of this program and the fulfillment of the testing and GPA requirements stipulated by PDE.
| Development, Cognition, and Learning (6 credits) | Credits |
| EDU 0201: Observation and Analysis of Teaching and Learning in the Contemporary Classroom | 3 |
| PSY 0200: Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| Subject Matter Pedagogy Content (7.5 credits) | Credits |
| EDU 0200: Development of Education in the U.S. | 3 |
| EDU 0363: Methods Clinic: Secondary Social Studies | 3 |
| EDU 0427: Technology in the Curriculum | 1.5 |
| Assessment (6 credits) | Credits |
| EDU 0385: Educational Assessment and Statistics | 3 |
| PSY 0330: Adolescent Psychology OR PSY 0361: Educational Psychology | 3 |
| Family and Community Collaborative Partnerships (3 credits) | Credits |
| EDU 0230: The School, the Family and the Community | 3 |
| fProfessionalism (3 credits) | Credits |
| EDU 0350: Principles and Practices of Secondary Education | 3 |
| Additional Requirements (9 credits) | Credits |
| EDU 0280: Fundamentals of Special Education | 3 |
| EDU 0355: Principles and Practices of Working with English Language Learners | 3 |
| EDU 0380: Working with Disabled and Gifted Students in an Inclusion Program | 3 |
\Other Requirements
Students wishing to be certified in the Grades 7-12 span must also meet the requirements for formal entry into the Teacher Certification Program as detailed earlier in this section. Additionally, 12 credits (14 weeks) of student teaching are mandated
History Requirements
| Required Courses (39 credits) | Credits |
| HIS 0110: The Rise of Ancient Empires | 3 |
| HIS 0200: History of the United States to 1877 | 3 |
| HIS 0201: History of the United States Since 1877 | 3 |
| HIS 0250: Emergence of the European World | 3 |
| HIS 0251: Europe Since Napoleon | 3 |
| HIS 0274: Skill Building for Fun and Profit | 3 |
| HIS 0451: Historians and Their Craft | 3 |
| Two European History Courses (6 credits) | Credits |
| HIS 0306: Kaiserreich to Third Reich – Germany Since 1871 | 3 |
| HIS 0307: Nazi Germany | 3 |
| HIS 0359: Radicals and Reactionaries | 3 |
| HIS 0362: Who Started the Great War? | 3 |
| HIS 0363: Europe Since 1945 | 3 |
| Two American History Courses (6 credits) | Credits |
| HIS 0232: History of Women in America 1865 to the Present | 3 |
| HIS 0231: History of Women in America 1600 to 1865 | 3 |
| HIS 0271:Beyond Salsa: Latinas and Latinos in United States History | 3 |
| HIS 0273: Ethnicity in American History | 3 |
| HIS 0337: History of Childbirth in America | 3 |
| HIS 0375: Making America Modern: Ideas and Ideals | 3 |
| HIS 0389: History of the Family in America | 3 |
Required Supporting Courses (6 Credits)
Work with your major mentor to choose two courses in Political Science or Economics.
Recommended Supporting Courses (6 Credits)
- INT-0200: Research Methods Across the Disciplines
- One course in Philosophy