Oct 04, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Social Studies Minor


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Co-Coordinator: Alison Sandman
Phone: (540) 568-6182
Email: sandmaad@jmu.edu

Co-Coordinator: John W. Hulsey 
Phone: (540) 568-7854
Email: hulseyjw@jmu.edu

Website: http://www.jmu.edu/history/iss.shtml

The social studies minor offers a program of integrated study that exposes students to diverse methodologies, philosophies and controversies that define the social sciences. It is a required minor for secondary education students who wish to teach social studies and suggested for those planning to teach middle school. The minor incorporates economics, geography, history and political science and is offered in three forms: one for secondary education with a history major, one for secondary education with a political science major and one for middle education. Students not selecting the secondary education licensure program should declare the middle education form of the minor.

Minor Requirements


History Major with Social Studies Minor


Requirements for the History B.A.  are on the History Department page .

Degree Requirements


  Credit Hours
General Education  1 41
Foreign Language classes (intermediate level required) 2 0-14
Philosophy course (in addition to General Education courses) 3
Major requirements 33-34
Minor requirements (listed below) 23-26
Electives
Total
2-20
120
Footnotes

1 The General Education  program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. Some requirements may be fulfilled by courses within the major or minor.

2 The foreign language requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of the second semester of the intermediate level of the student’s chosen language (typically 232), or by placing out of that language through the Department of World Languages and Cultures  placement test.

Political Science Major with Social Studies Minor


Requirements for the Political Science B.A.  are on the Political Science Department page .

Degree Requirements


  Credit Hours
General Education  1 41
Foreign Language classes (intermediate level required) 2 0-14
Philosophy course (in addition to General Education courses) 3
Major requirements 39
Minor requirements (listed below) 26
Electives
Total
0-11
120-123
Footnotes

1 The General Education  program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. Some requirements may be fulfilled by courses within the major or minor.​​​​​​​

2 The foreign language requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of the second semester of the intermediate level of the student’s chosen language (typically 232), or by placing out of that language through the Department of World Languages and Cultures ’ placement test.

Social Studies Minor Requirements


To be licensed to teach secondary school social studies, the student must satisfactorily complete requirements for a baccalaureate degree in either history or political science and complete the SS minor that is paired with that major.

Social Studies Minor for History Majors


History Majors in Four-year Program


Capstone: 3 Credit Hours

Footnotes

1 For four-year program: MSSE 412  and HIST 357  spring junior year double count in history and SS.
2 For five-year program: MSSE 412  and POSC 457  fall senior year count in SS only.

Government and Politics Requirement: 6 Credit Hours

African American History Requirement

African American history is now a state licensure requirement for everyone licensed to teach social studies graduating after May 2023. Therefore all students in this program need to complete a course in African American history and culture. 

These courses may double-count for this requirement and other select requirements.

Total: 23 Credit Hours

History Majors in Five-year Program


Capstone: 3 Credit Hours

Footnotes

1 For four-year program: MSSE 412  and HIST 357  spring junior year double count in history and SS.

2 For five-year program: MSSE 412  and POSC 457  fall senior year count in SS only.

Government and Politics Requirement: 9 Credit Hours


African American History Requirement


African American history is now a state licensure requirement for everyone licensed to teach social studies graduating after May 2023. Therefore all students in this program need to complete a course in African American history and culture. 

These courses may double-count for this requirement and other select requirements.

Total: 26 Credit Hours


Social Studies Minor for Political Science Majors


HIST 225  must be completed for General Education credit.

Political Science Majors in Five-year Program


Capstone: 3 Credit Hours


Footnotes

1 For four year program: MSSE 412  and POSC 457  spring junior year double count in political science and SS.

2 For five year program: MSSE 412  and POSC 457  fall senior year count in SS only.

3 May double-count for General Education  credit.

Choose one. Thinking Geographically: 3 Credit Hours


Choose one. Virginia History requirement: 3 Credit Hours


African American History Requirement


African American history is now a state licensure requirement for everyone licensed to teach social studies graduating after May 2023. Therefore all students in this program need to complete a course in African American history and culture. 

These courses may double-count for this requirement and other select requirements.

Total: 26 Credit Hours


Social Studies Minor for Middle Education


Capstone: 3 Credit Hours


Choose one. Virginia History Requirement: 3 Credit Hours


Choose one. Thinking with Geography and Economics: 3 Credit Hours


African American History Requirement


African American history is now a state licensure requirement for everyone licensed to teach social studies graduating after May 2023. Therefore all students in this program need to complete a course in African American history and culture. 

These courses may double-count for this requirement and other select requirements. It can count as one of the social studies elective courses.

Two Social Studies electives: 6-7 Credit Hours


The social studies electives requirement will be waived for students who have declared two content areas for the Middle Education major. The course that fulfills the African American history requirement can also count towards this requirement.

See advisor for this requirement. Generally, courses in HIST/POSC/SOC/ANTH/GEOG/ECON/IDLS offered at the 200-400 level will be approved for this requirement.

Total: 28-29 Credit Hours


Footnotes

May double-count for General Education  credit. 

Capstone; corequisite with MSSE 412 .

Total: 120 Credit Hours (includes accompanying major)


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