Social Science Education

College: Education, Health, and Human Sciences
Degree: Combined BS/MS
Limited Access: No

Description of Major

*Please Note: Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program is available ONLY at the main campus in Tallahassee, FL. This program is NOT available via Online/Distance Learning.*

The Social Science Education BS/MS pathway is designed to prepare students to teach Social Science in secondary school settings (grades 6 - 12). The program includes coursework in various social science areas such as American history, world history, political science and economics as well as coursework in teaching methodology.

Combined BS/MS Degree Pathway
The Social Science Education program is a combined BS/MS degree pathway. The BS/MS pathway requires two years of upper-division undergraduate coursework plus one additional year of graduate coursework. Admission to the graduate portion of the combined degree pathway requires a 3.00 upper-division undergraduate GPA.

Upon completion of the undergraduate program you will earn a bachelor’s degree in Social Science Education. Your bachelor's degree will be awarded at the end of the Spring semester of your senior year. Upon completion of the graduate program you will earn a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a major in Social Science Teaching.

Professional Educator’s Certificate
Upon awarding of the Master’s degree you will have satisfied all the requirements for a state-approved teacher preparation program in Florida. You will be eligible for a Florida Professional Educator’s Certificate in Social Science (6 - 12).

Prerequisite Coursework

Prerequisite Coursework (15 hours)

Pre-Education Coursework (3 Credit Hours)
The following coursework must be completed with a grade of C minus or better:

EDF 1005 (3) Introduction to Education; or an equivalent course offering a broad view of education from a historical, cultural, psychological, political, social, and philosophical perspectives. Course must include a field experience.

Social Science Content Prerequisite Coursework (12 Credit Hours)
The following coursework should be complete within the General Education/elective coursework with a grade of C minus or better:

American History (6 Credit Hours)
AMH X020 (3) History of the United States since the Civil War and one of the following courses:

AMH X010 (3) History of the United States through the Civil War
AMH X091 (3) The African-American Experience in the United States
AMH X095 (3) American Indians in the United States
AMH X097 (3) Nationality, Race, and Ethnicity in the United States

World History and Social Science (6 Credit Hours)
Complete two additional social science courses from any of the following prefixes: ANT, ECO, GEA, GEO, POS, PSY, SYG, or WHO.

Recommended courses:

• ECO 2013 – Principles of Macroeconomics or ECO 2023 – Principles or Microeconomics (3)
• GEA 1000 – World Geography (3) or GEO 1400 – Human Geography (3)
• POS 1041 – American National Government (3)
• WOH 2023 – The Modern World to 1815 (3)
• WOH 2030 – The Modern World since 1815 (3)

Admission to Educator Preparation
Admission to Educator Preparation is separate and distinct from admission to upper-division from lower-division or admission to the university as a transfer student. All prospective students for Social Science Education must apply for formal admission to Educator Preparation through the College of Education.

Admissions Timeline

The BS/MS pathways utilize a cohort model with courses offered in a specific sequence over a three-year period. Students cannot progress through the BS/MS pathway at a faster or slower pace than specified by the program curriculum. Students are formally admitted to Educator Preparation in the Fall term regardless of the term they are admitted to the university and/or upper-division. We strongly encourage all prospective students (including transfer students) to plan their lower-division coursework so that they will be eligible for admission to the university and/or upper-division in the Fall term.

Students that apply and are admitted for the Spring term will be formally admitted to Educator Preparation the following Fall. They will join the next admitted Fall cohort and will follow that cohort’s curriculum map until graduation. Please note that this adds one additional term of enrollment to the student’s program of study. Spring admits will receive a custom course schedule for the spring term. Spring term coursework may include a mix of major courses, university-wide graduation requirements and/or content courses for English Education and Social Science Education majors. Priority will be given to completing university-wide graduation requirements and content course requirements.

Educator Preparation Application
The Educator Preparation application is available online at https://education.fsu.edu/teacher-ed-admissions.

Application Deadline
The application deadline for all BS/MS Educator Preparation programs is June 1 for Fall and November 1 for Spring. The first available spring term for admission is Spring 2025.

The college reserves the right to deny any application that is not complete by the application deadline.

Common Admission Requirements
All prospective students to Educator Preparation must meet the following minimum requirements for admission:

1. Complete 60 credit hours of college-level coursework.
2. Earn a 2.50 cumulative GPA in all attempted college coursework. In calculating your GPA, we use all attempted courses (including D's, F's, and WF's) from every college you have attended. If a course is repeated, we will use both grades.
3. Complete FSU General Education curriculum or earn an AA degree from a Florida public institution.
4. Complete EDF 1005 - Introduction to Education with a C minus or better.

See http://liberalstudies.fsu.edu/curriculum.html for Liberal Studies curriculum.

See http://liberalstudiescourses.fsu.edu for a list of approved Liberal Studies courses.

Additional Requirements for Transfer Students
Transfer students must satisfy the university’s minimum requirements for admission including demonstration of satisfactory academic progress, college-level English and mathematics proficiency, and world language proficiency. Applicants who will have attempted 90+ semester hours of college credit (including withdrawals and repeated courses) before enrolling at Florida State University must submit a personal statement to the Office of Admissions. The statement must address the reason(s) for transferring to FSU this late in the academic program and should also include a plan for a timely graduation. See http://admissions.fsu.edu/transfer/ for details.

FTCE General Knowledge Exam
Effective July 1, 2021, the FTCE General Knowledge Exam is no longer a requirement for BS/MS programs within the College of Education.

Requirements

Major Program of Study at FSU: (78 hours)

Undergraduate Coursework: (27 hours)
EDF 4210 (3) Educational Psychology: Developing Learners
RED 4335 (3) Literacy Across the Content Area
SSE 3321 (3) Goals and Methods for Teaching History
SSE 4004 (3) Teaching Citizenship
SSE 4042 (3) Teaching as a Profession
SSE 4362 (3) Fundamentals in Teaching Social Studies
SSE 4664 (3) Inquiry in Teaching Social Studies
SSE 4783 (3) Classroom Assessment in Social Studies Classrooms
TSL 4324 (3) ESOL Instruction in the Content Area

Undergraduate Content-Area Coursework: (21 hours)
ECO 2013 (3) Principles of Macroeconomics or ECO 2023 (3) Principles of Microeconomics
GEA 1000 (3) World Geography
WOH 2023 (3) The Modern World to 1815
WOH 2030 (3) The Modern World after 1815
American History 3000/4000 (3). Recommended: AMH 3540 or AMH 4172
Political Science 3000/4000 (3). Recommended: POS 4413, POS 4424, POS 4606, or POS 3122
Non-European History of any level (3). Recommended: LAH 3500, ASH 3100, or ASH 1044

Graduate Coursework: (30 hours)
EDG 5365 (3) Practitioner Research in the Schools and the Community
EDG 5709 (3) Culturally Responsive Teaching for Equitable Instruction
EDG 5940 (9) Student Teaching
EEX 5089 (3) Adaptations and Accommodations for Learners with Disabilities
SSE 5195 (3) Developing a Global Perspective
SSE 5720 (3) Shaping Teaching & Learning
SSE 5943 (3) Field Laboratory Internship
SSE 8966 (0) Master's Comprehensive Exam
Education Elective (3): 5000 Level

University-Wide Graduation Requirements:

Digital Literacy: (3 hours)
EME2040 recommended, but can be completed by other University approved coursework

Oral Communication Competency: (3 hours)
Completed within General Education/elective coursework

Natural Science Lab: (1 hour)
Completed within General Education/elective coursework

Scholarship-In-Practice: (3 hours)
Completed within major coursework (TSL 4324)

Upper-Division Writing: (3 hours)
Completed within major coursework (RED 4335)

VIA
A VIA membership is required for all Educator Preparation candidates. The membership costs $139 and must be purchased within the first 30 days of your first semester in the program. Throughout your program, courses will include Signature Assessments that must be completed and uploaded into VIA for evaluation by your instructors. Your membership is good for five years and allows you to retain evidence of your demonstration of the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPS).

Required Examinations
Two exams are required before student teaching and graduation:

1. FTCE Professional Education Exam (PE) - $150
2. FTCE Subject Area Exam - $150

The FTCE Professional Education Exam and Subject Area Exam are state-mandated requirements and cannot be waived. Both FTCE exams must be completed before a candidate can participate in Student Teaching. Test preparation resources are available online at http://education.fsu.edu/test-prep.

Criminal Background Screening
School districts have taken precautionary measures to ensure the security and safety of their students. To gain entry into a school and to comply with the Jessica Lunsford Act, all Educator Preparation candidates involved in field experiences and student teaching must complete a Level II background screening (fingerprinting). The cost of the screening and red badge is $95.00 and is effective for five years. The background check must be completed within the first 30 days of your first semester in the program.

Field Experiences
Field Experiences are a required component of all educator preparation programs at Florida State University. They provide students an opportunity to participate in teaching activities in a classroom setting with a certified teacher. The location, duration and frequency of field experiences vary by semester and program. Prospective students should think carefully about their transportation needs, work schedule, extracurricular activities and time management.

Student Teaching
Student Teaching is the culminating experience in Florida State University’s Educator Preparation Program. During this semester-long experience, you will be given an opportunity to demonstrate the various skills that you have learned throughout your program.

Professional Behaviors and Dispositions
While enrolled in an Educator Preparation program, candidates are expected to demonstrate positive behaviors and dispositions that conform to the "Code of Ethics" (State Board of Education Rule 6A10.080 FAC) and the "Principles of Professional Conduct in Florida" (State Board of Education Rule 6A10.081 FAC). Each program reserves the right to refuse or discontinue enrollment of any student who violates these expectations or in the judgment of a majority of the program faculty does not meet the program standards.

Program Completion
All Educator Preparation candidates must demonstrate mastery of the Florida Department of Education Uniform Core Curriculum and positive dispositions prior to graduation. Upon admission to the program, students will receive a cohort specific Educator Preparation Handbook that outlines these requirements in detail. A copy of the current Educator Preparation Handbook is available online at https://education.fsu.edu/educator-preparation .

Minimum Program Requirements – Summary

Total Hours Required (BS): 120
General Education: 36
Lower Division Elective Coursework: 15
Digital Literacy: 3
Oral Communication Competency: 3
Natural Science Lab: 1
Pre-Education Coursework: 3
Undergraduate Major Coursework: 27
Undergraduate Content-Area Coursework: 21
Graduate Major Coursework: 30

Mapping

Mapping is FSU’s academic advising and monitoring system. Academic progress is monitored each Fall and Spring semester to ensure that students are on course to earn their degree in a timely fashion. Transfer students must meet mapping guidelines to be accepted into their majors. You may view the map for this major at www.academic-guide.fsu.edu/.

Remarks

1. A minimum of 45 hours at the 3000 level or above, 30 of which must be taken at this University.
2. All of the major course semester hours, must be completed in residence at this University.
3. The final 30 hours must be completed in residence at this University.

Employment Information

Salary Information: National Association of Colleges and Employers, Occupational Outlook Handbook

Representative Job Titles Related to this Major: Teacher of Social Science - Junior/Middle High or High School, Overseas Teacher, Tutor, Museum Educator, Educational Administrator, Teacher of Higher Education (Community College and University).

Representative Employers: School Boards, Government, Private Schools.