Bachelor of Arts History with a Major in Secondary History/Social Sciences Education (6-12) (BA)
The Colleges of Arts and Letters and the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies cooperate in providing a Bachelor of Arts degree that licenses recipients to teach on the secondary level in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Most other states honor this license. Students must achieve passing scores on the Virginia Board of Education prescribed assessments as a prerequisite for entry into the professional education core. They must also pass the Praxis Subject Assessment, social studies content knowledge (formerly Praxis II) in order to be admitted to TLED 485 (Teacher Candidate Internship) and to be licensed. For information on these standardized tests, students should consult with their education advisor. To gain admission to this program, students must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 and maintain this average to graduate. Students must also have and maintain a major/content grade point average of 2.75 with grades of C- or higher in all history/social sciences courses and a professional education grade point average of 2.75 with all grades C- or higher in all education courses. The history/social sciences content consists of history, political science, geography, and economics. An optional specialization may be completed using students’ History electives; these specializations include Race, Gender, and Religion; War, Revolution, and Society; Mobilities and Migrations; History of Science and Technology; and Maritime History.
Entering students must declare their intention to take their degree in History with a major in secondary history/social sciences education (6-12) in the History Department, whereupon they will be assigned an advisor. Another advisor will be assigned in the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies. It is the responsibility of the student to see both advisors regularly.
Requirements
Lower-Division General Education
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Written Communication | 6 | |
| Oral Communication | 3 | |
| Mathematics | 3 | |
| Language and Culture | 0-6 | |
| Information Literacy and Research | 3 | |
| Human Behavior | 3 | |
| Human Creativity | 3 | |
| Interpreting the Past | 3 | |
| Literature | 3 | |
| Philosophy and Ethics | 3 | |
| The Nature of Science | 8 | |
| Impact of Technology | 3 | |
Written Communication: Grade of C or better required in both courses and in ENGL 110C before declaring major.
Language and Culture: Proficiency through 202 level; proficiency is not met by completion of an associate degree.
Lower-division information literacy and research general education requirement is satisfied in the major by HIST 201.
Only a HIST course fulfills the lower-division interpreting the past general education requirement.
Literature: WCS 100L recommended
Philosophy and Ethics: PHIL 250E recommended
Impact of Technology requirement satisfied by TLED 430W.
Human Behavior: ECON 200S is recommended; however, ECON 201S together with ECON 202S are acceptable.
Upper-Division General Education
Students in the secondary history/social sciences education (6-12) program satisfy the Upper-Division General Education requirement through their professional education courses.
Requirements for Graduation
Requirements for graduation include completion of ENGL 110C, ENGL 211C or ENGL 231C, and the writing intensive (W) course in the major with a grade of C or better; completion of the Senior Assessment; a minimum cumulative 2.75 GPA in the major area and in the professional education core with no grade less than a C- in the major/content and the professional education core; successful completion of the Teacher Candidate Internship, and a minimum of 122 credit hours, which must include both a minimum of 31 credit hours overall and 12 credit hours of upper-level courses in the major program from Old Dominion University.
Licensure requirements also include certificate of completion in First Aid/AED/CPR, Dyslexia Awareness Training, Child Abuse and Neglect Recognition and Intervention Training, and Regulations Governing the Use of Restraint and Seclusion in Elementary and Secondary Schools, and Cultural Competence Training.
Due to changing University requirements, national accreditation standards, and the Virginia Board of Education licensure regulations, the teacher education programs in the College of Arts and Letters are under constant revision. Any changes resulting from these factors supersede the program requirements described in this Catalog. Students are encouraged to obtain current program information from their advisors and from the Office of Clinical Experiences website at www.odu.edu/oce.
Secondary History/Social Sciences Education (6-12) Major
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education | ||
| Complete lower-division requirements | 35-44 | |
| Complete upper-division requirements (met in the major through professional education coursework) | ||
| Complete foreign language coursework through the 202 level | 0-6 | |
| Secondary History/Social Sciences Education (6-12) | ||
| SOC 201S | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| HIST 102H | Interpreting the European Past 1 | 3 |
| HIST 104H | Interpreting the American Past | 3 |
| HIST 201 | Introduction to Historical Methods 2 | 3 |
| HIST 356 | Virginia History | 3 |
| HIST 402W | Senior Seminar in History 3 | 3 |
| HIST 300 and 400-level classes 4 | 15 | |
Field One: United States History (at least 1 class) | ||
Field Two: Pre-1800 History (at least 1 class) | ||
Field Three: Post-1800 World History (at least 1 class) | ||
| History and Social Sciences License Requirements | ||
| Geography courses | ||
| GEOG 100S | Human Geography | 3 |
| GEOG 300 | Maps and Geographic Information | 3 |
| GEOG 305 | World Resources | 3 |
| or GEOG 320 | Political Geography | |
| Political Science courses | ||
| POLS 101S | Introduction to American Politics | 3 |
| POLS 331 | State and Local Government | 3 |
| or POLS 334 | Electoral Politics | |
| or POLS 434 | Political Participation in the United States | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Race, Culture and Public Policy | ||
| Political Theory | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| European Politics | ||
| Politics of Africa | ||
| International Political Economy | ||
| Russian Politics | ||
| Latin American Politics | ||
| Politics of East Asia | ||
| Technology and War | ||
| Congress | ||
| American Presidency | ||
| American Constitutional Law: Powers of Government | ||
| African American Politics | ||
| Women and Politics in America | ||
| Professional Education Core | ||
| TLED 301 | Foundations and Introduction to Assessment of Education | 3 |
| TLED 360 | Classroom Management and Discipline | 2 |
| TLED 408 | Reading and Writing in Content Areas | 3 |
| TLED 430W | PK-12 Instructional Technology 5 | 3 |
| TLED 455 | Developing Instructional Strategies for Teaching in the Middle/High School: Social Studies | 3 |
| TLED 483 | Seminar in Teacher Education | 1 |
| TLED 485 | Teacher Candidate Internship | 12 |
| SPED 313 | Fundamentals of Human Growth and Development: Birth through Adolescence | 3 |
| SPED 400 | Foundations of Special Education: Legal Aspects and Characteristics | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 119-134 | |
- 1
HIST 102H fulfills the lower-division interpreting the past general education requirement.
- 2
Fulfills the lower-division information literacy and research general education requirement.
- 3
Grade of C or better required.
- 4
At least one elective must be at the 400-level. If an optional specialization is selected, four of the five electives must be chosen from a single specialization. Specialization options include Race, Gender, and Religion; War, Revolution, and Society; Mobilities and Migrations; History of Science and Technology; and Maritime History.
- 5
Fulfills the impact of technology general education requirement.
Additional Requirements and Information
Admission
All students must apply for and be admitted into the approved secondary history/social sciences education (6-12) major. Prior to acceptance into the program in the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies, students must pass the Virginia Communication Literacy Assessment with a scaled score of 235 for the reading subtest and a scaled score of 235 for the writing test OR a composite score of 470 for the assessment. Students must meet the required criteria for admission by earning the minimum required grade point averages (GPA).
Prescribed Virginia Board of Education Assessment for Admission to an Approved Teacher Education Program
Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VCLA): scaled passing score of 235 for the reading subtest and a score of 235 for the writing subtest or a composite score of 470 for the assessment.
For the most current information on the prescribed Virginia Board of Education admission assessment, visit the Office of Clinical Experiences website, http://www.odu.edu/oce and review the Professional Education Handbook.
Required grade point averages (GPA)
- A cumulative GPA of 2.75 is required.
- A major/content GPA of 2.75 is required – all history and social science courses must be passed with a grade of C- or higher.
- A professional education GPA of 2.75 is required – all professional education courses must be passed with a grade of C- or higher.
Although students may enroll in a limited number of education courses, students must be admitted into the approved secondary history/social sciences education (6-12) major prior to enrolling in any instructional strategies practicum education course. Students must also meet with an education advisor in the Office of Clinical Experiences.
Continuance
Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.75, a major/content GPA of 2.75 and a professional education GPA of 2.75. History and social science courses must be passed with a grade of C- or higher. The remaining courses required for the major and in the professional education core must be completed with a grade of C- or higher for continuance. A professional education GPA of 2.75 is required for continuance. Students must take and pass the Praxis Subject Assessment, social studies content knowledge (formerly Praxis II) prior to or while enrolled in the instructional strategies course. All assessments must be passed prior to the start of the Teacher Candidate Internship Orientation session.
Background Clearance Requirement
Old Dominion University requires a background clearance check of candidates interested in many of the professional education programs. Professional education programs have several field experiences that are required for continuance and graduation from the program. The background clearance must be successfully completed prior to a field experience placement. Candidates will be provided a field experience placement when the background check process is completed with resolution of any issues. The process to complete the ODU clearance background check is located at: http://www.odu.edu/success/academic/teacher-education/placement/background-checks. The ODU clearance process includes: an FBI fingerprint, a child protective service/social service review, and a Virginia State Police sex offender registry review. Candidates interested in the professional education programs are advised to complete this clearance process immediately upon entry into the program since the clearance process takes a minimum of eight weeks to complete.
Virginia Board of Education Prescribed Assessments for Licensure
- Praxis Subject Assessment, social studies content knowledge (test code 5081) – passing score of 161 required.
To review more information on the Virginia Board of Education prescribed assessments, visit the Office of Clinical Experiences website, www.odu.edu/oce.
Advanced Placement
Advanced placement credit is awarded to students who earn qualifying scores on AP and IB subject examinations. See the equivalency charts on the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website at https://www.odu.edu/admission/undergraduate/credit. Students may also earn advanced placement credit with a qualifying score on the CLEP exam. Consult the Testing Center for further information on advanced placement.
Degree Program Guide
The Degree Program Guide is a suggested curriculum to complete this degree program in four years. It is just one of several plans that will work and is presented only as broad guidance to students. Each student is strongly encouraged to develop a customized plan in consultation with their academic advisor. Additional information can also be found in Degree Works.
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| ENGL 110C | English Composition (Grade of C or better required) | 3 |
| Mathematical Skills | 3 | |
| Oral Communication | 3 | |
| Language and Culture I (May be waived; See requirement details) | 0-3 | |
| HIST 102H | Interpreting the European Past | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 12-15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Human Creativity | 3 | |
| Literature (WCS 100L recommended) | 3 | |
| Human Behavior (ECON 200S is recommended; however, ECON 201S together with ECON 202S are acceptable) | 3 | |
| Language and Culture II (May be waived; See requirement details) | 0-3 | |
| HIST 104H | Interpreting the American Past | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 12-15 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Fall | ||
| ENGL 211C or ENGL 231C |
Writing, Rhetoric, and Research (Grade of C or better required) or Writing, Rhetoric, and Research: Special Topics |
3 |
| Nature of Science I | 4 | |
| Language and Culture III | 3 | |
| SOC 201S | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| HIST 201 | Introduction to Historical Methods (fulfills the lower-division literacy and research general education requirement) | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Philosophy and Ethics (PHIL 250E recommended) | 3 | |
| Nature of Science II | 4 | |
| Language and Culture IV | 3 | |
| HIST 300/400-level elective | 3 | |
| TLED 301 | Foundations and Introduction to Assessment of Education | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Junior | ||
| Fall | ||
| HIST 356 | Virginia History | 3 |
| HIST 300/400-level elective | 3 | |
| SPED 313 | Fundamentals of Human Growth and Development: Birth through Adolescence | 3 |
| GEOG 100S | Human Geography | 3 |
| POLS 101S | Introduction to American Politics | 3 |
| TLED 430W | PK-12 Instructional Technology (satisfies Impact of Technology) | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Spring | ||
| HIST 300/400-level elective | 3 | |
| HIST 300/400-level elective | 3 | |
| HIST 300/400-level elective | 3 | |
| TLED 408 | Reading and Writing in Content Areas | 3 |
| GEOG 300 | Maps and Geographic Information | 3 |
| POLS 331 or POLS 334 or POLS 434 | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Senior | ||
| Fall | ||
| HIST 402W | Senior Seminar in History (Grade of C or better required) | 3 |
| SPED 400 | Foundations of Special Education: Legal Aspects and Characteristics | 3 |
| TLED 360 | Classroom Management and Discipline | 2 |
| TLED 455 | Developing Instructional Strategies for Teaching in the Middle/High School: Social Studies | 3 |
| TLED 483 | Seminar in Teacher Education | 1 |
| GEOG 305 or GEOG 320 | 3 | |
| POLS-300/400-level elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Spring | ||
| TLED 485 | Teacher Candidate Internship | 12 |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 122-128 | |
Linked Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts–History
Students with exceptional academic skills can enter this program and count up to 12 credit hours of graduate history courses toward both an undergraduate and graduate degree. Students in the linked program must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree and 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree).
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the program, students must be a declared major in history, have completed a minimum of 60 undergraduate credit hours, including at least nine hours in history courses at the 300-level or above, and have a GPA of 3.30 or better overall and in history.
Admission Procedures
Students who meet the admission requirements should consult with the graduate program director to discuss their eligibility and to plan graduate courses to be taken as an undergraduate. During their senior year, students must file an application to the program in history with the Office of Admissions. This application includes an Old Dominion University graduate application, a 500-word personal statement, at least two letters of recommendation, and a writing sample of 10+ pages using primary and secondary sources. Graduate admission deadlines apply.
Once students have been awarded their BA degree and fulfilled all regular admission requirements for the MA in history, they will be officially admitted into the MA program.
Requirements for the Linked BA/MA Program
Students in the program will fulfill all regular admission and curricular requirements for both the BA and MA in history, with the following exceptions:
- Upon completing 90 hours of undergraduate work and attaining senior status, admitted students may take up to 12 hours of graduate courses as an undergraduate, provided that those courses fulfill curricular requirements for both the BA and MA degrees in history.
- Students will need to complete the following major requirements for the BA:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 100-level elective: * | 3 | |
| HIST 201 | Introduction to Historical Methods ** | 3 |
| HIST 402W | Senior Seminar in History | 3 |
| HIST 300 and 400-level classes *** | 21 | |
Field One: United States History | ||
Field Two: European History | ||
Field Three: Area Studies (Asia, Latin America, Middle East, Russia, Africa) | ||
Field Four: Comparative History | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 30 | |
- *
Only HIST courses fulfill history course requirements for the major and the Interpreting the Past requirement for the General Education requirement.
- **
Meets information literacy and research requirement.
- ***
A minimum of one class from three of the four fields listed, one of which must be 400-level
Up to 12 credits of graduate-level course work taken as an undergraduate during the senior year can substitute for 300- and 400-level requirements above and will be counted toward the BA degree in history. The following guidelines apply:
A. Any 500-level course that is cross listed with a 400-level course may be substituted for the 400-level course; however, the student cannot take a 500-level course which has already been taken at the 400 level. Only nine credits of 500-level course work will count toward the MA degree.
B. The following courses can be taken to fulfill the 300-400 level American elective requirement:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 602 | Readings in Early American History | 3 |
| HIST 607 | A People's Contest: Civil War and Reconstruction | 3 |
| HIST 609 | Melting Pot? Readings in Immigration History | 3 |
| HIST 610 | Edible History: Food and Drink in the U.S. and Global History | 3 |
| HIST 611 | The Military in America | 3 |
| HIST 617 | The Long Civil Rights Movement | 3 |
| HIST 619 | United States Labor and Working Class History | 3 |
| HIST 622 | The Atlantic Slave Trade | 3 |
| HIST 621 | The Atlantic World and Early America | 3 |
| HIST 683 | History of the Global 1960s | 3 |
C. The following courses can be taken to fulfill the 300-400 level European elective requirement:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 636 | The British Empire | 3 |
| HIST 641 | Individual & Society in Ancient Greece | 3 |
| HIST 643 | Religion, Culture, and Empire in Greco-Roman Palestine | 3 |
| HIST 646 | Studies in Russian History | 3 |
| HIST 648 | France and the Sea | 3 |
| HIST 655 | Early Modern Europe: Religion, Reform, and Violence | 3 |
| HIST 657 | Old Regime and French Revolution | 3 |
| HIST 658 | Studies in European History from 1815-1914 | 3 |
| HIST 662 | North Atlantic Resources | 3 |
| HIST 670 | Fin-De-Siecle Europe | 3 |
| HIST 674 | Holocaust History and Memory | 3 |
D. The following courses can be taken to fulfill the 300-400 level elective requirement in African, Asian, Latin American, Middle Eastern, or Russian history:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIST 628 | History of the U.S. Mexico Borderlands | 3 |
| HIST 640 | Studies in East Asian History | 3 |
3. All graduate courses taken as an undergraduate that are completed with a grade of B (3.0) or better will also count toward the 30-credit MA degree in history.
Students should consult the Graduate Catalog for information and requirements for the MA in history.
BA or BS to MBA (Master of Business Administration) Linked Program
The linked BA/MBA or BS/MBA program is an early entry to the MBA program of study. The early-entry program is designed for well qualified non-business undergraduate ODU students to start their MBA program prior to completing their undergraduate degree. Well qualified non-business undergraduate students may take MBA-level courses as early as three semesters prior to graduation and count up to 12 graduate credits toward their undergraduate degree. Students participating in the early-entry program must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree and 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree). Early-entry program students should carefully consider their undergraduate degree program requirements when planning their course of study. Students in the early-entry program work in close consultation with the MBA Program Office and should refer to information in the Strome College of Business section in the graduate catalog to develop an individualized plan of study based on the required coursework.
BA or BS to MPA (Master of Public Administration) Linked Program
The linked BA/MPA or BS/MPA program provides qualified Old Dominion University undergraduate students with the opportunity to earn a master's degree in public administration while taking credits in the MPA program as an undergraduate student. The program is designed for highly motivated students with the desire to immediately continue their education after the bachelor's degree. The program is especially relevant to individuals seeking to work (or currently working) in the public or non-profit sectors, but is suitable for students from any undergraduate major. Graduate courses may be taken during the fall and spring semester of the student's senior undergraduate year. Up to 12 graduate credits can count toward both the undergraduate and graduate degree and can meet upper-level General Education requirements. After receiving the undergraduate degree, a student will continue with the MPA program, taking MPA courses until completing the required 39 credit hours. Students in the linked program must earn a minimum of 150 credit hours (120 discrete credit hours for the undergraduate degree and 30 discrete credit hours for the graduate degree).
Requirements for admission to the graduate program can be found in the School of Public Service section of the Graduate Catalog. For additional information, please contact the School of Public Service in the Strome College of Business.