Mar 28, 2024  
2017-2018 Undergraduate Academic Catalog | Expires Aug. 2024 
    
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History Major for Teacher Certification (B.A.)


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Basic Objectives

The History Education Major and Minor at Saginaw Valley State University are designed to provide prospective teachers with a firm grounding in history as an academic discipline in preparation for a career in education. Such a grounding includes substantial and diverse content knowledge in American, European and World History, analytical and interpretive skills, the writing and evaluation of historical argumentation, and the instructional skills needed to teach history on the secondary school level. The curriculum summarized below is directly aligned with the Michigan State Board of Education’s 2009 Standards and Benchmarks for History and reflects substantial coordination between the Departments of History and Teacher Education.

Program Description

Core courses: 27 credits
Elective courses: 21 credits
Methods course: 3 credits
Total credits in content major = 51

Students must also complete a certifiable minor and secondary education professional studies course work.

All history courses teach students to formulate historical questions and to construct narratives and interpretations. Issues of diversity, including race, ethnicity, class, and gender are not only addressed in individual classes on both the survey and upper division level, but also by the structure of the program which requires that students take courses across three regional/global content categories.

Core Courses (27 credits required)


The required survey courses in American and World History introduce students to the major narratives, events and individuals that have shaped the past. While these surveys are primarily designed to provide students with historical content, they also encourage students to make interdisciplinary connections which include geographical, civic, and economic perspectives.

Electives in History (minimum of 21 credits required)


In addition to the above Core courses, majors are required to take at least 21 credits of electives with at least 18 credits distributed among the three categories designated below. Students must take a minimum of two courses in each category. At least 18 elective credits must be at the 300-level. These electives are designed to provide additional content knowledge, chronological understanding and historical practice. To insure diversity in subject matter, the department requires elective courses in world regional histories in addition to courses in United States history.

Elective Categories: United States, European, World

Methods Course (3 credits required)


Honors in History:


Completion of History Education major with GPA in History of 3.50, a cumulative SVSU GPA of 3.20, and completion of a Senior Thesis (HIST 497).

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