Program Overview:
The major in Social Studies: Adolescence Education qualifies students for initial certification by New York State to teach Social Studies in grades 7 through 12. The program is designed to equip students to develop and deliver a NYSED standards-based curriculum that will strengthen middle school and high school achievement in accordance with the New York State Social Studies Initiative. Students may opt to seek certification for grades 5-6 by completing six credits of additional coursework.
To strengthen their ability to think critically and present their ideas effectively, all majors are required to take an introductory research methods workshop, upper-division courses that emphasize acquisition of analytical and research skills, and a senior capstone seminar. In this seminar, faculty specialists address a particular topic or related topics and engage with the students in open discussion. Students are normally required to conduct research on these topics and to prepare oral and written presentations. The seminars are usually restricted to seniors.
Program Contacts:
Dr. Ryane Straus
Chair, History & Political Science Department
Email: strausr@strose.edu
Teacher Education Department
Email: teachered@strose.edu
Program Webpage: Social Studies: Adolescence Education, BA
Program Requirements:
Major in Social Studies: Adolescence Education (81-82 credits)
All Social Studies Adolescent Education majors must pass content courses with a grade of C or better. Content area classes may only be taken twice. To be eligible for student teaching, students must complete all content courses with a minimum 2.9 GPA. First-year students and incoming transfers are required to take HIS 215 or HIS 227 within the first two semesters at the College of Saint Rose.
Social Studies Content (45 credits)
The topic of the Seminar varies each semester. Prerequisite: A 300-level History or Political Science course.
Three upper-division (300-level) courses (12 credits):
Two upper-division (300-level) courses from two different geographic areas:
African
European
Asian
Middle Eastern
Latin American
United States
PLUS one additional upper-level HIS or POS course
All upper-division coursework must be taken in residence. Additionally, no coursework in the curriculum may be transferred in after matriculation.
CLEP credit cannot be applied to the content area.
Independent Study Policy:
Independent studies provide intensive advanced opportunities for motivated students to deepen their exploration of a topic that they’ve already demonstrated interest and mastery over based upon successful completion of an introductory course.
Independent studies, moreover, are designed to offer exposure to intellectual work that does not fall within the required curriculum and is not offered in the regular course rotation. Independent studies cannot be used as a substitute for academic requirements in the major or concentration.
Adolescence Education (Grades 7-12): Certification Sequence
The Teacher Education Department identifies the purposes of its education sequence for Adolescence Education students seeking initial certification at the undergraduate level as the development of education professionals who are reflective practitioners able to link content, theory, and practice, and create effective learning environments for pupils with the full range of abilities and experiential backgrounds.
The Adolescence Education program offers both theoretical and practical experience and prepares students to teach in the secondary (and, in some districts, middle) school (grades 7-12). The program has three components: an education sequence, the Liberal Education requirements and an academic major in one of the following disciplines: Biology, Chemistry, English, Mathematics, and Social Studies. Students admitted into the Adolescence Education program are required to major in the subject matter they plan to teach. Course requirements for each of the majors can be found under the discipline listings. Adolescence Education majors follow the College’s 41-credit Liberal Education requirements. For this requirement, students need 3 credits of “further disciplinary study” in the liberal arts, selected in consultation with the advisor.
Good standing in the Social Studies: Adolescence Education program, permission to student teach and recommendation for certification are contingent upon maintaining the following academic status: a 2.5 cumulative grade point average, a 2.75 index in the education sequence, and a 2.9 GPA in the academic major. A minimum grade of C+ must be earned in each required education course. Students are allowed to repeat only once courses in the required education sequence for which they have earned below C+. Additionally, students are allowed to repeat only once courses in the content area for which they have earned below C. Required courses may not be taken on a pass/fail basis. All education and content area requirements must be completed prior to student teaching.
In order to be eligible for initial teacher certification in New York State, students must pass required New York State Teacher Certification Examinations. Fingerprinting clearance from The New York State Department of Education is required for all field experiences. Fingerprinting information is available on the New York State Department of Education “TEACH” website http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach. Students should note that education courses with field experiences have catalog course descriptions that include a statement on mandatory fingerprinting.
Upon fulfilling the academic requirements of the program, receiving fingerprint clearance and passing examinations required by the New York State Education Department, students qualify for grades 7-12 initial certification in New York State. Within five years, teachers with initial certification must apply for professional certification, which is contingent upon earning a relevant master’s degree and obtaining teaching experience that includes mentoring.
Required Courses for Adolescence Education (36-39 credits)
EPY 243: approved and counted as a Liberal Education course/elective.
EPY 370: Students who do not take CSC 104 Educational Computing (an L08 course) must take EPY 370.
Internship/Field Experiences/Service:
Required Courses:
| SEC 365 | Curriculum/Instruct 7-12 | 4 |
| SEC 371 | Literacy/Liter Mid/Sec Schools | 4 |
| SEC 378 | Methods Tchg Soc Stud Sec Sch | 4 |
| SEC 470 | Stud Tchg 7-9 & 10-12 | 9 |
| SIE 365 | Fnd&Pract Inc Std w/Disa 7-12 | 4 |
Culminating Academic Experiences:
Required Courses:
Suggested 4 Year Course Plan:
This suggested plan is designed to give students an idea of how to balance their coursework over 8 semesters and to graduate within 4 years. Most students will need to take a minimum of 30 credits each year in order to meet the graduation requirement of a minimum of 120 overall credits. It should be used along with your Degree Works worksheet and in consultation with your faculty advisor. It is meant as a guide, not a definitive list of courses that must be taken as written. Your faculty advisor will help you make any necessary adjustments during advisement.
First Year
Fall (16 cr.)
HIS/POS 100 Intro (first semester) – 1
HIS 215 NYS History - 4
POS 142 Ideologies – 4
ENG 105 L01 Expos Writing – 4
PHI 102 or other L06 – 3
Spring (15 cr.)
POS 112 Critical Analysis US Politics – 4
HIS 226 US History to 1865 – 4
Literature L04 – 4
Math L07 – 3
Sophomore Year
Fall (15 cr.)
HIS 227 US History since 1865 – 4
HIS 300 Social Studies Geography – 4
World Lang. & Culture LO2 – 3
EPY 243 (L11) – 4
EPY 337 (sub-ab wk) – 0
*EDU 440 (opt. to extend to 5-6)- 3
Spring (14 cr.)
HIS 204 SS Economics – 4
HIS 214 Modern Europe – 4
EDU 300 – 3
EPY 350 OR EPY 370 – 3 or 4
Junior Year
Fall (15 cr.)
HIS 2XX elective – 4
HIS 3XX – 4
SEC 371 – 4
L08 *CSC 104 if EPY 350 taken OR take any CSC (L08) if EPY 370 taken - 3
Spring (16 cr.)
HIS 3XX – 4
HIS or POS 3XX 4
SEC 365 – 4
Science (L09) – 4
Senior
Fall (12 cr.)
HIS 498 Capstone Seminar – 4
SIE 365 - 4
SEC 378 Methods – 4
EDU 111 - 0
*EDU 385 opt. to extend to 5-6 - 4
Spring (12 cr.)
SEC 470 Student Teaching- 9
SEC 498 Seminar – 3
Grades 5-6 Extension (Optional):
Extensions are not required as part of the Adolescence Education program at Saint Rose. The New York State Education Department offers an extension for grades 5-6 to the teaching certification for Adolescence Education grades 7-12. This extension to teach in grades 5 and 6 is designed to enable students to create developmentally appropriate classroom contexts for learning in the content areas of their certification (English Language Arts or Social Studies). An extension will show that the certified adolescence teacher has added expertise in the area of extension. Students must obtain fingerprint clearance prior to beginning field experiences. Adolescence Education students who wish the College to recommend them to the New York State Education Department for the extension must complete all the requirements for Adolescence Education certification and the additional requirements shown below.
Required Courses:
Career Opportunities and Graduate Study:
The major in Social Studies 7-12 qualifies students for initial certification by New York State to teach Social Studies in grades 7 through 12.
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