COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Arts in History, Social Studies Adolescence Education at St. Joseph's University, New York provides a comprehensive curriculum that combines historical knowledge with professional teacher preparation. The History major requires 33 credits, with a maximum of 15 transfer credits allowed, no more than 12 credits at the 100 level, and at least 12 credits at the 300 and 400 levels to ensure academic depth.Students complete a structured set of required history courses, including Western Civilization (to 1715 and from 1715), American History I and II, and the History of New York: State and City. They must also take either Contemporary International Problems or United States Foreign Relations Since 1914, along with advanced courses such as Historiography and the History Capstone Seminar, with an optional Senior Thesis. In addition, students complete 6 credits in Global History and 3 elective history credits to broaden their understanding of world perspectives.The program also incorporates social science coursework, including Macroeconomics, Economic Geography, Introductory Sociology, and two political science courses selected from Introduction to Political Science, American Government and Politics, or State and Local Government. These courses provide a multidisciplinary understanding of social systems essential for teaching social studies.In addition to the history and social science components, students must complete 35 credits in Adolescence Education. These include courses such as Educational Psychology, Teaching Adolescents with Exceptionalities, Sociological and Philosophical Foundations of Education, Adolescent Literacy, and methods courses for secondary education and teaching history. The program culminates in Supervised Teaching in Secondary Schools, providing real classroom experience. Students are also required to complete Adolescent Psychology, communication courses such as Introduction to Human Communication and either Voice and Diction or Intercultural Communication, and six credits in a foreign language.Overall, the program integrates subject expertise, pedagogical training, and practical experience, preparing graduates to become effective secondary school social studies teachers.