About the Program
Accredited: Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) (formerly NCATE)
Enrollment in all teacher education programs follows the guidelines for "Admission to Teacher Education Programs" found in this catalog. Applicants who do not yet meet all admissions criteria should consult with the department.
The social studies secondary education program prepares students to meet the educational requirements leading to New York State Initial Certification in Adolescence Education required to teach social studies in grades 7–12, with an extension for middle childhood that qualifies the holder to teach social studies in grades 5–9. The program supplies a knowledge base that provides the background knowledge necessary for teachers to implement the NYS Learning Standards for students in grades 5–12.
Candidates should consult the Teacher Certification website for current seminars and workshops.
About the History and Social Studies Education Department Department
302 Cassety Hall
1300 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo, NY 14222
Phone: (716) 878-5412
Fax: (716) 878-3882
https://history.buffalostate.edu/
Admission Requirements
Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, a minimum GPA of 3.0 in all history and social science courses.
Prerequisites for Student Teaching: See prerequisites for SSE 409 and SSE 410.
A departmental honors program is also available. Students should contact the department for additional information.
The social studies content core constitutes a 42-credit major in social studies that consists of study in economics, government, and a minimum of 33 credit hours of study in the history and geography of the United States and the world.
All program majors are required to complete a minimum of 150 clock hours of field experience related to coursework prior to student teaching. These field experiences consist of observations, individual tutoring, and the teaching of small groups of students under the supervision of certified teachers. These experiences are an integral component of the pedagogical core courses specified in the previous section, with learning outcomes specified and their achievement evaluated by course instructors.
Students complete a minimum of 30-35 clock hours of field experience in each of three courses: SSE 200, SSE 303, and SSE 309. Another course, SSE/HIS 488, will be used by students to complete the additional 50 clock hours in field experience required for the grades 5–6 extension. The department has established relationships with several "high-need" urban and suburban school districts where field experiences are held. All majors will have study and experiences that together provide a solid foundation for teaching in high-need schools.
To student teach, students are required to be in the major and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the social studies major, as well as obtain a minimum grade of C in SSE 303 and SSE 309. All majors meeting these requirements must enroll in two practicum courses following successful completion of all other coursework, and satisfaction of English and math competency requirements. Placements for these practica include urban and suburban settings. The urban placements may be in high-need districts that provide opportunities for student teachers to work with students from diverse backgrounds, including socio-economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, and students who are English-language learners. Experiences include individual and group instruction, daily and long-view planning, unit teaching, classroom management and routine procedures, use of audiovisual aids, community resources, record-keeping, evaluation procedures, and participation in the total school program.
Learning Outcomes
1. The Learner and Learning Candidates will use understanding of adolescent development, individual differences and diverse cultures to ensure inclusive, student-centered learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.
2. The Content Candidates will demonstrate understanding of central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of disciplines to be taught and be able to connect concepts to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity and collaborative problem solving related to authentic issues.
3. The Teacher and Teaching Candidates will use multiple methods of assessment, plan instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals and use varied an innovative instructional strategy to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content.
4. The Profession and Professional Dispositions Candidates will engage in ongoing professional learning, use evidence to reflect on their own practice, seek appropriate leadership roles and collaborate with families, colleagues, and the community to advance the profession.
Program Requirements
General Education 23 Requirements
33 credit hours *1 33
Social Sciences Major Requirements (42 credit hours)
History of the Western Hemisphere (15 credit hours)
HIS 106 HISTORY OF AMERICAN LIFE I 3
HIS 107 HISTORY OF AMERICAN LIFE II 3
HIS 314 MODERN LATIN AMERICA 3
HIS 415 HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT OF NEW YORK STATE 3
Select one from the following: 3
HIS 308 HISTORY OF EARLY CANADA
HIS 316 HISTORY OF MODERN CANADA
HIS 326 HISTORY OF THE GREAT LAKES REGION
History of the Eastern Hemisphere (15 credit hours)
HIS 230 WORLD CIVILIZATIONS I 3
Two upper-division electives (any Asian, African, or Middle-Eastern world history courses). 6
Select two from the following: 6
HIS 115 FOUNDATIONS OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION
HIS 116 EUROPE SINCE 1500
HIS 117 TWENTIETH-CENTURY EUROPE
Geography (3 credit hours)
GEG 300 WORLD REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY 3
Political Science (3 credit hours)
Select one from the following: 3
PSC 102 INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
PSC 320 U.S. CIVIL LIBERTIES
Economics (3 credit hours)
Select one from the following: 3
ECO 101 THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM
ECO 201 PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS
ECO 202 PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS
Seminar (3 credit hours)
HIS 300 RESEARCH AND WRITING SEMINAR 3
Professional Education Requirements (30 credit hours)
SPF 303 EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY: MIDDLE AND SECONDARY EDUCATION 3
EDU 416 TEACHING LITERACY IN MIDDLE AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS 3
ENG 309 TEACHING AND EVALUATING WRITING 3
or EDU 417 ADOLESCENT LITERACY
EXE 100 NATURE AND NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 3
or EXE 372 FOUNDATIONS OF TEACHING ADOLESCENTS WITH DISABILITIES
PSY 357 ADOLESCENT AND YOUNG ADULT DEVELOPMENT 3
SSE 200 INTRODUCTION TO SECONDARY TEACHING 3
SSE 303 METHODS AND MATERIALS IN TEACHING MIDDLE SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES 3
SSE 309 METHODS AND MATERIALS IN TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL SOCIAL STUDIES 3
SSE 370 COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSROOM 3
SSE 402 HISTORICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL EDUCATION 3
or SSE/HIS 407 THE TEACHING OF HISTORY
Field Experience and Student Teaching Requirements (15 credit hours)
SSE 409 STUDENT TEACHING OF SOCIAL STUDIES IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL 6
SSE 410 STUDENT TEACHING OF SOCIAL STUDIES IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL 6
SSE/HIS 488 INTERNSHIP 3
One Year (or Equivalent) of a Foreign Language (0 credit hours)
Total Credit Hours 120
*1 Program majors should enroll in an introductory psychology course, such as PSY 101, to satisfy their General Education requirements. It is recommended that majors take history courses to meet their U.S. History & Civic Engagement and World History & Global Awareness requirements. (Note: No more than two courses from the primary major can count in the General Education program).
Professional Licensure Disclosure
New York State prides itself in the high quality of its licensed and certified professionals. For the protection of its citizens, each license and certificate has requirements that individuals must meet in order to be licensed or certified in New York State. SUNY’s academic programs leading to licensure or certification are carefully designed to meet and exceed these State requirements. This is a role SUNY plays in protecting the public. Other states frequently have their own requirements, so if your goal is to practice in another state, this disclosure will help you check to see what that state requires.
Enrolled students and prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact their State’s licensure entity using the links provided in the full disclosure document to review all licensure and certification requirements imposed by their state(s) of choice.