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 education (7–12) postbaccalaureate certification-only program prepares persons with undergraduate degrees in history or social science, or with a 36-credit concentration in history and/or social science courses, to meet the disciplinary content and educational requirements leading to New York’s Initial Certificate in adolescence education required to teach social studies in grades 5–12. The program supplies the background knowledge necessary for teachers to implement the NYS Social Studies Framework for social studies in grades 7–12. It also meets the standards set by national professional organizations such as the National Council for the Social Studies and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
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 an existing undergraduate degree with a 36-credit concentration in history and/or social science courses, as well as a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA; a minimum 3.0 GPA in all history and social science courses.
Students complete a minimum of 30–35 clock hours of field experience in each of three courses: SSE 200, SSE 303, and SSE 309. 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.
The program of study must include economics, government, and a minimum of 30 semester hours of study in the history and geography of the United States and the world.
Program Requirements
Basic History (9 credit hours)
HIS 106 HISTORY OF AMERICAN LIFE I 3
HIS 107 HISTORY OF AMERICAN LIFE II 3
HIS 415 HISTORY AND GOVERNMENT OF NEW YORK STATE 3
Basic World History (9 credit hours)
HIS 230 WORLD CIVILIZATIONS I 3
Select two from the following: 6
HIS 115 FOUNDATIONS OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION
HIS 116 EUROPE SINCE 1500
HIS 117 TWENTIETH-CENTURY EUROPE
Other World History (6 credit hours)
Two Asian, Middle-Eastern, or African History courses 6
Geography (6 credit hours)
GEG 300 WORLD REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY 3
Select one from the following: 3
GEG 102 HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
GEG 206 GEOGRAPHY OF NEW YORK STATE
GEG 309 URBAN GEOGRAPHY
GEG 360 GEOGRAPHY OF ASIA
GEG 362 GEOGRAPHY OF THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
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
Cultural Diversity (3 credit hours)
SSE/HIS 363 AMERICAN IDENTITY IN TRANSITION: DIVERSITY AND PLURALISM IN THE UNITED STATES 3
History/Social Science Electives (11 credit hours)
Professional Education Requirements (30 credit hours)
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
SPF 303 EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY: MIDDLE AND SECONDARY EDUCATION 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
Student Teaching Requirements (12 credit hours)
To student teach, a student must have achieved a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and a minimum 3.0 GPA in the social studies major, as well as obtain a grade of C or higher in SSE 303 and SSE 309.
SSE 409 STUDENT TEACHING OF SOCIAL STUDIES IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL 6
SSE 410 STUDENT TEACHING OF SOCIAL STUDIES IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL 6
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.