General Requirements for Licensure in Social Studies:

• Completion of the College requirements for graduation including the core curriculum requirements.
• Completion of the requirements for a major in history, political science, economics, sociology, anthropology, psychology or religion.
• Completion of the requirements for the Teacher Education Program.

Additionally, students must choose one of the options indicated below.

Option 1: Social Studies Licensure with a Major in History. Additionally, students must complete at least one course in each of the following areas.

• Anthropology or Sociology
• Economics
• Political Science
• Psychology 

Option 2: Social Studies Licensure with a Major in Anthropology, Sociology, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, or Religion. Additionally, students must complete at least one course outside of their major in each of the following areas except history, which requires four courses.

• Anthropology or Sociology 
• Economics
• Political Science
• Psychology 
• History  

Course Requirements:

• EDU 121 (History of Educational Theory and Practice)
• EDU 242 (Educational Psychology and Teaching Exceptionalities)
• EDU 240 (Reading, 'Riting, and Race), 250 (Multicultural Education), or 260 (Social Diversity and Inequality in Education)
• EDU 400 (Organization for Teaching)
• EDU 410-411 (Internship in Teaching)
• EDU 420 (Seminar in Secondary Education)

Other Requirements:

• Minimum scores on the Praxis Series or minimum scores on the SAT.
• Students will need to meet the requirements for admission to the Program and admission to student teaching.
• Candidates must demonstrate their qualifications as a Future-Ready Educator by providing the six required pieces of evidence as described here .  To demonstrate depth of content knowledge for Evidence #2, candidates for Social Studies licensure must submit a copy of their thesis or project required as part of a senior capstone course or other required course determined by the major in Anthropology, Economics, History, Political Science, Psychology, Religion, or Sociology.  The following guidelines reflect the requirements of each particular major.

The Anthropology Major:  To demonstrate depth of knowledge, anthropology majors must complete Anthropology 490: Senior Colloquium in Anthropology, an advanced seminar required of all senior majors, exploring in depth an anthropological issue of critical importance. Students choose a topic related to this issue and prepare seminar presentations and a major research paper. The major research paper will constitute evidence for depth of knowledge.

The Economics Major: To demonstrate depth of knowledge, economics majors must complete Economics 495: Senior Session, which is required of all majoring in economics. As part of the requirements for this course, students prepare projects on economic issues. This project will constitute evidence for depth of knowledge.

The History Major:  To demonstrate depth of knowledge, history majors must complete History 480, a capstone course for history majors. Students define, research, and write a major research paper on a topic of their choice. The major research paper will constitute evidence for depth of knowledge. (Some history majors are invited to participate in History 488, 489, a two-semester research seminar for senior history majors who qualify for honors work and who are selected as Kelley Scholars. The seminar culminates in the researching and writing of a thesis. Students who are invited take this sequence in lieu of History 480.)

The Political Science Major:  To demonstrate depth of knowledge, political science majors must complete a major paper. This paper will be written under the supervision of a Davidson College Political Science faculty member. An oral defense may be expected. This requirement can be met by the completion of an honors thesis or by the writing of a paper (at least 20 pages) done in the context of a seminar or an independent study. A grade of C or better must be earned on the paper to satisfy this requirement.

The Psychology Major:  To demonstrate depth of knowledge, psychology majors are required to write a thesis as part of Psychology 400: Senior Thesis. For the thesis, students design and conduct research, supervised by a faculty member, and report their findings in writing according to the form approved in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

The Religion Major:  To demonstrate depth of knowledge, religion majors are required to write a thesis, directed by an appropriate department member, as part of Religion 401: Senior Colloquium. The course explores issues within the study of religion and discusses strategies for research.

The Sociology Major:  To demonstrate depth of knowledge, sociology majors are required to write a thesis as part of Sociology 499: Senior Thesis. The course requires a literature review, research design, data collection and analysis, and oral defense of thesis.

Standards for High School Social Studies Teachers

The following standards are mandated by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and are imbedded in the specialty area coursework.

Standard 1:  Culture and Cultural Diversity: People, Places, and Environments

Teacher candidates who teach social studies know and can facilitate learning about how culture and culture systems function.  They are able to teach about how human beings relate to their environment and the impact of that relationship on culture.

Teacher candidates who teach social studies know and can facilitate learning about:

• the definition and function of culture in societies
• culture as an integrated whole that explains the functions and interactions of language, literature, the arts, traditions, beliefs and values, and behavior patterns
• societal patterns that preserve and transmit culture and the dynamic relationship between cultures, environments, and societies
• comparative and analytical approaches to examining the differences and similarities among cultures
• specific cultural responses to persistent human issues
• demographic and spatial patterns using various representations of the earth (maps, globes, pictures, etc.)
• relationships between the cultural and physical characteristics of various places (landforms, climate, natural resources, population, etc.)
• how humans relate to their environment and the consequences of that relationship on the local, regional, and global levels

Standard 2:  Time, Continuity, and Change

Teacher candidates who teach social studies know and can facilitate learning about historical periods and patterns.  They teach about diverse perspectives and sources of information that inform an understanding of the past, present, and future.

• significant historical periods and patterns at the local, state, national, and global levels 
• similarities and differences, within and among cultures across time and place 
• key concepts (chronology, cause and effect, change and continuity) used to examine how the world has changed and how it might change in the future
• historical knowledge and the concept of time as socially influenced constructions that lead researchers to be selective in the questions they seek to answer and the evidence they use
• the process of critical inquiry in history and the social sciences used to examine change over time and develop historical perspectives
• identifying and framing a problem
• using a variety of sources
• using primary and secondary resources
• evaluating the credibility of sources
• putting sources into historical context
• investigating, interpreting, and analyzing multiple viewpoints
• clearly and effectively articulating conclusions

Standard 3:  Economic, Scientific, and Technological Development

Teacher candidates who teach social studies know and can facilitate learning about how economic forces affect individuals and communities and about the management of individual and collective resources in a global economy.  This includes the influence of science, technology, and ecologic interdependence on all aspects of human enterprise including systems such as transportation, communication, health care, warfare, agriculture, and industry.

• how the scarcity of resources (human, capital, technological, and natural) require economic systems that determine how goods and services will be produced and distributed
• a comparison of economic systems (market economies, command economies, mixed economies, etc.) regarding issues of specialization, supply and demand, prices, the role of government, banks, labor, labor unions, savings, investments, and sources and uses of capital
• the interaction among various economic systems from local to global
• the fundamentals of personal financial literacy that develops self-directed and responsible citizens
• the impact of scientific and technological innovation on economies and societies over the world
• the way in which science and technology influence core societal values, beliefs, and attitudes and how societal attitudes shape scientific an technological change
• current and historical examples of the interaction and interdependence of science, technology, and society in a variety of cultural settings

Standard 4:  Individuals, Groups, and Institutions: Their Development and Identities

Teacher candidates who teach social studies know and can facilitate learning about how individual and collective identities are shaped by groups and institutions.

• the extent to which groups and institutions meet individual needs and promote the common good
• how such institutions as religion, education systems, social classes, families, government agencies, and legal systems develop and exert influence over both individuals and groups
• concepts of role, status, social class, race, ethnicity, and gender shape the interactions among individuals, groups, and institutions in society
• the tension between expressions of individuality and the efforts of groups to promote social continuity using forces such as role models, perceptions, attitudes, values, beliefs, etc.
• the ways family, religion, gender, ethnicity, nationality, socioeconomic status and other group and cultural influences contribute to the development of a sense of self

Standard 5:  Civic Ideals and Practices: Power, Authority, and Governance

Teacher candidates who teach social studies know and facilitate learning about the principles of democracy and human rights and about the variety of ways that governments, leaders, and citizens exercise power, develop laws, and maintain order.

• the forms, dynamics, and uses of power
• the purpose of government and how its powers are acquired, used, and justified
• how power structures are created, maintained, and changed at the local, state, national, and global levels
• basic principles of democratic constitutional government as articulated in the Founding Documents (United States Constitution, Bill of Rights, etc.)
• representative leaders from various branches and levels of the U. S. government
• the rights, roles, and status of individuals in relation to the general welfare
• the rights and responsibilities of citizens on the local, state, national, and global levels including what citizens need to know and be able to do in order to participate in public policy formulation
• how to analyze the origins and effects of public policy, and the effectiveness of public opinion in influencing and shaping public policy development and decision-making
• comparison of the structure, ideologies, institutions, processes, etc. of different political systems throughout the world, and how different governments respond to forces of unity and diversity
• global issues, international governing bodies, worldwide relations among nations, the role of the United States in global politics, and the global implications of civic decisions
• how governments attempt to achieve their stated ideals at home and abroad