Major in Social Studies Composite
The social studies composite major is a broad-field major requiring 48 hours in social studies. Students with a social studies composite major do not require a minor. This curriculum is recommended for students seeking social studies certification for grades 8-12.
Core Curriculum Requirements 48 hours
Social Studies Courses
Students take 36 hours of required social studies classes and 39 hours of designated social studies electives.
Required Courses
ANTH 3333 United States and Other World Cultures
ECO 2301 Principles of Economics I
ECO 2302 Principles of Economics II
HIST 2313 American Heritage I
HIST 2314 American Heritage II
HIST 2331 World Civilizations I
HIST 2332 World Civilizations II
HIST 3303 Geography and Environment
HIST 3330 A General Survey of the History of Texas
HIST 3332 Historiography and Methods
POLS 2313 United States and Texas Government and Politics
POLS 2314 United States and Texas Government and Politics
Designated Electives
Select six hours from the following:
HIST 3313 American Colonial Era to 1783
HIST 3324 Formative Period of the American Nation 1783-1840
HIST 3350 American Military Experience
HIST 3373 Mexican-American Heritage
HIST 4322 Spanish Southwest to 1821
HIST 4343 Era of Sectional Conflict, 1850-1877
HIST 4363 United States-Latin American Relations
HIST 4397* Special Topics in U.S. History
Select six hours from the following:
HIST 3350 American Military Experience
HIST 3373 Mexican-American Heritage
HIST 4303 Emergence of Modern America, 1877-1917
HIST 4313 Twentieth Century America, 1917 to Present
HIST 4363 United States-Latin American Relations
HIST 4397* Special Topics in U.S. History
Select six hours from the following:
HIST 3335 History of Spain
HIST 3341 History of England I to 1686
HIST 3342 History of England II, after 1686
HIST 4370 Renaissance and the Reformation, 1300-1650
HIST 4371 Russia since 1905
HIST 4375 Absolutism and Enlightenment in Europe, 1650-1789
HIST 4376 Revolutionary Europe, 1780-1850
HIST 4383 Europe’s Age of Imperialism, 1850-1919
HIST 4393 Contemporary Europe, 1919 to present
HIST 4396* Special Topics in European History
Select three hours from the following:
HIST 3333 Colonial Mexico, Central and South America
HIST 4322 The Spanish Southwest to 1821
HIST 4352 Brazil After Independence
HIST 4345 Mexico’s First Century as an Independent Republic
HIST 4353 History of Mexican Culture
HIST 4354 Contemporary Mexico
HIST 4355 Spanish South America since Independence
HIST 4363 United States-Latin American Relations
HIST 4374 Caribbean and Central America
HIST 4398* Special Topics in Latin American History
Select three hours from the following:
HIST 3302 World History Studies
HIST 3333 Colonial Mexico, Central and South America
HIST 4322 The Spanish Southwest to 1821
HIST 4352 Brazil After Independence
HIST 4345 Mexico’s First Century as an Independent Republic
HIST 4353 History of Mexican Culture
HIST 4354 Contemporary Mexico
HIST 4355 Spanish South America since Independence
HIST 4363 United States-Latin American Relations
HIST 4374 Caribbean and Central America
HIST 4398* Special Topics in Latin American History
Select six hours from the following:
POLS 3316 American Public Policy
POLS 4320** American Constitutional Law: Federalism
POLS 4321** American Constitutional Law: Liberties
POLS 4332 American Political Theory
POLS 4360 American Executive Process
POLS 4363 American Legislative Process
POLS 4367** American Judicial Process
POLS 4373 American Political Parties and Politics
Select three hours from the following:
ECON 3351 Macroeconomic Theory
ECON 3353 International Trade
ECON 3355 Economic Development
ECON 3357 Economics of Poverty
ECON 3358 Labor History
ECON 4359 History of Economic Thought
FINA 3381 Money and Banking
Pick one of the following three fields and choose six hours, three of which may not be advanced hours:
Field One
ANTH 1323 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 3343 Museum Studies
ANTH 3375 Mexican-American Folklore
ANTH 3380 Social Anthropology
ANTH 4348 People and Cultures of Mexico
ANTH 4365 Archeology of South America
ANTH 4369 Archeology of Mexico and Central America
ANTH 4374 Archeology of North America
Field Two
SOC 1313 Principles of Sociology
SOC 3363 The Sociology of Religion
SOC 4313 American Minorities
SOC 4323 Mexican-American People
SOC 4326 Population and Society
SOC 4333 Social Theory
SOC 4352 Social Inequality
SOC 4360 Sociology of Education
Field Three
PSY 1310 Introduction to Psychology
PSY 3324 Social Psychology
PSY 3345 Psychology of Learning
PSY 4326 Cross-Cultural Psychology
PSY 4328 Psychological Issues in the Mexican-American Community
PSY 4355 Psychology and Mythology
Students seeking certification must take the following classes:
EDCI 1301 Introduction to Teaching
EDCI 4301 Foundations of Education
EDHS 3305 Instructional Methods for English Learners and Learners with Exceptionalities in High Schools
EDCI 4307 Secondary Curriculum Development Internship I
EDCI 4308 Instructional Methods and Class Management Internship I
READ 4351 Literacy Development in Secondary School
EDCI 4641 Internship II
Total Hours for students seeking certification 132 hours
*Requires departmental approval.
**Students may choose only one of these options. Students may not apply the same course in two elective areas.