BSU Catalog Home | Social Studies Program

Social Studies Areas of Study

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Social Studies Major, B.A. (Non-teaching)

Note: A minimum of 22 semester credits used to meet course requirements in I and II must be completed at Bemidji State University. No course grade below a C may be used to meet these requirements and a minimum GPA of 2.50 in this major is required for graduation. Students who desire a second field of emphasis are to consider completion a minor or a second major in that field. Such action may complement and increase the marketability of this major.

I. Required Core Courses

Note: Students with a Psychology Field of Emphasis should consult with advisor regarding selection of a statistics course.

ECON 2000 Markets and Resource Allocation (3 credits)
ENGL 2101 Intermediate Writing (3 credits)
GEOG 2200 Introduction to Human Geography (3 credits)
Select 5 credits from History
POL 1200 Introduction to American Politics (3 credits)
or POL 1300 Introduction to International Relations (3 credits)
or POL 1400 Introduction to Comparative Politics (3 credits)
POL 4100 Political Inquiry (3 credits)
SOC 3001 Social Statistics (3 credits)
SOC 3002 Quantitative Research Methods (3 credits)

Subtotal 26 Credits

II. Required Field of Emphasis

Select one of the following fields of emphasis. All references to Social Studies include Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.

Note: No course used to meet core requirements may be used in field of emphasis.

A. Economics

1. Required Course

ECON 2100 Macroeconomics and the Business Cycle (3 credits)

2. Required Electives

Select 18 credits of electives from Economics.

B. Economics-Political Science-Sociology-Anthropology: Broad Field

Required Electives

Select 3 credits from each of Anthropology or Sociology, Political Science, Economics, and Psychology, with consent of advisor.
Select 9 credits from Social Studies with consent of advisor.

C. Geography

1. Required Courses

GEOG 4120 Urban Geography (3 credits)
GEOG 2100 Introduction to Physical Geography (3 credits)
or GEOG 3410 Geography of the United States (3 credits)
GEOG 3800 Regional Geography (3 credits)
or any regional geography course within the 3800 series.

2. Required Electives

Select two of the following Systematic/Applied courses:
Note: GEOG 3310 has a prerequisite not included in this major or requires consent of instructor.
GEOG 1224 Introduction to Map Use (3 credits)
GEOG 2225 Aerial Photo and Remote Sensing (3 credits)
GEOG 2231 Geographic Information Systems (3 credits)
GEOG 3310 Land Use Analysis and Planning (3 credits)
Select 6 additional credits of electives in Geography.

D. History

1. Required Courses

HST 1114 United States History I (4 credits)
HST 1115 United States History II (4 credits)
SOC 1104 Introduction to Sociology (3 credits)

2. Required Electives

Select 10 credits of electives from History courses numbered 2500 or above.

E. Political Science

Required Electives

Select 21 credits of electives in Political Science.

F. Psychology

1. Required Courses

Note: Asterisked (*) courses have a prerequisite not included in this major.

ANTH 1100 Becoming Human (3 credits)
PSY 1100 Introductory Psychology (4 credits)
PSY 2237 Lifespan Development (3 credits)
PSY 3367 Social Psychology (3 credits)

Select either group

PSY 2217 Abnormal Psychology (3 credits)
*PSY 4467 Personality Theories (3 credits)

or *PSY 3312 Advanced Research Methods (3 credits)
PSY 4487 History and Systems of Psychology (3 credits)

2. Required Electives

Select 2 credits of electives from Psychology.

G. Sociology-Anthropology

Required Electives

Select 21 credits of electives from Sociology and Anthropology with a minimum of 6 credits in Anthropology.

Subtotal 21 Credits

Total Semester Credits Required for Major 47 Credits

A Total of 128 Semester Credits is Required for a Bachelor's Degree

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SUGGESTED SEMESTER SCHEDULE FOR SOCIAL STUDIES MAJOR, B.A.

The following is suggested for logical and effective scheduling but can be interpreted as flexible for meeting requirements and a student's particular needs. Students should meet with the Social Studies coordinator and advisor as early as possible in their planning.

Freshman - Sophomore

Geography and History constitute the "matrix" of Social Studies and students should complete required core courses in these subjects first.

Complete Liberal Education requirements

Junior - Senior

Complete remaining core course requirements and courses for area of emphasis.

Complete Professional Education courses

Students pursuing the B.S. Teacher Licensure in Social Studies should complete GEOG 3460 no sooner than their junior year, preferably just prior to their student teaching.

Students pursuing the B.A. in Social Studies should complete ENGL 2101 by their junior year. Well developed writing skills are considered extremely important for successful performance in completing this program.

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Social Studies Major, B.S. (Teacher Licensure)

A minor in one or two social studies disciplines is strongly recommended for Social Studies Teacher Licensure students.

Note: Students must have a minimum overall 2.50 GPA in the major. No grade below a “C” may be used to meet program requirements. A minimum of 22 of the 53 Social Studies program credits must be completed at BSU.

I. Anthropology Courses

ANTH 1110 Cultural Anthropology (3 credits)

Subtotal 3 Credits

II. Economics Courses

ECON 2000 Markets and Resource Allocation (3 credits)

Subtotal 3 Credits

III. Geography Courses

GEOG 1224 Introduction to Map Use (3 credits)
GEOG 2100 Introduction to Physical Geography (3 credits)
GEOG 3410 Geography of the United States (3 credits)

Select one of the following (3 credits minimum):

GEOG 3800 Regional Geography (1-3 credits)
GEOG 3810 Geography of Europe (3 credits)
GEOG 3820 Geography of Asia (3 credits)

Subtotal 12 Credits

IV. History Courses

HST 1114 United States History I, to 1877 (3 credits)
or HST 1115 United States History II, since 1877 (3 credits)
HST 1304 World History I, Prehistory-1500 (3 credits)
or HST 1305 World History II, 1500-Present (3 credits)

Select one course in U.S. history:

HST 2610 Minnesota History (3 credits)
HST 2630 Religion in America (3 credits)
HST 2660 Women and History (3 credits)
HST 2690 Indians of North America (3 credits)
HST 3107 Colonial America, 1492-1763 (3 credits)
HST 3187 North American West (3 credits)

Select one course in non-U.S. history:

HST 2580 Russia (3 credits)
HST 3208 Greece and Rome, 1500 BCE-500 CE (3 credits)
HST 3218 Medieval Europe, 500-1300 (3 credits)
HST 3228 Renaissance and Later Middle Ages, 1300-1500 (3 credits)
HST 3238 Luther, Calvin, and the Reformation, 1500-1700 (3 credits)
HST 3248 French Revolution and Napoleon, 1774-1815 (3 credits)
HST 3309 World Religions (3 credits)
HST 3419 China (3 credits)
HST 3429 South and Southeast Asia (3 credits)
HST 3439 Japan and Korea (3 credits)
HST 3449 Middle East (3 credits)
HST 3459 Latin America (3 credits)
HST 3469 Africa (3 credits)

Subtotal 12 Credits

V. Political Science Courses

POL 1200 Introduction to American Politics (3 credits)
POL 1300 Introduction to International Relations (3 credits)

Select one of the following (3 credits minimum):
Note: Asterisked (*) courses have a prerequisite not included in this major.
POL 3100 American Foreign Policy (3 credits)
POL 3120 Global Resource Politics (3 credits)
*POL 3130 Asian Political Development (3 credits)
POL 3150 Topics in Political Science (1-3 credits)
*POL 3160 Comparative European Politics (3 credits)
POL 3170 International Relations (3 credits)
POL 3180 International Law and Organization (3 credits)
POL 3190 International Political Economy (3 credits)
POL 3200 Minnesota Politics (3 credits)
POL 3210 Public Administration (3 credits)
POL 3230 Environmental Politics (3 credits)
POL 3410 Legislative and Executive Relations (3 credits)
POL 3420 Campaigns and Elections (3 credits)
POL 4200 Constitutional Law (3 credits)

Subtotal 9 Credits

VI. Psychology Course

PSY 1100 Introductory Psychology (4 credits)

Subtotal 4 Credits

VII. Sociology Courses

SOC 1104 Introduction to Sociology (3 credits)

Select one of the following:

SOC 2220 Sociology of Marriage and Family (3 credits)
SOC 2230 Ethnic and Minority Group Relations (3 credits)
SOC 3010 Contemporary Sociological Theory (3 credits)
SOC 3030/SOWK 3030 Family Violence (3 credits)
SOC 3050 Environmental Sociology (3 credits)
SOC 3230 Social Psychology (3 credits)

Subtotal 6 Credits

VIII. Social Studies Methods Course

GEOG 3460 Teaching of Middle and Secondary School Social Studies (4 credits)

Subtotal 4 Credits

Social Studies Subtotal 53 Credits

IX. Professional Education Curriculum

Subtotal 33 Credits

Total Semester Credits Required for Major 86 Credits

A Total of 128 Semester Credits is Required for a Bachelor’s Degree

SUGGESTED SEMESTER SCHEDULE FOR SOCIAL STUDIES MAJOR, B.S. (TEACHER LICENSURE)

See schedule listed after Social Studies Major, B.A.

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Social Studies Minor

A minimum of 12 semester credits used to meet requirements in this minor must be completed at BSU. No course grade below a C may be used to meet the requirements of this minor.

I. Required Courses

GEOG 2100 Introduction to Physical Geography (3 credits)
or GEOG 2200 Introduction to Human Geography (3 credits)
ECON 2000 Markets and Resource Allocation (3 credits)
or GEOG 2300 Economic Geography (3 credits)
HST 1304 World History I, Prehistory to 1700 (4 credits)
HST 1305 World History II, 1700 to Present (4 credits)
POL 1200 Introduction to American Politics (3 credits)

Subtotal 17 Credits

II. Required Electives

Select 10 credits of electives from at least two of the following disciplines:

Anthropology

Economics

History

Political Science

Sociology

Subtotal 10 Credits

Total Semester Credits Required for Minor 27 Credits