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. Core Curriculum

Note: Asterisked (*) courses either have prerequisites not required in this major, or require consent of instructor.

English Course (3 credits)

ENGL 2101 Intermediate Writing (3 credits)

Economics Course (3 credits)

ECON 2000 Markets and Resource Allocation (3 credits)
or *ECON 2100 Macroeconomics and the Business Cycle (3 credits)

Geography Courses (6 credits)

GEOG 2100 Introduction to Physical Geography (3 credits)
or GEOG 2200 Introduction to Human Geography (3 credits)

Select one of the following:
GEOG 3410 Geography of North America (3 credits)
GEOG 3800 Regional Geography (3 credits)
GEOG 3810 Geography of Europe (3 credits)
GEOG 3820 Geography of Asia (3 credits)
GEOG 3840 Geography of Africa (3 credits)

History Courses (6 credits)

Upper Division World History

Select one of the following:

HST 2208 Greece and Rome, 1500 BCE-500 CE (3 credits)
HST 2218 Medieval Europe (3 credits)
HST 2228 Renaissance and Reformation Europe (3 credits)
HST 2580 Russia (3 credits)
HST 2600 Topics in History (3 credits)
HST 2660 Women and History (3 credits)
HST 2700 World Religions (3 credits)
HST 2800 Reacting to the Past (3 credits)
HST 3159 The World at War, 1931-1945 (3 credits)
HST 3169 History of the Vietnam War (3 credits)
*HST 3258 Foundation of the Western Legal Traditions (3 credits)
*HST 3268 The Roman Revolution, 200 BCE-CE 14 (3 credits)
*HST 3277 Readings and Research in European History (3 credits)
HST 3409 Colonialism and Modernization in the Non-Western World (3 credits)
HST 3419 East Asia (3 credits)
HST 3429 South and Southeast Asia (3 credits)
HST 3449 Middle East (3 credits)
HST 3459 Latin America (3 credits)

Upper Division U.S. History

Select one of the following:

HST 2600 Topics in History (3 credits)
HST 2610 Minnesota History (3 credits)
HST 2617 Film and American History (3 credits)
HST 2630 Religion in America (3 credits)
HST 2640 U.S. Diplomatic History (3 credits)
HST 2650 Witchcraft and Magic in Early America (3 credits)
HST 2667 Men and Women: Gender in America (3 credits)
HST 2800 Reacting to the Past (3 credits)
HST 3117 American Revolutionary Era, 1763-1800 (3 credits)
HST 3128 Testing Democracy: Reform in 19 th Century America (3 credits)
HST 3137 Civil War and Reconstruction, 1844-1877 (3 credits)
HST 3159 The World at War, 1931-1945 (3 credits)
HST 3169 History of the Vietnam War (3 credits)
HST 3177 American Intellectual History to 1877 (3 credits)
HST 3178 American Intellectual History since 1877 (3 credits)
HST 3187 American West (3 credits)

Political Science Courses (6 credits)

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)

Select one of the following (3 credits minimum):
*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)

Sociology Courses (6 credits)

Note: SOC 3010 has a prerequisite not included in this major or requires consent of instructor.

SOC 2200 Social Movements and Change (3 credits)
or SOC 2210 American Culture: A Sociological Interpretation (3 credits)
SOC 3010 Contemporary Sociological Theory (3 credits)

Subtotal 30 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 the field of emphasis. Students and advisors must be aware of the graduation requirement of a minimum of 40 semester credits at the 3000 level.

A. Economics

Note: Select the course not taken in the core.

ECON 2000 Markets and Resource Allocation (3 credits)
or ECON 2100 Macroeconomics and the Business Cycle (3 credits)
Select 15 credits of electives from Economics.

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

Select 3 credits from each of Anthropology/Sociology, Political Science, Geography, History, Economics, and Psychology, with consent of advisor.

C. Geography

Select 18 credits of electives from Geography.

D. History

Select 18 credits of electives from History.

E. Political Science

Select 18 credits of electives from Political Science.

F. Psychology

PSY 1100 Introductory Psychology (4 credits)
Select 14 credits of electives from Psychology.

G. Sociology-Anthropology

Select 18 credits of electives from Sociology and Anthropology.

Subtotal 18 Credits

Total Semester Credits Required for Major 48 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 Education 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. Economics Courses

ECON 2000 Markets and Resource Allocation (3 credits)
ECON 2100 Macroeconomics and the Business Cycle (3 credits)

Subtotal 6 Credits

II. Geography Courses

GEOG 2100 Introduction to Physical Geography (3 credits)
GEOG 2200 Introduction to Human Geography (3 credits)
GEOG 3410 Geography of North America (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)
GEOG 3840 Geography of Africa (3 credits)

Subtotal 12 Credits

III. 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)

A. Upper Division World History

Note: Asterisked (*) courses either have prerequisites not required in this major, or require consent of instructor.

Select one of the following:
HST 2208 Greece and Rome, 1500 BCE-500 CE (3 credits)
HST 2218 Medieval Europe (3 credits)
HST 2228 Renaissance and Reformation Europe (3 credits)
HST 2580 Russia (3 credits)
HST 2600 Topics in History (3 credits)
HST 2660 Women and History (3 credits)
HST 2700 World Religions (3 credits)
HST 2800 Reacting to the Past (3 credits)
HST 3159 The World at War, 1931-1945 (3 credits)
HST 3169 History of the Vietnam War (3 credits)
*HST 3258 Foundation of the Western Legal Traditions (3 credits)
*HST 3268 The Roman Revolution, 200 BCE-CE 14 (3 credits)
*HST 3277 Readings and Research in European History (3 credits)
HST 3409 Colonialism and Modernization in the Non-Western World (3 credits)
HST 3419 East Asia (3 credits)
HST 3429 South and Southeast Asia (3 credits)
HST 3449 Middle East (3 credits)
HST 3459 Latin America (3 credits)

B. Upper Division U.S. History

Select one of the following:
HST 2600 Topics in History (3 credits)
HST 2610 Minnesota History (3 credits)
HST 2617 Film and American History (3 credits)
HST 2630 Religion in America (3 credits)
HST 2640 U.S. Diplomatic History (3 credits)
HST 2650 Witchcraft and Magic in Early America (3 credits)
HST 2667 Men and Women: Gender in America (3 credits)
HST 2800 Reacting to the Past (3 credits)
HST 3117 American Revolutionary Era, 1763-1800 (3 credits)
HST 3128 Testing Democracy: Reform in Nineteenth-Century America (3 credits)
HST 3137 Civil War and Reconstruction, 1844-1877 (3 credits)
HST 3159 The World at War, 1931-1945 (3 credits)
HST 3169 History of the Vietnam War (3 credits)
HST 3177 American Intellectual History, to 1877 (3 credits)
HST 3178 American Intellectual History, Since 1877 (3 credits)
HST 3187 American West (3 credits)

Subtotal 12 Credits

IV. Political Science Courses

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

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

Select one of the following (3 credits minimum):
POL 3100 American Foreign Policy (3 credits)
POL 3120 Global Resource Politics (3 credits)
*POL 3130 Asian Political Development (3 credits)
POL 3140 Canadian Politics (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

V. Psychology Course

PSY 1100 Introductory Psychology (4 credits)

Subtotal 4 Credits

VI. Sociology Courses

SOC 1104 Introduction to Sociology (3 credits)
SOC 3010 Contemporary Sociological Theory (3 credits)
or SOC 3050 Environmental Sociology (3 credits)

Subtotal 6 Credits

VII. Social Studies Methods Course

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

Subtotal 4 Credits

Social Studies Subtotal 53 Credits

VIII. 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 EDUCATION 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