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2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog
Social Science, B.S. (E, A)
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The Social Science major is administered by the Department of History. The Social Science Teaching Option prepares students for rewarding careers as professional educators. Graduates of this program earn a license to teach social studies in middle schools and high schools. As part of their training, Social Science majors will be exposed to social science methodology, content, and research. The major enhances the graduate’s reading, writing, and oral skills and the ability to process diverse information into a coherent whole. In particular, the Social Science major will develop an understanding and appreciation of the inter-connectedness of the various social science disciplines. Graduates will also have the opportunity to learn about a wide diversity of cultures and develop a keen appreciation for the aesthetic and intellectual life that they may one day pass on to their own students. The Social Science major is an interdisciplinary program consisting of coursework in the primary Social Science disciplines of History, Political Science, Geography, and Economics. Students wishing to be licensed to teach social studies in middle school or high school must select the Teaching Option.
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REAL Curriculum
This major fulfills the E and A areas of the REAL Curriculum. Students develop an understanding of diverse ideas present in the humanistic inquiry and expression evident in historical sources. This occurs through the acquisition and application of knowledge, research and analytical skills, and critical reflection of primary and secondary source evidence. Students develop cultural and behavioral analysis competencies by examining the interaction of cultures, behaviors, and beliefs. This occurs through thinking critically and analytically about historical issues themes, personalities, and events. To complete all REAL Curriculum requirements, students need additional majors and/or minors to fulfill the R and L areas. For students in the Social Science Teaching Option, their L area requirement can be met with the Education Minor.
REAL Foundational Requirements
Foundational Writing (3 credits)
Foundational Math (3 credits)
REAL Cornerstone Requirements
Writing Intensive (WI) Courses (6 credits)
Writing Intensive courses are denoted below with a (WI). Two writing intensive courses are required to graduate, with at least one at the 300- or 400-level. The Social Science major can include up to 27 credits of writing intensive courses dependent on the courses selected.
General Education Requirements
General Education courses will be denoted below with a (GE). Students are required to take at least 30 credit hours of general education designated courses within their degree requirements. The Social Science major includes 18-21 general education credits.
Major Requirements (51-53 credits)
B.S. Requirements (6-8 credits)
Candidates for the Bachelor of Science degree in Social Science (Non-Teaching Option) can choose to take 6-8 credits in courses from one of the following areas:
Mathematical Sciences:
Mathematics and Statistics or Information Technology
Natural Sciences:
Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Physics
Or, they can elect to take six to eight hours in one of the following disciplines:
- Sociology: 300-400 level.
- Psychology: 300-400 level.
- Anthropological Sciences 300-400 level.
Note(s):
Students who have previously been Social Science Majors-Teaching Option may apply six credits from courses in the Education minor to the B.S. degree requirements if they have already received credit for those courses.
Required Core Courses (33 credits)
In addition, students will take 9 credits of HIST courses at the 300-400 level.
3 credits of Non-American History to be taken from:
- HIST 300 - The 20th Century World (EU, GL) (WI)
- HIST 303 - Studies in Military History (EU, GL)(WI)*
- HIST 304 - Environmental History (EU, GL) (WI)
- HIST 307 - Women in World History (EU, GL)
- HIST 309 - Medieval Civilization (EU) (WI)
- HIST 311 - Ancient Near East (EU, GL)
- HIST 313 - History of China (GL)
- HIST 314 - Imperial India: India from Mughal Times to the Present (GL) (WI)
- HIST 315 - British Empire (EU, GL) (WI)
- HIST 317 - National Latin America (GL) (WI)
- HIST 322 - Middle East in the World: 600-1700 (GL) (WI)
- HIST 323 - Middle East in the World: 1700-Present (GL) (WI)
- HIST 325 - African Civilizations (GL) (WI)
- HIST 326 - 20th Century Africa (GL) (WI)
- HIST 333 - Ancient Greece and the Hellenistic World (EU) (WI)
- HIST 334 - Roman Civilization (EU) (WI)
- HIST 335 - Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages (EU) (WI)
- HIST 337 - Magna Carta to Bill of Rights: English History from 1200 to 1700 (EU) (WI)
- HIST 338 - British History from the Union to the Beatles (EU) (WI)
- HIST 339 - History of Scotland from William Wallace to the Present (EU) (WI)
- HIST 341 - Early Modern Europe (EU) (WI)
- HIST 342 - Revolutionary Europe, 1789 to 1890 (EU) (WI)
- HIST 343 - Europe Since 1890 (EU) (WI)
- HIST 345 - Czarist Russia (EU, GL)
- HIST 346 - Soviet Russia (EU, GL)
- HIST 347 - Stalin and Stalinism (EU, GL)
- HIST 349 - Modern Germany: From Bismarck through Hitler (EU) (WI)
- HIST 393 - Special Topics in European or Global History (EU, GL)
3 credits of American History to be taken from:
3 credits of African American History taken from:
Political Science (12 credits)
In addition, students will take 6 credits of POSC courses at the 300-400 level from
3 credits of any 300-400 POSC
Other Requirements (12 credits)
Geography (6 credits)
Students must take one U.S designated and one Non-U.S. designated course from the following list:
Non-Teaching Option
The Non-Teaching option is only for students who were enrolled previously in the Social Science Teaching Option. Enrollment in the Social Science Non-Teaching Option is contingent upon students having at least junior standing and having already completed a minimum of 30 Radford University credit hours as a Social Science Teaching Option Major.
Required Core Courses (30 credits)
American History (6 credits)
Students must choose two.
Non-American History (3 credits)
Students must choose one.
Upper Level History (9 credits)
Nine credit hours of 300 level history courses (3 credit hours from program designation group US (United States), and 6 credit hours from group EU, and/or GL). Students may not count any one course for more than one program designation.
Political Science (12 credits)
Other Requirements (15 credits)
Geography (6 credits)
Students must take one U.S. designated and one Non-U.S. designated course from the following list:
Social Science Electives (6 credits)
Majors will select Social Science Electives in one of the four major content areas (History, Political Science, Geography and\or Geospatial Science, Economics) and take six additional credit hours at the 300-400 level in that field. If the electives are in History, those courses must be divided between American (Group US) and Non-American (Groups EU and GL) courses.
Additional Degree Requirements
To graduate with a major in Social Science (Non-Teaching Option), a student must have a grade point average of 2.0 or higher in all courses with departmental prefixes associated with their particular Social Science major. To graduate with a major in Social Science (Teaching Option), a student must have a grade point average of 2.75 or higher in all courses both in the Social Science major as well as overall college work and at RU.
In addition to completing requirements in the Social Science major, those intending to teach in the public schools must also complete all specified courses and requirements in the School of Teacher Education and Leadership. Social Science Education candidates must have a 2.75 grade point average (at RU and in-major) in order to be admitted to Teacher Education and to Early Field Experiences. See the College of Education and Human Development Secondary Education page for details.
Open Credit Hours (30-69 credits)
These credits can be used to fulfill additional courses, majors, minors, and/or REAL Curriculum requirements, including Foundational Writing and Foundational Math. Students seeking teaching licensure must also complete the requirements for Teaching Certification and should work with an advisor to choose additional courses, majors, and minors.
Total Credits Needed for Degree 120
Additional Information
Students in the Social Science Teaching Option must complete all requirements of the Social Science major teaching option and all specified courses and requirements of teacher licensure according to the specifications of the College of Education and Human Development. See College of Education and Human Development for details.
The Non-Teaching option is only for students who were enrolled previously in the Social Science Teaching Option. Enrollment in the Social Science Non-Teaching Option is contingent upon students having at least junior standing and having already completed a minimum of 30 Radford University credit hours as a Social Science Teaching Option major.
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