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Washington State University
History | History Education

Teaching history and social studies in today’s secondary education classrooms requires a broad basis of historical knowledge as well as a flexible and adaptive approach regarding teaching, given the changing nature of our world.

Graduates from our program develop content knowledge by taking classes in World, United States, European and Asian history and begin their development as professional teachers by taking our Social Studies Methods course which is required for entry into the Teacher Education program. Our graduates are well-prepared to teach in today’s ever-changing classrooms.

Certifying into History Education

Students who indicate an interest in History and have a 2.0 GPA or above may be admitted to the major. Those interested in a teaching option should consult with the College of Education concerning certification requirements for teaching. Students majoring in history should have a strong and broad high school background in humanities, social science, and languages, and are encouraged to get a second endorsement.

Bachelor of Arts in History with a Major in History Education (57 hours)

Required History Courses
Hist 101:  Ancient, Medieval, and Early Europe
Hist 102: Modern Europe
Hist 110: American History to 1877
Hist 111: American History Since 1877
Hist 120: World History I
Hist 121: World History II
Hist 300: Writing about History
Hist 308: North American Indian History
Hist 279: Introduction to Social Studies Methods
Hist 324: History of the Pacific Northwest
Hist 469: Seminar in History
Hist 380: Methods of Teaching Social Studies
One (1) from Hist 230, 270, 271, 272, 273, 274, 275
U.S. Early: one (1) from Hist 311, 313, 314, 316, 415
U.S. Modern: one (1) from Hist 312, 318, 319, 417, 420
Global/non-Western upper-division: one (1) course
European upper-division: one (1) course
Pol S 101: American National Government
EconS 102: Fundamentals of Macroeconomics

Courses used to complete the history degree and the College of Education requirements must be passed with a grade of C or better.

NOTE: Additional courses are necessary to complete the education requirements for the history education option. For a complete listing of requirements, see the College of Education’s Web site. The College of Education requires applicants for admission to the Teacher Education Preparation program to apply on-line.