Social Studies Education Southeast Missouri State University

Overview

The Social Studies Education programme at Southeast Missouri State University provides a comprehensive pathway for aspiring teachers to gain certification for grades 9-12. This degree integrates deep subject matter expertise with professional pedagogical training to prepare graduates for successful careers in secondary schools.

Students benefit from a curriculum that spans multiple disciplines, ensuring a well-rounded understanding of the human experience. The programme is designed to foster critical thinking and instructional leadership, allowing future educators to transform the lives of their students through high-quality social science instruction.

Why Social Studies Education at Southeast Missouri State University?

This programme offers a unique collaborative environment where students work with award-winning faculty from both the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Education, Health and Human Studies. This dual-college approach ensures that content knowledge is perfectly balanced with modern teaching techniques.

A distinctive feature of the course is the emphasis on practical experience. Students complete three separate field experiences in secondary schools, providing extensive opportunities to study classroom organisation and management. These placements allow learners to apply instructional strategies under the guidance of accomplished mentor teachers.

The university provides modern facilities and a supportive climate to help students meet the rigorous requirements of teacher education. Additionally, this major is eligible for specific regional financial aid initiatives, such as the Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant for eligible Missouri residents.

Tuition Fee Breakdown

• International fee: USD 17664 per year
• National fee: USD 10194 per year
• Local fee: USD 10194 per year

Visit the Fees and Funding section for a breakdown in your local currency.

Syllabus

The curriculum requires a minimum of 120 credit hours, including specific education and content area courses. Modules may include:

Education Courses

• Education as a Profession
• Student Teaching Seminar
• Psychology & Education of Children with Exceptionalities
• Psychological Development in Adolescence
• Content Literacy Methods for Middle & High School
• Techniques of Teaching Middle and Secondary Social Studies
• Pedagogy I: Effective Teaching in Middle & Secondary Schools
• Field Experience II
• Pedagogy 2: Secondary School
• Advanced Field Experience
• Pedagogy III: Advanced Methods of Middle & Secondary Teaching
• Instructional Interventions for Middle & High School Students with Special Literacy Needs
• Student Teaching

Social Studies Content

• U.S. Political Systems
• Psychology
• American History I
• American History II
• Ancient World Civilizations
• Modern World Civilizations
• Cultural Anthropology
• Social Sciences
• Sociology
• Economic Problems and Policies
• Microeconomics
• Macroeconomics
• Peoples and Places of the World
• Cultural Geography
• Cultural & Physical Landscapes of the World
• Missouri History
• Colonial America
• Teaching Social Studies in the Secondary Schools

Careers with Social Studies Education

Graduates are primarily prepared for roles as secondary school teachers with a focus on history, geography, civics, and economics. The programme provides the necessary foundation for Missouri state teaching certification in social studies for grades 9 through 12.

Beyond high school classrooms, the skills gained in this programme are applicable to roles as elementary or middle school teachers. Some graduates may also pursue further academic study to become postsecondary geography or history teachers in higher education settings.