This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2025-2026 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
The purpose of the B.S.Ed. in Secondary Education and Teaching with a concentration in history education is to prepare students to serve as initially licensed teachers in grades six through 12, as well as to serve as educators and leaders in schools and community-based settings. Students enrolled in the program will be required to declare a double major in the Bachelor of Arts in History. In addition to the two majors, students will be required to take courses in political science, geography and economics in order to earn the teaching license. Through the core education curriculum, students will become knowledgeable about professional roles and workplace responsibilities while learning how to plan and implement history/social studies units and lessons for students in grades six through 12. The core curriculum instills fundamental knowledge and skills, with opportunities for observation and application in a variety of settings. Through the core history curriculum, students will develop the content knowledge and skills in order to deliver relevant and rigorous history and social studies instruction. Graduates will be prepared to work in public and private middle and high schools across Virginia, with particular focus in urban and other high-need areas. Graduates will be capable of working with diverse learners and adapting instructional programs based on the needs of their students and clients. Successful completion of the program will result in licensure in secondary history/social studies education (grades six through 12).
Student learning outcomes
- Learner and learning: Students will understand human development and learning theories appropriate to the age group they will teach and acquire an awareness of the diversity of the school-age populations’ cultural backgrounds, learning strengths and needs.
- Content: Students will demonstrate knowledge of the subjects they will teach.
- Instructional practice: Students will demonstrate an ability to plan and implement effective teaching and measure student learning in ways that lead to sustained development and learning.
- Professional responsibility: Students will develop an understanding of purposes for education and a defensible philosophical approach toward teaching and demonstrate professional dispositions.
History education concentration-specific outcome
- Content: Demonstrate knowledge of the subjects they will teach as a history educator.
Special requirements
- Students must successfully complete all initial licensure milestone requirements.
- Students enrolled in this program are required to declare a second major in their content area
Degree requirements for Secondary Education and Teaching, Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.) with a concentration in history education
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General education | ||
| Select 30 credits of general education courses in consultation with an adviser. | 30 | |
| Major requirements | ||
| • Major core requirements | ||
| EDUS 202 | Diversity, Democracy and Ethics | 3 |
| EDUS 301 | Human Development and Learning | 3 |
| SEDP 405 | Collaborative Practices to Support Inclusion for Children and Youth with Disabilities | 3 |
| SEDP 452 | Supporting Multilingual Learners With Disabilities | 1 |
| TEDU 412 | Curriculum and Assessment: ____ | 3 |
| TEDU 452 | Teaching Multilingual Learners | 2 |
| TEDU 510 | Instructional Technology in PK-12 Environments | 2 |
| TEDU 562 | Reading Instruction in the Content Areas | 3 |
| TEDU 588 | Classroom Management | 3 |
| Secondary education | ||
| TEDU 311 | Middle School Practicum | 2 |
| TEDU 312 | High School Practicum | 1 |
| TEDU 469 | Secondary Internship I | 4 |
| TEDU 470 | Secondary Internship II | 4 |
| TEDU 547 | Teaching Secondary School Social Studies | 3 |
| Concentration requirements | ||
| HIST 361 | Americans from Africa 1 | 3 |
| Economics: | ||
| ECON 203 | Introduction to Economics | 3 |
| or ECON 210 | Principles of Microeconomics | |
| or ECON 211 | Principles of Macroeconomics | |
| Geography (select two courses from the list below): 1 | 6 | |
| World War I in the Middle East | ||
| The Middle East, 600-1600 | ||
| Modern Middle East | ||
| The Ottoman Empire I (1300-1750) | ||
| The Ottoman Empire II (1750-1923) | ||
| American Colonies, 1450-1776 | ||
| Native Americans in the South | ||
| History of the American Frontier | ||
| The History of Latin American Cities | ||
| Colonialism in Africa | ||
| Andean History Since 1800 | ||
| Atlantic Slavery | ||
| History of West Africa to 1800 | ||
| International political science: | ||
| POLI 105 | International Relations | 3 |
| or POLI 109 | Comparative Politics | |
| or POLI 351 | Middle Eastern Government and Politics | |
| or POLI 352 | European Governments and Politics | |
| or POLI 353 | Latin American Governments and Politics | |
| or POLI 354 | Russian and Eurasian Government and Politics | |
| or POLI 355 | Asian Governments and Politics | |
| or POLI 356 | African Government and Politics | |
| or POLI 358 | Issues in Comparative Politics: ____ | |
| or POLI 360 | China in Transition | |
| or POLI 361 | Issues in World Politics: ____ | |
| or POLI 362 | International Organizations and Institutions | |
| or POLI 363 | U.S. Foreign Policy | |
| or POLI 364 | Vietnam | |
| or POLI 365 | International Political Economy | |
| or POLI 366 | Women and Global Politics | |
| or POLI 367 | Terrorism | |
| or POLI 380 | Human Security | |
| or POLI 381 | The Politics of Genocide | |
| or POLI 382 | Politics of Global Health | |
| or POLI 383 | The Middle East and North Africa in Transition | |
| or POLI 384 | International Law | |
| or POLI 385 | International Security | |
| or POLI 386 | Environmental Security | |
| or POLI 387 | Politics of the European Union | |
| or POLI 388 | International Relations Theory | |
| U.S. political science: | ||
| POLI 103 | U.S. Government and Politics (or equivalent) 2 | 3 |
| POLI 301 | U.S. Parties and Elections | 3 |
| or POLI 302 | Politics of the Civil Rights Movement | |
| or POLI 304 | Presidential Primaries | |
| or POLI 305 | Political Campaigns and Communication | |
| or POLI 306 | The Congress | |
| or POLI 307 | Political Behavior | |
| or POLI 308 | U.S. Presidency | |
| or POLI 309 | Bureaucratic Politics | |
| or POLI 310 | Public Policy | |
| or POLI 311 | Politics of the Environment | |
| or POLI 312 | Media and Politics | |
| or POLI 313 | U.S. Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties | |
| or POLI 314 | U.S. Constitutional Law: Structure of Government | |
| or POLI 315 | Courts and Politics | |
| or POLI 316 | Women and the Law | |
| or POLI 318 | Politics of Race, Class and Gender | |
| or POLI 319 | Women and American Politics | |
| or POLI 321 | Urban Politics | |
| or POLI 322 | State and Local Government and Politics | |
| or POLI 323 | Virginia Government and Politics | |
| or POLI 330 | Lobbying | |
| or POLI 331 | Public Administration | |
| or POLI 332 | Administrative Law | |
| or POLI 339 | Politics in Film | |
| or POLI 341 | Classical to Modern Political Thought | |
| or POLI 342 | Modern to Contemporary Political Thought | |
| or POLI 343 | Black Political Thought | |
| or POLI 344 | Contemporary Political Theory | |
| or POLI 345 | African-American Politics | |
| or POLI 346 | Black Political Activism | |
| or POLI 347 | Black Queer Politics | |
| or POLI 369 | U.S. National Security | |
| History/double major | ||
| HIST 300 | Introduction to Historical Study | 3 |
| HIST 490 | Senior Seminar in History | 3 |
| or HIST 493 | Internship | |
| Historical survey courses (100-level HIST) | 12 | |
| Junior seminar course (select from HIST 401 through HIST 422) | 3 | |
| Upper-level HIST courses (HIST 301 through HIST 492, excluding HIST 490) | 15 | |
| Open electives | 8-14 | |
| B.S.Ed. open electives will be fufilled by double major/endorsement courses. | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | |
Credits earned satisfy upper-level HIST courses.
Satisfies BOK for social/behavioral sciences and AOI for diversities in the human experience.
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
Recommended course sequence/plan of study
| Freshman year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| POLI 103 | U.S. Government and Politics (satisfies BOK for social/behavioral sciences and AOI for diversities in the human experience) | 3 |
UNIV 111  Play course video for Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication | Introduction to Focused Inquiry: Investigation and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| Additional requirements waived for students who double major in history and secondary education (HUMS 202, experiential fine arts, foreign language 101 and foreign language 202) | ||
| General education course (select from quantitative foundations) | 3 | |
| General education course (select any AOI) | 3 | |
| Historical survey course (select from HIST 101 through HIST 112) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| ECON 203 | Introduction to Economics or Principles of Microeconomics or Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| EDUS 202 | Diversity, Democracy and Ethics | 3 |
| UNIV 112 Play course video for Focused Inquiry II | Focused Inquiry II (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| Additional requirements waived for students who double major in history and secondary education (HUMS 202, experiential fine arts, foreign language 101 and foreign language 202) | ||
| General education course (select BOK for natural sciences and AOI for scientific and logical reasoning) | 3 | |
| Historical survey course (select from HIST 101 through HIST 112) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Sophomore year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| UNIV 200 | Advanced Focused Inquiry: Literacies, Research and Communication (satisfies general education UNIV foundations) | 3 |
| General education course (select AOI for global perspectives) | 3 | |
| General education course (select BOK for humanities/fine arts and AOI for creativity, innovation and aesthetic inquiry) | 3 | |
| Historical survey course (select from HIST 101 through HIST 112) | 3 | |
| International political science course (refer to list in degree requirements table) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| EDUS 301 | Human Development and Learning | 3 |
| HIST 300 | Introduction to Historical Study | 3 |
| General education course (select any AOI) | 3 | |
| Historical survey course (select from HIST 101 through HIST 112) | 3 | |
| U.S. political science course (refer to list in degree requirements table) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Junior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| TEDU 562 | Reading Instruction in the Content Areas | 3 |
| Geography course (refer to list in degree requirements table)(satisfies an upper-level HIST course) | 3 | |
| Upper-level HIST course (select any 300-level) | 3 | |
| Open electives | 6 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| SEDP 405 | Collaborative Practices to Support Inclusion for Children and Youth with Disabilities | 3 |
| TEDU 311 | Middle School Practicum | 2 |
| TEDU 510 | Instructional Technology in PK-12 Environments | 2 |
| TEDU 588 | Classroom Management | 3 |
| Geography course (refer to list in degree requirements table)(satisfies an upper-level HIST course) | 3 | |
| Junior seminar course (select from HIST 401 through HIST 422) | 3 | |
| Term Hours: | 16 | |
| Senior year | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| HIST 490 or HIST 493 | Senior Seminar in History or Internship | 3 |
| SEDP 452 | Supporting Multilingual Learners With Disabilities | 1 |
| TEDU 312 | High School Practicum | 1 |
| TEDU 452 | Teaching Multilingual Learners | 2 |
| TEDU 547 | Teaching Secondary School Social Studies | 3 |
| Upper-level HIST course (select any 300- or 400-level) | 3 | |
| Open elective | 2 | |
| Term Hours: | 15 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| HIST 361 | Americans from Africa (satisfies an upper-level HIST course) | 3 |
| TEDU 412 | Curriculum and Assessment: ____ | 3 |
| TEDU 469 | Secondary Internship I | 4 |
| TEDU 470 | Secondary Internship II | 4 |
| Term Hours: | 14 | |
| Total Hours: | 120 | |
The minimum number of credit hours required for this degree is 120.
