Jul 02, 2024  
Fitchburg State University 2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
Fitchburg State University 2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog

History Concentration in Initial Licensure (5-12)


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History


Chairperson
   

Paul Weizer

 
 
Professors
Associate Professors
 
Laura Baker Joseph R. Wachtel  
Christine Dee    
Sean Goodlett    
Katherine Jewell    
Benjamin Lieberman    
René Reeves    
Daniel Sarefield    
Teresa Fava Thomas    

Objectives for the Program in History

The History program offers a variety of courses to all students.  It provides a strong foundation in European, World and United States history.

The program offers a major and minor in history, as well as provisional certification for teaching history.

Student Learning Outcomes

Historical Knowledge

Graduates with a baccalaureate in history understand the diversity of human experience in the past, as well as the nature of the historical enterprise. They acquire the ability to explain developments in U.S. and world history and their significance; become familiar with the different approaches to and methods of historical study; and understand the challenge of weighing multiple perspectives and evaluating the merits of competing interpretations. 

Historical Reasoning and Research

Graduates with a baccalaureate in history understand the nature of historical interpretation, the variety of historical sources, and the structure of historical arguments. They are able to pose a significant research question about the past; locate, explain, evaluate, and utilize information from and about the past to answer a research question; and utilize primary and secondary source evidence to support a historical argument. 

Communication

Graduates with a baccalaureate in history develop diverse communication skills, including reading to extract and construct meaning from text and non-textual sources; writing persuasive and evidence-based arguments; and creating oral, multimedia, and digital presentations.

Summary Statement

Through each of these three areas, students taking history courses obtain training in problem solving through the analysis of data and literary and artistic evidence to put forth and evaluate arguments, practice effective skills of communication in expressing ideas, obtain knowledge of citizenship at the local, national and global levels, confront ethical issues in historical reasoning and research, and understand context that produces artistic works.

Requirements for the Major in History

The Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts in History require 36 hours of course work. BA and BS candidates in History must have a minor in another discipline. BA and BS candidates for History with Initial Teacher Licensure are not required to have a minor in another discipline.

History Concentration in Initial Licensure (5-12)


Students within our History major can pursue initial licensure as middle and high school History teachers. This program provides students with both a broad introduction to middle and high school teaching and specific instruction in the theory, research and practice of secondary History and Social Studies teaching. Students engage in field-based experiences in the school setting supervised by our faculty through on-site pre-practicum experiences coupled with each teaching course and a formal teaching practicum as the capstone experience.

Students pursuing this option will have to fulfill the degree requirements for the History Concentration in Initial Licensure (5-12) and the minor in Middle and Secondary Education (5-12).The requirements are inclusive of the History Major, the Middle and Secondary Education Minor (5-12), and advanced coursework for licensure. These are described below:

Required General Education Courses


History Core Requirements


History majors are required to take two courses in Political Science. (MAJ Civic Learning)

Additional Requirements


  • HIST 2000+ Elective (note that for all of these electives, exclude HIST 1860, 3010, 4850, 4012, 4860, and 4870)
  • HIST 2000+ Elective
  • HIST 2000+ Elective
  • HIST 2000+ Elective
  • HIST 2000+ Elective
  • POLS XXXX  Elective
  • POLS XXXX  Elective

Middle and Secondary Education (5-12) Minor


(NOTE: to count toward the concentrations, students MUST complete this minor using HIST prefixes for 1860, 3010, and 4850)

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