Social Studies Concentration
Learn more about the Bachelor of Science in Education in Middle Grades Education.
The Bachelor of Science in Education in Middle Grades Education prepares undergraduate students for middle level teaching (fourth to eighth grades). Middle grades teachers are increasingly sought out and in high-demand in Pennsylvania as well as across the country.
The College of Education program in Middle Grades Education is designed to ensure not only that there are certified teachers to fill the growing vacancies, but that our students graduate highly knowledgeable about learning and teaching as well as committed to pre/adolescent learners from diverse ethnic, economic and geographic backgrounds. To that end, our program focuses on building deep content-specific pedagogical knowledge aligned to the breadth of academic standards and the wide-ranging developmental needs of middle grades students. To develop a strong link between learning theories and actual pedagogical practice, we also require that our students engage in early, often and strategic field/clinical education experiences in middle grades settings.
Our program stands out as cutting-edge because we prepare undergraduate students to teach in both the upper elementary and middle grades classrooms.
In addition to becoming certified to teach all elementary subjects in 4-6th, all Middle Grades Education: Social Studies Concentration students will pursue certification for 7-8th grades in the area of Social Studies.
GPA Requirements:
- In order to maintain good standing in Middle Grades Education, students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average and a 2.0 grade point average in the course work in their concentration area.
Summary of Requirements
University Requirements
All students are required to complete the university's General Education (GenEd) curriculum.
All students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive (WI) courses at Temple University. Writing intensive course numbers end in 96, 97 and 98.
College Requirements
Students receive a Bachelor of Science in Education degree with a recommendation for Pennsylvania teacher certification upon the successful completion of their program requirements with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or must meet the Pennsylvania Department of Education's qualifying Praxis score standards. All students seeking to graduate with the recommendation for certification must also meet the requirements for Candidacy.
The required total minimum credit hours for the Middle Grades Education concentration in Social Studies is 124. These credit hours are satisfied by taking courses in four categories:
- University General Education requirements (General Education)
- Education courses
- Teacher Education Certification Courses (i.e. methods and student teaching)
- Concentration courses
Suggested Academic Plan
B.S.ED. in Middle Grades Education: Social Studies Concentration
Requirements for New Students starting in the 2018-2019 Academic Year
To best prepare students in this major for the Praxis II exams, we strongly encourage taking the suggested GenEds listed.
(Certain courses require that a student secure clearances as per the College of Education policy; students should check the current list of courses that require clearances on the College of Education web site.)
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| BIOL 1011 | General Biology I1 | 4 |
| GenEd Breadth Course (Global/World Society)2 | 3 | |
| ENG 0802, 0812, or 0902 | Analytical Reading and Writing [GW]3 | 4 |
| MATH 1021 | College Algebra3,4 | 4 |
| Term Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| PHYS 1021 | Introduction to General Physics I | 4 |
| GenEd Breadth Course (Race & Diversity)5 | 3 | |
| IH 0851 or 0951 | Intellectual Heritage I: The Good Life [GY]3 | 3 |
| MATH 1022 | Precalculus3,4 | 4 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Space and Place | ||
| Urban Geography | ||
| Term Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| IH 0852 or 0952 | Intellectual Heritage II: The Common Good [GZ] | 3 |
| MATH 1015 | Introduction to Numbers Figures4 | 4 |
| EDUC 2103 | Socio-cultural Foundations of Education in the United States3 | 3 |
| GenEd Breadth Course (U.S. Society)6 | 3 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| History of Philadelphia | ||
| African American History to 1865 | ||
| Colonial America | ||
| Term Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| EDUC 2109 | Adolescent Development for Educators3,7 | 3 |
| SPED 2231 | Introduction to Inclusive Education3,7 | 3 |
| Select one of the following:1 | 4 | |
| General Biology II | ||
| Introduction to General Physics II | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| U.S. History to 1877 | ||
| U.S. History since 1877 | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to British Writing | ||
| Introduction to American Writing | ||
| Introduction to Global Writing | ||
| Term Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| GenEd Breadth Course (Arts) | 3 | |
| MGRE 3109 | Cognitive Development in the Content Areas3 | 3 |
| MGRE 3111 | Applications of Learning Theory to Middle Grades Education3 | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| World History Modern | ||
| 20th Century Europe: A Continent in Crisis | ||
| Introduction to African History | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to the Economy | ||
| Global Economics Issues | ||
| Term Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| MGRE 3145 | Teaching and Learning Math in the Middle Grades4 | 3 |
| MGRE 4108 | Teaching and Learning Science in the Middle Grades | 3 |
| SPED 4109 | Educating Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Settings | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| African American History 1865-Present | ||
| Recent American History | ||
| U.S. Civil War | ||
| Vietnam War | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| International Politics | ||
| The American Political System | ||
| Term Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| MGRE 3196 | Teaching and Learning Literacy in the Middle Grades [WI] | 3 |
| MGRE 3296 | Cultures, Communities, and Families [WI] | 3 |
| SPED 3187 | Integrated Literacy and Special Education Practicum | 3 |
| EDUC 2306 | Assessment and Evaluation | 3 |
| ENES 3338 | Foundations of Language Teaching: Teaching English Language Learners in Grades 4 to 127 | 3 |
| Term Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| MGRE 4888 | Student Teaching in the Middle Grades | 9 |
| MGRE 4801 | Senior Seminar and Performance Assessment in Middle Grades Education | 3 |
| EDUC 4111 | Classroom and Conflict Management in Grades 4 through 12 | 3 |
| Term Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours: | 124 | |
| 1 | These two courses constitute the waiver for the GenEd Science and Technology category if the courses are completed with a C- or better. |
| 2 | Suggested GenEd Global/World Society courses: ANTH 0867, GUS 0867 or SOC 0867. |
| 3 | Course must be successfully completed to be eligible for Candidacy approval. |
| 4 | These four courses constitute the waiver for the GenEd Quantitative Literacy category if the courses are completed with a C- or better. |
| 5 | Suggested GenEd Race & Diversity courses: AAAS 0829, ANTH 0829, GUS 0829, HIST 0829, POLS 0829, SOC 0829 or SOC 0929. |
| 6 | Suggested GenEd U.S. Society courses: AMST 0848, ANTH 0848, GUS 0848, HIST 0848 or SOC 0848. |
| 7 | These three courses constitute the waiver for the GenEd Human Behavior category if the courses are completed with a C- or better. |