History and Africana Studies: Secondary Education, BA

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

The Department of Geography, Sociology, History, African-American Studies, and Anthropology offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Africana Studies and a minor in History and Africana Studies for students majoring in other disciplines. All department majors must complete the assessment requirements specific to their major field, copies of which can be obtained from the departmental website.

The department’s Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Africana Studies consists of three options: Liberal Arts Option in History, Liberal Arts Option in Africana Studies, and Secondary Teaching Option in History. Students enrolled in Liberal Arts Options in History and Africana Studies may prepare for such careers as law, public service, government, or foreign relations, or for postgraduate study. Completion of the Secondary Teaching Option in History qualifies students for an Initial Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) with an endorsement for teaching Social Studies for grades 9-12. Teaching licensure requires the successful completion of Social Studies with History content area test and edTPA.

General Education Requirements (36 credit hrs)

Core Requirements (12 credit hrs) See list …

English composition (6 hrs)
Oral communication (3 hrs)
Mathematics (3 hrs) MATH 1040 or higher

General Requirements (24 credit hrs)

Humanities/Fine Arts (9 hrs); at least 3 hrs Humanities and 3 hrs Fine Arts
Social Sciences (9 hrs); in at least two different disciplines
- PSYC 1100 , PSYC 2040 , and POL 1010 required
Natural Sciences (6 hrs); 3 hrs Physical Science and 3 hrs Life Sciences, one of which must be a lab course

College of Arts and Sciences General Education Requirements (3 credit hrs)

General Education
One course in a World Language (3 hrs)
One general education or major course carrying the diversity designation (embedded)

Program/Major Requirements (48 credit hrs)

Core History Requirements (27 credit hrs)

HIST 1200 - World History I: Introduction to the Ancient and Medieval Worlds Credit Hours: 3
HIST 1210 - World History II: Creating the Modern World Credit Hours: 3
HIST 1300 - United States History to 1877 Credit Hours: 3
HIST 1310 - US Hist Since 1877 Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2470 - Hist of Illinois Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4300 - Hist Race Rel in US Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2200 - Key Prblms Wrld Hist Credit Hours: 3
OR
ANTH 1010 - Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Credit Hours: 3
and one course (3 credit hours) from the following Premodern History Field options:
HIST 1710 - Intro Lat/Am Hist Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2100 - Intro To Islam Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2300 - Caribbean World Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2720 - AFAM Hist to 1865 Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2840 - Africa to 1800 Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4150 - Hist Islam w Africa Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4353 - Hist of East Africa Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4356 - Afrcans Atlntic Wrld Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4357 - History of Haiti Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4381 - Hist of Religion Credit Hours: 3
HIST 4386 - Ancient Africa Credit Hours: 3

Geographic Upper Level Course Requirements (9 credit hrs)

Select nine (9) credit hours, at least 3 credit hours in each field at 3000-level or higher

FIELD 1 (The Americas): U.S., African American, Latin America
FIELD 2 (World History): Africa, Europe, Asia

Supportive Social Science Requirements (15 credit hrs)

AFAM 1000 - Introduction to African American Studies Credit Hours: 3
ECON 1010 - Prin of Econ I Credit Hours: 3
GEOG 1000 - Society/Environment Credit Hours: 3
OR
GEOG 1100 - Global Diversity Credit Hours: 3
SOC 1010 - Introduction to Sociology Credit Hours: 3

Professional Education Requirements (33 credit hrs)

ED 2000 - Social and Cultural Foundations of Education Credit Hours: 3
ED 2020 - Critical Issues in Urban Education Credit Hours: 3
ESL 2120 - Teaching English Language Learning Credit Hours: 3
OR
ESL 4120 - Teaching English Language Learning Credit Hours: 3
OR
ENG 4366 - Theory Second Lang Credit Hours: 3
ED 2312 - Teaching with Technology (3) Credit Hours: 3
OR
ED 3312 - Teaching with Technology Credit Hours: 3
OR
ED 4312 - Teaching with Technology Credit Hours: 3
ED 4200 - Principles and Practices in Middle and Secondary Schools Credit Hours: 3
or both ED 4500 and ED 4311 to substitute for ED 4200
LITC 4300 - Content Area Reading and Assessment Grades 5-12 Credit Hours: 3
S ED 4300 - Characteristics of Students with Special Needs and Strategies for Differentiating Instruction Credit Hours: 3
or both S ED 4301 and S ED 4303 to substitute for S ED 4300
S ED 4301 - Characteristics of Exceptional Children Credit Hours: 3
AND
S ED 4303 - Teaching Students with Exceptional Needs Credit Hours: 2
OR
HIST 4363 - Methods of Teaching Social Studies at the Secondary Level (Grades 6-12)/Field Credit Hours: 3
Fulfills the Senior Thesis/Capstone Requirement
HIST 4375 - Stdnt Tch Sec Soc St Credit Hours: 6
ED 3472 - Pre-Clinical Field Experience II Credit Hours: 1-2
ED 3092 - Teacher Licensure Test Review Credit Hours: 1-3
Or successfully pass the Social Sicence Content area examination

Sample 4-Year Plan

Consult with your academic advisor for support.

1st Year - Fall

ENG 1230 - Writers’ Workshop I Lecture and Laboratory Credit Hours: 3
or
ENG 1270 - Composition I Credit Hours: 3
HIST 1200 - World History I: Introduction to the Ancient and Medieval Worlds Credit Hours: 3
HIST 1300 - United States History to 1877 Credit Hours: 3
Foreign Language Credit Hours: 3
Humanities Elective Credit Hours: 3
Credits / Units: 18

1st Year - Spring

ENG 1240 - Writers’ Workshop II Lecture and Laboratory Credit Hours: 3
or
ENG 1280 - Composition II Credit Hours: 3
HIST 1210 - World History II: Creating the Modern World Credit Hours: 3
HIST 1310 - US Hist Since 1877 Credit Hours: 3
GEOG 1000 - Society/Environment Credit Hours: 3
POL 1010 - Amer Natl Government Credit Hours: 3
Credits / Units: 15

2nd Year - Fall

BIOL 1080 - Bi Sci Survey II Credit Hours: 3
CMAT 1130 - Communication for Professionals Credit Hours: 3
Fine Arts or Humanities Elective Credit Hours: 3 Credits / Units: 3
Premodern History OR History Elective (Field 1 or 2) Credit Hours: 3 Credits / Units: 3
PSYC 1100 - Intro To Psyc Credit Hours: 3
Credits / Units: 15

2nd Year - Spring

PSYC 2040 - Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2220 - Intro Hist Thought Credit Hours: 3
HIST 2200 - Key Prblms Wrld Hist Credit Hours: 3
OR
Fine Arts Elective Credit Hours: 3
Physical Science Elective Credit Hours: 3 Credits / Units: 6
ANTH 1010 - Introduction to Cultural Anthropology Credit Hours: 3
Premodern History OR History Elective (Field 1 or 2) Credits / Units: 3
Credits / Units: 18