Secondary Education Social Studies (SESST)

Click here for program requirements as listed in Penn State's Undergraduate Degree Programs Bulletin.

The Secondary Education Social Studies major prepares students to meet the requirements to be certified for the Social Studies Instructional I Certificate as established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The major prepares students to teach history, government, economics, geography, psychology, sociology, and anthropology.

Students are challenged to prepare for teaching assignments at the middle and high school level, and in diverse settings characterized as rural, urban, and suburban. The art and science of teaching in secondary schools is undergoing significant transformation as new technologies, time allocation for instruction, and new instructional strategies are impacting the delivery of social studies instruction.

For a B.SOSC. degree in Secondary Education Social Studies, a minimum of 123 credits is required.

Special Admissions Information

Admission Requirements

Applicants should have completed most of their first two years of college as well as the Entry to Major Requirements listed above with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA (4.0 scale). The evaluation of prior college work is done on an individual basis by the Office of Enrollment Services at Penn State Harrisburg.

The deadlines for an applicant to have all clearances into the admissions office are:

• Admission for Fall semester – July 15
• Admission for Spring semester – November 15
• Admission for Summer semester – March 15

We will consider an application without these clearances incomplete. Additionally, students applying after July 15 must provide clearance form receipts showing submission of the forms prior to July 15.

These clearances include the following:

1. FBI Clearance Fingerprint check
2. Act 151 PA Child abuse history clearance
3. Act 34 Request for criminal record check

Please read the clearance information page for more details about the required clearances.

Opportunities in Secondary Education Social Studies

A Career in Teaching Social Studies

The Secondary Education Social Studies major will prepare students to teach social studies in secondary schools grades 7 to 12. As secondary school teachers, they will delve more deeply into subject matter introduced broadly during the elementary years. The Occupational Outlook Handbook, provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, provides the following description of secondary teaching responsibilities: Teachers prepare presentations and must adapt to individual student needs; they assign readings in textbooks; use exercises to develop skill proficiency; listen to oral presentations; assess students’ progress; they also must provide discipline and maintain an environment conducive to learning; they work closely with students, parents and other teachers and counselors; they may oversee study halls and homerooms; and supervise extracurricular activities.

Certification

The Pennsylvania Department of Education approves this major, and students who successfully complete the requirements and are recommended by the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education will be certified for either the Citizenship Education or Social Science Instructional I Certificate as established by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Certification requirements for teachers vary by state.

Student Organizations

The Future Secondary Teachers Club and the International Affairs Association provide excellent opportunities for student involvement and growth. In addition, students demonstrating academic excellence may consider membership in Kappa Delta Pi and Pi Gamma Mu.

Job Outlook

The job market for teachers varies by geographic area and by subject specialty. Many inner cities and rural areas have difficulty attracting enough teachers, so job opportunities are better in these areas than they are in suburban areas. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment for secondary teachers is expected to be excellent through 2010. Enrollment of secondary school students is expected to grow throughout most of the projected period. Competition for positions is expected to be high.

Related Job Opportunities

Secondary Education Social Studies students should graduate with organizational, administrative, and communications abilities and an excellent background in the social studies. Other career areas requiring these skills include: public relations, sales, social work, employee training and development, social service, and employment counseling.