Degree and Certificate Programs

Master of Science in Education Degree

Social Studies Education

Program Office: IUB, Education 3140, (812) 856-8110.

This master's program, available only at Bloomington, provides an opportunity for specialization within the social studies education field. It prepares students for positions in schools as professional classroom teachers, supervising teachers, and department chairpersons. Students seeking these positions must also meet the licensure requirements listed in the section titled Licensure Programs.

In addition to meeting the standard School of Education admission requirements, students interested in pursuing a master's degree in social studies education must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or above. Applicants who do not meet this requirement may be admitted if they show evidence of successful professional activity, such as curriculum development or scholarship, or a paper that demonstrates competence with abstract thinking in the English language.

In consultation with a departmental advisor, the student selects courses from the following list to meet degree requirements. The student must complete 36 credit hours.

I. Major (18 cr.)

  • J500 Instruction in the Context of Curriculum (3 cr.)
  • E513 Workshop in Elementary Social Studies (3 cr.) or M514 Workshop in Social Studies Education (3 cr.)
  • E535 Elementary School Curriculum (3 cr.) or S503 Secondary School Curriculum (3 cr.)
  • E547 Advanced Study in the Teaching of Social Studies in the Elementary Schools (3 cr.) or S519 Advanced Study in the Teaching of Secondary School Social Studies (3 cr.)
  • M590 Independent Study in Social Studies Education (3 cr.) or M680 Internship, Social Studies Education (3 cr.)
  • M653 The Nature of Social Studies (3 cr.)

II. Foundations/Educational Inquiry (3 cr.)

Choose one course:

  • H5O4 History of American Education (3 cr.)
  • H520 Education and Social Issues (3 cr.)
  • H530 Philosophy of Education (3 cr.)
  • H540 Sociology of Education (3 cr.)
  • H560 Education and Change in Societies (3 cr.)
  • P501 Statistical Method Applied to Education (3 cr.)
  • P510 Psychology in Teaching (2-3 cr.)
  • P515 Child Development (3 cr.)
  • P516 Adolescent Development (3 cr.)
  • P540 Learning and Cognition in Education (3 cr.)
  • P544 Applied Cognition and Learning Strategies (3 cr.)
  • Y507 Testing in the Classroom (3 cr.)
  • Y520 Strategies for Educational Inquiry (3 cr.)

III. X599 Thesis, J538 Practicum, or other courses selected with the approval of the program advisor (6 cr.)

IV. Electives (9 cr.)

Choose courses totaling 9 credit hours from the following departments:

  • Anthropology
  • Economics
  • Geography
  • History
  • History and Philosophy of Science
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology

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Additional program information can be found at the Office of Graduate Studies.