SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT 

TEACHING SPECIALIZATION

• Introduction
• Career Opportunities
• Required Sociology Courses
• Teacher Education Program
• Required Education Courses
• More Information

• Return to the Sociology Department Webpage
  

Students must complete the following "Block Program" during the semester they student teach:

• SEED 400--Curriculum and Instruction

• SEED 488--Supervised Student Teaching

• SEED 410--Social Foundations, Management and Law

• SEED 420--Teaching Special Needs Students

INTRODUCTION

Teaching social studies to high school and junior high school students is an important service that qualified college graduates in Sociology provide.

The Department of Sociology, in cooperation with the College of Education at SDSU, offers a Teaching Option program to prepare students majoring in Sociology to become junior and senior high school teachers both in South Dakota and in other states.

Besides completing the requirements of a Sociology major, students selecting this option must also complete the SDSU Teacher Education Program.

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CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Getting a job teaching Social Studies is very competitive, so we encourage only students doing above average academic work to select this option. 

Graduates seeking Social Science positions should be prepared to teach in a number of the following areas: History; Sociology;  Government; Psychology; Geography; and Economics.  Given this fact, they should seriously consider a double major and one or more minors for which they can be certified to teach.  They should also consider a Social Science minor in Education.  

Students who possess above average grades and who have achieved certification in several subject matter areas should find positions inside and and outside South Dakota.

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REQUIRED COURSES IN SOCIOLOGY

In addition to the University and college requirements, sociology majors must complete 32 credit hours in Sociology or Anthropology.  There are four required courses:

• SOC 100--Introduction to Sociology

• SOC 307--Research Methods I

• SOC 308--Research Methods II

• SOC 403--Social Theory

Majors must also complete 20 credit hours of electives in Sociology or Anthropology. The following courses are particularly recommended for the Teaching Option:

• ANTH 421 Indians of North America

• SOC 150 Social Problems

• SOC 350 Ethnic & Racial Groups

• SOC 462 Population Studies

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TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM

Students must complete the following requirements before being accepted into the SDSU Teacher Education Program:

• Achieved Sophomore status (32 credits);

• Complete a practicum experience (SEED 287) and a course in Human Relations (SEED 493) during the Sophomore year;

• Possess an overall GPA of 2.5 or better;

• Demonstrate proficiency in speaking, writing, reading, and mathematics; and

• Complete an application process to the College of Education for admission to the Teacher Education Program (generally completed as part of the practicum during the sophomore year).

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REQUIRED EDUCATION COURSES

Upon admission to the Teacher Education Program, students are assigned a second academic advisor in the College of Education who assists in selecting and scheduling courses.  The following courses are required as a part of the professional teacher preparation program and lead to teacher certification:

• SEED 287--Practicum & Professional Lab Experience

• SEED 375--Human Relations (Same Semester as SEED 287)

• EPSY 302--Educational Psychology

• SEED 314--Clinical/Field Experience (Same Semester as EPSY 302)

• EDFN 370--Teaching Special Needs Students (Same Semester as EPSY 302)

• SEED 450--Teaching of Reading (Same Semester as EPSY 302)

• EDFN 365--Integrating Computers in classroom

• SEED 412--Methods of Teaching in Social Studies

• ANTH 421--Indians of North America (also counts toward the Sociology Major) or HIST--368 History of the American Indians

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MORE INFORMATION

For more information on programs available in Sociology, contact Donna Hess at donna_hess@sdstate.edu or 605-688-4132.

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