Bachelor of Arts in Education in Social Studies: Elementary Major

Social Studies Elementary Major, Bachelor of Arts in Education (BAE)

Note: 

• review the School of Education for prerequisites, core requirements, and additional PLOs;
• students must complete at least 15 credits of this major at Eastern Washington University;
• the Social Studies Elementary Major is available to Elementary Education students who would like an in-depth background in Social Studies, but (unlike the secondary major and minor endorsements) it is not endorsed.

The Elementary Major does not meet a state of Washington endorsement.

Grade Requirements: this major requires a grade of ≥B- in all coursework done in the major at Eastern.

Elementary Education students must complete the required Elementary Education Core and the following courses.

University Competencies and Proficiencies

English 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB

General Education Requirements (GER)

• Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours 
  • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
  • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
• Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences

University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List

Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term you expect to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.
Requirements in Degree Works are based on these two catalog years:

1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Credit Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Students who earn a BAE in Social Studies Elementary from EWU should be able to do the following:​
*Based on Washington State Social Studies Education “Learning Standards” and the Department of History Learning Outcomes.

Program Learning Outcome (Civics)–the student understands and applies knowledge of government, law, politics, and the nation’s fundamental documents to make decisions about local, national, and international issues and to demonstrate thoughtful, participatory citizenship.

SLOs–understands to the level of being able to teach:

• key ideals and principles of the United States, including those in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and other fundamental documents;
• the purposes, organization, and function of governments, laws, and political systems;
• the purposes and organization of international relationships and U.S. foreign policy understands civic involvement.

Program Learning Outcome (Economics)–The student applies understanding of economic concepts and systems to analyze decision-making and the interactions between individuals, households, businesses, governments, and societies.

SLOs–understands to the level of being able to teach:

• that people have to make choices between wants and needs and evaluate the outcomes of those choices;
• how economic systems function;
• the government’s role in the economy;
• understands the economic issues and problems that all societies face.

Program Learning Outcome (Geography)–The student uses a spatial perspective to make reasoned decisions by applying the concepts of location, region, and movement and demonstrating knowledge of how geographic features and human cultures impact environment.

SLOs–understands to the level of being able to teach:

• the physical characteristics, cultural characteristics, and location of places, regions, and spatial patterns on the Earth’s surface;
• human interaction with the environment;
• the geographic context of global issues.

Program Learning Outcome (History and Social Studies Skills, Part I)–Conduct research by using appropriate historical methods.

SLOs–understands to the level of being able to teach:

• evaluating other scholars’ historical arguments;
• using various kinds of historical sources;
• assessing sources for their research value;
• adducing evidence to support a scholarly argument;
• following discipline-approved citation practices.

Program Learning Outcome (History and Social Studies Skills, Part II)–Communicate historical analyses to diverse audiences

SLOs–understands to the level of being able to teach:

• conveying factually-based historical narrative from multiple perspectives;
• developing well-balanced scholarly judgements about the past;
• communicating historical analyses in clear expository pose.

Program Learning Outcome (History and Social Studies Skills, Part III)–Use historical knowledge in civic engagement.

SLOs–understands to the level of being able to teach:

• contributing to public dialogues by providing historical information;
• advancing historical positions that incorporate diverse perspectives;
• working effectively as part of a team on a civically-oriented project;
• deliberating public issues.