Broadfield Social Studies Education program

Become a social studies teacher

UWL’s Broadfield Social Studies Education (BFSS) programs will prepare you to teach middle and high school social studies in grades 4-12. This distinctive undergraduate program includes both professional education coursework and three semesters of hands-on clinical experiences, including five courses related to teaching methods.

The programs are part of the Secondary Teacher Education Preparation (STEP) program, housed within UWL’s History Department in the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities (CASSH).

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Broadfield Social Studies Education

The Broadfield Social Studies Education program provides skills-based training for teacher candidates seeking to teach social studies. The program prepares candidates to teach all social studies disciplines including, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology and sociology.

 

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History Concentration

The broadfield social studies education major: history concentration is intended for those who intend to seek licensure in the grades 4-12 developmental range. It provides a grounding in the core courses of the history major, as well as a foundation in four categories of history covering much of the world and its time periods

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Political Science Concentration

Political science is the study of governments, policies, institutions, and the behavior of participants in the political world. Broadfield social studies education: political science concentration students are prepared to teach a range of civics, social studies, and government courses. This major prepares students to earn a Wisconsin teaching license for grades 4-12 in the six subjects of social studies: economics, geography, history, psychology, political science, and sociology.

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Sociology Concentration

Sociology is the study of human groups and how the group influences social behavior. Students in the broadfield social studies education major: sociology concentration can be licensed to teach through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. This major prepares students to earn a Wisconsin teaching license for grades 4-12 in the six subjects of social studies: economics, geography, history, psychology, political science, and sociology.

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A program within the History Department

What is Broadfield Social Studies Education?

The Broadfield Social Studies Education program provides skills-based training for teacher candidates seeking to teach social studies. The program prepares candidates to teach all social studies disciplines including, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology and sociology.

 

Types of Careers in Broadfield Social Studies Education?

Graduates of UWL’s BFSS program receive a degree in Broadfield Social Studies and a license to teach social studies in grades 4-12 in the state of Wisconsin. Additionally, graduates of the BFSS program have been hired for teaching positions in neighboring states. Graduates of the BFSS program have used their degree as a launching point for advanced degrees in social studies education and/or licensure in school counseling and school administration.

Teacher candidates in history, political science, or sociology concentrations complete enough coursework to be prepared for admission into master's degrees in those areas.

Careers in social studies education

  • Middle school teacher
  • High school teacher
  • Historian
  • Political scientist
  • Sociologist
  • School counselor
  • School administrator

What distinguishes UWL’s Broadfield Social Studies Education program?

Learn teaching methods and theory

In addition to content courses in the social studies, teacher candidates are required to take a sequence of five courses related to teaching methods and theory with particular emphasis on culturally-responsive teaching for social justice.

Graduates find jobs

Teacher candidates have a high success rate in finding full-time teaching positions in Wisconsin and neighboring states within one year of graduation.

Undergraduate research

Teacher candidates engage in research in social studies education, which has resulted in student-led research presentations on campus, and at state and national conferences.

Learn to teach English learners

Teacher candidates are required to take coursework designed to prepare them to teach English learners—a course unique to undergraduate teacher programs in the UW System.

Four paths to choose from

Teacher candidates completing one of the Broadfield Social Studies Education concentrations will complete at least 120 credits of coursework and will earn one of the following Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees, all leading to endorsement of a Middle and High School Social Studies license (grades 4-12). BFSS offers four distinct paths toward graduation and licensure, including a general BFSS program, and three others that allow students to choose an emphasis in the fields of History, Political Science, or Sociology.

  • Broadfield Social Studies Education (grades 4-12)
  • Broadfield Social Studies Education (grades 4-12) – History Emphasis
  • Broadfield Social Studies Education (grades 4-12) – Political Science Emphasis
  • Broadfield Social Studies Education (grades 4-12) – Sociology Emphasis

Sample courses

HIS 304 Schools and Learning in Social Studies and Field Experience I This course will be integrated with a field experience for secondary social studies teachers and provide a forum for students to consider both the theories and practices of teaching. A significant portion of this course will be dedicated to collaborative reflection and discussion of teacher candidates' experiences in their field placements. Teacher candidates will design, enact, and assess activities to enhance student learning. Teacher candidates will work together to create a collegial and supportive community of educators. Assignments are designed to support reflective practice and to critically analyze teacher candidates' development as educators. A multi-day, consistent schedule in the middle school field experience classroom will be established by the course instructor in consultation with the teacher candidate and cooperating teacher. Prerequisite: EDS 203, EDS 206; admission to teacher education. Consent of department. Offered Fall, Spring.

HIS 402 Secondary Content Methods for Teaching English Language Learners This course will explore the importance of teaching content to English Language Learners (ELs) at the secondary (grades 4-12) level. Students enrolled in the course will examine the various methods and teaching strategies that can be utilized to best teach students with limited English proficiency (LEP) while at the same time working to develop English language literacy. The primary method to be taught is called Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English (SDAIE). Prerequisite: EDS 203, EDS 206; admission to teacher education. Offered Spring.

HIS 403 Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment in Social Studies Education This course will introduce pre-service education majors to the foundational concepts, theories, and strategies associated with social studies and history education. Topics to be introduced include lesson planning and learning segment design, variations of assessing student work, content literacy, teaching for social justice, theoretical approaches to social studies and history education, and instructional methods. Prerequisite: HIS 110; EDS 203, EDS 206. Offered Fall.

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