Programs in Social Studies

The University offers two masters degree programs in social studies. The first program is designed to permit intellectually curious individuals to pursue their personal and/or professional interests in social studies. Programs, within the general limits outlined here, are tailored to individual interests.The second program is open only to students who possess provisional certification in social studies in the secondary schools of New York State and is designed to meet the academic requirements for permanent certification. Students with a bachelor's degree in a general liberal arts program with a major in one of the social studies who wish to prepare themselves for secondary-school teaching should consult the requirements for the Master of Science in Secondary Education offered by the School of Education.

Programs Leading to the Master of Arts Degree

General Sequence (30 credits minimum)

In this program social studies is defined to include the following disciplines: Africana Studies, anthropology, economics, geography, history, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, political science, public affairs, sociology, and women's studies.

1. A concentration in one of the social studies disciplines (12-15 credits):
   1. Courses as advised;
   2. A research seminar of at least 3 credits;
   3. With departmental approval a thesis from 4 to 6 credits may be presented in place of or in addition to the research seminar;
2. Supporting courses in social studies (9-18 credits): Courses as advised in social studies outside the student's area of concentration;
3. Supporting courses outside social studies (0-6 credits): Courses as advised in academic fields outside social studies.

Sequence for Students with Provisional Certification in Social Studies (30 credits, minimum)

1. Social Studies (18-24 credits):
   1. Courses as advised;
   2. A research seminar in economics, geography, history, political science, or sociology (of at least 3 credits);
   3. With departmental approval a thesis in history from 4 to 6 credits may be presented in place of or in addition to the research seminar in history.
2. Supporting courses (0-6 credits): Courses in social sciences and other academic fields as advised. (Education courses are excluded from this category.)
3. Courses in education (6 credits including E Phl 601).
4. Prerequisite preparation: Open only to students who have completed initial preparation for a provisional certificate for secondary-school teaching (social studies), including required professional courses in education, and who plan to qualify for a permanent certificate.