Major Requirements

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Entry into the Major

Students should declare BFSS as their intended major as early in their college career as possible by filing a “Declaration of Major/Change of Advisor” form with the Registrar. The student’s advisor should be from the history department.

Formal acceptance into the major, however, occurs at the end of the sophomore year. Students must complete at least two history and two social science courses from the required lower division courses with no less than a “C+” in each course. Students must also have a GPA of 2.0 or above. An application for acceptance into the major must then be filed with the chair of the history department at the beginning of the student’s second semester of the sophomore year. Students will be notified of formal acceptance into the major by the chair of the history department, who will also notify the Registrar.

Students who seek state licensure for secondary level (grades 5-12) teaching of social studies must first meet all requirements for “Entry into the Education Major” (see Education Majors) as well as all requirements for the BFSS major. Then students are required to take the courses listed below with an asterisk AND the courses listed under “State of Minnesota Teaching Licensure in Social Studies.” 

Core Requirements

Required lower division courses: The Broad Field Social Studies major consists of 57 credits so it does not require a minor. Twelve of the required 57 credits also fulfill general education requirements.

One of the following:

Two of the following:

Required upper division course:

Major Electives

Social Science upper division electives (6 credits required):

Fifteen additional credits in upper division history courses with at least three credits from American history, three credits from European history and three credits from a course dealing mostly with matters after 1815 (which may simultaneously fulfill either the American or European requirement).

American History (choose at least one of the following) *either HIST410 or HIST420 is required for state licensure):

European History (choose at least one of the following):

Post-1815 courses (choose at least one of the following which may simultaneously fulfill either the American or European requirement):

Recommended Religion electives to compliment the BFSS major:

Lower division

Upper division

Capstone

State of Minnesota Teaching Licensure in Social Studies

In addition to the BFSS major requirements students who seek state licensure for secondary level (grades 5-12) teaching of social studies are required to take the courses listed previously with an asterisk AND the following courses:

Important requirements of all students completing Minnesota Teaching Social Studies licensure at Bethany Lutheran College:

  • Complete all standards based education courses with a “C+” or above
  • Maintain 2.75 GPA
  • Pass the following Minnesota Teacher Licensure Exams: 
    1. MTLE: Academic Skills Assessments in Reading, Writing and Mathematics
    2. MTLE: Either Principles of Learning and Teaching K-6 or 5-12
    3. MTLE: Subject matter/content 5-12 Social Studies
  • Complete the Human Relations/Diversity Component
  • Complete all courses required for Minnesota State Licensure
  • Satisfactory completion of Teaching Internship and Seminar
  • Satisfactory completion of STEEP and Professional Portfolio 
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