Social Studies

College of Liberal Arts
Interdisciplinary Program
Department of History
(907) 474-7126
https://www.uaf.edu/cla/

B.A. Degree

Minimum Requirements for Degree: 120 credits

Downloadable PDF (64K)

Although this degree is available to any interested student, the social studies interdisciplinary BA degree was developed especially for students who plan to become social studies teachers in secondary schools (grades 7-12). It is strongly recommend that you work closely with an advisor in both your major field and the UAF School of Education (474-7341) in planning your undergraduate degree requirements.

Beginning spring 2006, all students who apply to the UAF School of Education post-baccalaureate secondary licensure program and who wish to teach any of the social studies subject areas (Alaska Native studies, anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, sociology or social studies) will be required to have a broad background in a variety of social studies subjects in addition to the specific major they are pursuing. The social studies interdisciplinary major, or a double major in one of the above subject areas plus the social studies major, may be a good option for those students. With careful planning, you should find that you can complete a double major within, or close to, 120 credit hours.

MAJOR – B.A. Degree

     

  1. Complete the general university requirements (As part of the core curriculum requirements, complete ANTH 100X/SOC 100X, HIST 100X and ECON/PS 100X. As part of the core curriculum requirements, the following courses are recommended: GEOG 205X, PS 300X or PHIL 322X or NRM 303X.).
  2. Complete the B.A. degree requirements.
  3. Complete the following major requirements.*

    4. a. ANS/ANTH 242 –Native Cultures of Alaska 3 credits

    b. Two courses in U.S. History (pre- and post-civil war; and at least one at the upper division level) 6 credits**

    c. History elective, non-U.S. (in addition to HIST 100X) 3 credits**

    d. HIST 461W – History of Alaska 3 credits

    e. GEOG 205 – Elements of Physical Geography (Note: requirement is waived if GEOG 205X is taken as part of the core) 3 credits

    f. GEOG 101 – World Regional Geography 3 credits

    g. GEOG 339 - Map & Landscape Analysis (preferred course) (3 or 4)
    or GEOG 309 – Cartography (4)
    or GEOG 338/NRM 338 – Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (3) 3 or 4 credits

    h. GEOG – Geography of Cold Lands (3)
    or GEOG 302 –Geography of Alaska (3) 3 or 4 credits

    i. PSY 101 – Introduction to Psychology 3 credits

    j. ED/PSY 245 – Child Development (preferred) (3)
    or PSY 240 – Lifespan Developmental Psychology (3) 3 credits

    k. SOC/ED 345 – Sociology of Education 3 credits

    l. SOC 350 - Childhood & Society 3 credits

    m. PS 101 – Introduction to American Government and Politics 3 credits

    n. ECON 200 – Principles of Economics 4 credits

    o. Complete at least one elective from each of the four categories listed below.**

    Political Science Elective (minimum 3 credits)
    Comparative Politics or International Politics elective 3 credits
    See Political Science BA degree requirements for list of electives in these two areas. Note: Several of these electives also satisfy Global Connections elective or Civics Ideals & Practices elective.

    Science, Technology and Society Elective (minimum 3 credits)
    ANTH 414 Environmental Archaeology 3 credits
    ANTH 428 – Ecological Anthropology 3 credits
    ECON 434W – Environmental Economics 3 credits
    GEOG 401 – Weather & Climate 4 credits
    GEOG/NRM 463 – Wilderness Concepts 3 credits
    GEOG 402 – Resources and environment 3 credits
    HIST 306 – Europe 1850-1900 3 credits
    HIST 401 – Renaissance & Reformation Europe 3 credits
    NRM 303X –Environmental Ethics & Actions 3 credits
    NRM 304O – Perspectives in Natural Resources Management 3 credits
    PHIL 382 – Science & Technological Limits 3 credits
    PS 456– Science, Technology and Politics 3 credits
    PS 415 - Contemporary Political Theory 3 credits
    Note: This elective is waived if NRM 303X is taken as part of the core.

    Global Connections Elective (minimum 3 credits)
    ANTH 111 Ancient Civilizations 3 credits
    ANTH 210 New World Archaeology 3 credits
    ANTH 212 Old World Archaeology 3 credits
    ANTH 215 – Fundamentals of Social/Cultural Anthropology 3 credits
    ECON 463W – International Economics 3 credits
    ECON 439W – Energy Economics 3 credits
    HIST 316 – Europe since 1945 3 credits
    HIST 364 – History of the US 1945 to present 3 credits
    HIST 451 – History of US Foreign Policy 3 credits
    GEOG 404W – Urban Geography 3 credits
    GEOG 405 – Political Geography 3 credits
    NRM 304O – Perspectives in Natural Resources Management 3 credits
    PS 202 – Democracy & Global Society 3 credits
    PS 321W – International Politics credits
    PS 322 – International Law & Organization 3 credits
    PS 323 – Issues of International Political Economy 3 credits
    PS 437 – American Foreign Policy 3 credits
    PS 438 – Peace & National Security 3 credits
    PS 455 – Political Economy of the Global Environment 3 credits
    PS 452 – International Relations of the North 3 credits
    PS 454 – International Law & the Environment 3 credits
    PS 455 – Political Economy of the Global Environment 3 credits
    PS/ANS 450 – Comparative Aboriginal Rights & Policies 3 credits

    Civic Ideals and Practices elective (minimum 3 credits)
    ANTH 404 – Social Organization II 3 credits
    ECON 350 – Money & Banking 3 credits
    ECON 351 – Public Finance 3 credits
    ECON 409W – Industrial Organization & Public Policies 3 credits
    ECON 420W – Labor Markets & Public Policy 3 credits
    ECON 439W – Energy Economics 3 credits
    HIST 361 – Early American History 3 credits
    HIST 305 – Europe 1789-1850 3 credits
    PS 302W,O - Congress and Public Policy 3 credits
    PS 303 – Politics & the Judicial Process 3 credits
    PS 403W - Public Policy 3 credits
    PS 315 – American Political Thought 3 credits
    PS 330O – Law, Justice, & Society 3 credits
    PS 435W – Constitutional Law I: Institutions & governmental powers 3 credits
    PS 436 - Constitutional Law II: Civil rights & civil liberties 3 credits
    PS 412 - Modern Political Theory 3 credits
    PS 314 - Political Ideologies 3 credits
    PS 415 - Contemporary Political Theory 3 credits
    PS/ANS 425 – Federal Indian Law & Alaska Natives 3 credits

  4. Additional major requirements * **

    5. a. Complete a concentration area of at least 18 credits in one of the following subject areas: Alaska Native Studies, Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology (courses from all major requirements, electives, and the core may be included in the concentration. See UAF catalog for requirements for a minor if you wish to count these courses toward a minor). ***

    b. Complete a minimum of 6 credits for capstone experience in the selected concentration area (see list of choices below).

    Alaska Native Studies capstone courses concentration (6 credits):
    ANS 401 – Cultural Knowledge of Native Elders (3)
    and upper division ANS elective (3) 6

    Anthropology capstone courses concentration (9 credits):
    ANTH 215 – Fundamentals of Social/Cultural Anthropology (3)
    ANTH 411O - Senior Seminar in Anthropology (3)
    and ANTH 400-level elective (3) 9

    Economics capstone courses concentration (6 credits):
    Econ 321 – Intermediate Microeconomics (3)
    and upper division Economics elective (3) 6

    Geography capstone courses concentration (6 credits):
    GEOG 482W,O – Geography Seminar (3)
    and GEOG 408 - Quantitative Research Techniques (3) 6

    History capstone courses concentration (6 credits):
    HIST 475W – Historiography (3)
    and HIST476W,O – Senior Seminar in History (3) 6

    Political Science capstone courses concentration (6 credits):
    PS 222 – Political Science Research Methods (3)
    and PS 492 – Senior Seminar in Political Science (3) 6

    Psychology capstone courses concentration (6 credits):
    PSY 275 – Introduction to Social Science Research Methods (3)
    or SOC/PSY 250 – Introductory Statistics for Behavioral Sciences (3)
    and at least one of the following:
    PSY 485 – Senior Seminar in Psychology (3)
    PSY 475 – Research Design & Analysis in Psychology (3)
    PSY/SOC 480 – Qualitative Social Science Research (3)

    Sociology capstone courses concentration:
    SOC/PSY 250 – Introductory Statistics for Behavioral Sciences 3 credits
    and at least one of the following:
    SOC 473W – Social Science Research Methods (3)
    or SOC 402 – Theories of Sociology (3)
    or PSY/SOC 480 – Qualitative Social Science Research (3) 3

  5. Minimum credits required 120

Note: Courses for the major can also be used as Social Science electives for the BA degree requirements.
* Students must earn a C grade or better in each course in the major.
** Courses may be used to satisfy more than one requirement of the Social Studies major.
*** Courses used for the Social Studies major may also be applied to a major(s) and/or a minor(s) in any of the following subject areas: Alaska Native Studies, Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology.