Help Shape the World Around You
Do you want to support young people’s growing ability to take well-informed civic action in our diverse and interconnected world? Do you want to be part of educating youth to engage thoughtfully in public and civic settings? If so, become a social studies teacher!
Effective social studies teachers have a passion and commitment to learning. They are continuously engaged in the world around them and help their students explore, understand, and act on their learning to become responsible citizens. They strive to integrate current events into their lessons that spark healthy debate and engaging classroom discussions. Most of all, they possess the cultural sensitivity to create a classroom where every student is respected.
The secondary education social studies program will give you the skills and knowledge needed to become an effective teacher who can transform the learning experience in your classroom. The subjects that comprise social studies — history, economics, geography, political science, sociology, and psychology — are rich, interrelated disciplines, and are each critical to the background of thoughtful citizens.
Social Studies Program Prerequisites
Candidates for the social studies program must demonstrate specific criteria to be accepted, such as a relevant undergraduate degree, certain coursework or experience, and GPA requirements.
Non-U.S. Graduates: Review the graduate school’s application requirements for specific information about comparable degrees in your country and which academic documents are required.
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Earn a Relevant Undergraduate Degree
Applicants need to have (or have completed by June of the year they enter the program) a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or a comparable degree from an international institution with a major or a minor in one or more of an area associated with the certification area.
These include:
- History
- Political science
- Geography
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Philosophy
- Economics
- Anthropology
- or some other social science-related degree
If you do not have one of the listed degrees and believe you have a special case for consideration, including significant professional experience or comparable university courses, you may email Mariah Pol at mariah.pol@wisc.edu to explain your situation.
Demonstrate Competency in Relevant Content Domains
Prior to admission, applicants must demonstrate competency within certain areas of their chosen subject. This may be demonstrated through coursework or significant life experiences.
All social studies applicants must demonstrate competency in the following general areas:
- Economics
- Geography
- History
- Political science
- Psychology
- Sociology
English Proficiency
All international degree-seeking applicants are required to provide proof of English proficiency. For more information on this requirement, check the English proficiency section on the Requirements for Admission page.
Non-native English speakers must also show adequate instructional verbal skills, by passing a verbal interview with the Secondary Education ESL team.
Get the Added Value of a Dual Certification/ESL Certification
Our program is infused with a philosophy that teachers must be able to engage and value all students in the classroom. Our approach allows you to work with a wide range of students that engage in US public schools. For the secondary content areas, this also includes skills and techniques to work with students learning English, including the opportunity to earn a dual English as a Second Language (ESL) Certification along with your content. This certification increases your potential impact as a teacher and gives you a competitive advantage in the job market.