Department Updates

B.A. in History-Teacher Certification

All students seeking the Bachelor of Arts in History - Teacher Certification (a "comprehensive major" -- no minor) must complete units I, II, and III below. Although most student require 4 1/2 years to finish the teacher education degree, others complete it in 4 years, through a combination of high school AP courses and Summer School classes. Student teaching is carried out at a number of sites around the state. For the latest News about our History Teacher Certification majors and program, see below. See below for information on resources for teaching history as well.

Tips and Advice for Those Seeking Teaching Positions

History Student-Teachers, Spring 2009

 

History - Teacher Certification majors should also consult the Teacher Education Handbook and the Center for the Preparation of Education Professionals (CPEP), in the College of Education and Human Services, for further information on WIU's Teacher Education Program.

History - Teacher Certification majors have very specific General Education requirements but take the same History Core Courses as other History majors. The state of Illinois now requires that all candidates seeking certification to teach History must also be qualified to teach all other social studies subjects. Our program is designed to ensure that you pass the State Subject Matter Certification Exam, which covers that full range of social studies subjects, including History. Upon graduation, WIU graduates will be certified to teach secondary school History and social studies in the state of Illinois. The state has reciprocity agreements with a number of other states as well, allowing those certified to teach in Illinois to gain certification in those additional states.

Official information on all History Department undergradute programs is available via the WIU Undergraduate Catalog. A complete listing of all undergraduate courses offered by the WIU History Department is available elsewhere on this web site, including some not listed in the current catalog.

All History - Teacher Certification majors must meet regularly with the Undergraduate History Advisor, Ralph Heissinger, prior to registration each semester, to plan their programs and ensure their timely progress toward their degree.

History Teacher Ed major Andrea Van Drew's presentation on ancient Rome

I. General Education Requirements

History - Teacher Certification students must complete the University General Education requirement (43 hours), including the following required courses: Geography 100, 120, and 121, Math 101 or 102 (or higher, inc. Math/Stat 171), Poli Sci 122, Econ 100 or 231, and either Geography 110, Anthropology 110 or History 145.

II. Core Courses (15 s.h.)

HIST 105  American History to 1877
3 s.h.
HIST 106 American History since 1877
3 s.h.
HIST 125 Western Civilization to 1648
3 s.h.
HIST 126 Western Civilization from 1648
3 s.h.
HIST 301 Writing & Research in History*
3 s.h.

*fulfills the Writing in the Discipline (WID) graduation requirement

 

III. Option B. History-Teacher Certification

1. History Directed Electives

At least 24 s.h. of History courses must be taken, including History 420 (Illinois History).
U.S. History (Area I) min. 9 s.h.
European History (Area II) min. 6 s.h.
Non-Western History (Area III) min. 6 s.h.

At least 12 semester hours in History Directed Electives must be at the 400 level.

 
2. Directed Electives in Government 15 s.h.

Domestic (History 303, Poli Sci 122, PoliS 315) -- 3 s.h. minimum recommended

International (Hist 401, PolS 228, 267, or 331) -- 3 s.h. minimum recommended

 

 

 
3. Other Required Courses 36 s.h.
Geog. 100, Geog. 100 (inc. in Gen.Ed.)
Anthro 100 or Soc. 100 (inc. in Gen.Ed.)
Econ 100 or 231 (inc. in Gen.Ed.)
EIS 201, 301, 302, 303, 304, & 401 13 s.h.
SSEd 439, C&I 403 7 s.h.
Psy 425 & SpEd 383 OR SpEd 310 & 390 4 s.h.
STch 480 12 s.h.

For further information about majoring in History - Teacher Certification at Western Illinois University, please contact the Department of History at (309)298-1053 or contact the Department Chair, Dr. Ginny Boynton, or the Undergraduate Advisor, Ralph Heissinger.

Resources for Teaching History in the Secondary Schools

The following books are available in the Undergraduate History Advisor's office (Ralph Heissinger, 436 Morgan):

Stan Cody's Teaching Out of the Box: A Teacher's Guide to Making History Fun . . . and More.

Frederick Drake and Lynn Nelson's Engagement in Teaching History: Theory and Practices for Middle and Secondary Teachers.

David Kobrin's Beyond the Textbook: Teaching History Using Documents and Primary Sources.

James Percoco's A Passion for the Past: Creative Teaching of U.S. History.

Joan Brodsky Schur's Eyewitness to the Past Strategies for Teaching American History in Grades 5-12.

Yohuru Rahsied Williams's Teaching U.S. History Beyond the Textbook: Six Investigative Strategies, Grades 5-12.

See also the "History Links for K-12 Educators" section of the Historical Links web page on our web site.

History Teacher Education in the News