History and Secondary Education majors typically take the following courses in the fall semester of their first year:
First-Year Experience Learning Community Courses
We will register you in these courses.
- Philosophy (PHIL 201)
- English Composition (ENG 101) OR Theology (TRS 201)
Why am I taking these classes? Honors students take equivalent honors courses.
Major and Elective Courses
You will need to choose and register for these courses.
- A 100-level, 200-level, or 300-level history course (HIST)
- A foreign language (see below)
- A liberal arts foundations course; a course toward a minor, certificate, or other focus area; or a free elective
Language placement
Your major requires you to complete the study of a foreign language through the intermediate level. Catholic University teaches the following languages that satisfy this requirement: Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Latin, and Spanish. If you are interested in learning a language not listed here, consult with your advisor.
If you have previously studied a foreign language and are interested in continuing with that same language, or if you can demonstrate fluency in a foreign language, you should complete the language placement exam.
About Your First Semester Courses
The joint major in History and Secondary Education prepares teacher candidates to teach social studies and leads to certification at the middle and high-school level. Although the main focus of the joint major remains on history, teacher candidates need a broad exposure to all the disciplines comprised in social studies. History and Secondary Education students take the same major courses as other History majors. After your first year, you will also take education courses and participate in student teaching to prepare you for licensure. You do not take an education course in your first year.
First-year students generally take a history course at the 100- or 200-level, though some have taken, and very much enjoyed, 300-level classes. It is best to see which courses are interesting, to take them, and to go from there, whether these be courses in ancient, medieval or modern history.
Students should begin completing the foreign language requirement in their first year, either starting in on a new language or continuing on the basis of what’s been done in high school.
For your fifth course, you can choose what you like. You can take a liberal arts elective or a free elective course in a subject of your interest. Or, you may wish to begin study in a secondary subject area, perhaps for a minor or certificate. We encourage you to meet with your advisor early to discuss the additional courses that may be required for you to earn your teaching license and how they can overlap with university requirements. Some courses that may be of interest to you are below.
- Anthropology 105, Human Evolution
- Anthropology 108, Introduction to Archeology
- Economics 100, Fundamentals of Economics
- Economics 101, Principles of Macroeconomics
- Economics 102, Principles of Microeconomics
You may also be interested in Drama 101, which is a good complement to this major. Dramatization can serve as an effective pedagogical practice in the classroom context.
To learn more about the History portion of the major, consult the History Department’s website.
To learn more about Secondary Education, consult the Education Department’s website.
Know which courses you want? Get registered.