Social Studies: Geography for Secondary Education

Major

Why This Program & What You'll Learn

This program gives you a strong interdisciplinary foundation for teaching geography and other subjects at the secondary level. Combining coursework in political science, economics and geography, the program also requires a history minor.

Core courses in this program give you insights into world geography, American government, and the fundamentals of micro- and macroeconomics. You can take a deep dive into the geographies of modern Europe, the developing world or Latin America. And you can explore everything from the human use of Earth’s resources to the geographic implications behind immigration, climate change and matters of race, gender and class.

Beyond the classroom, you’ll get hands-on experience as a student teacher in a local school. And you’ll build the foundation you need to make geography come alive for students at the secondary level.

Completion of the B.S. in education degree with a major in social studies: geography will qualify you for recommendation to the Michigan State Board of Education for a Secondary Standard Certificate.

Program Highlights

As a social studies geography student for secondary education, you can:

• Observe classrooms and gain practical experience through our student teaching program.
• Customize your degree by choosing courses such as Historical Geography, Population Geography or China: Environment and People.
• Build connections and engage in professional development through student organizations such as the Geography Club.
• Study abroad in Ireland, South Africa, China or the Galapagos Islands.