AA Program Advising Points

Every year our program produces outstanding future teachers who began their college career in UD's Associate in Arts Program (AAP)

This Checklist and Timeline allows you and your advisor to schedule courses that will enable you to graduate with your Social Studies Education degree in four years. Although most of our students choose to become History Education majors, there are several other discipline options available to you. All share similar requirements, but there are important differences in course requirements that you need to be aware of. Our Program Requirements and Checklists  webpage provides course check sheets of all the possible options for majoring in Social Studies Secondary Education. Once you decide to major in one of the Social Studies Education programs, print out and bring a copy of the check sheet to every advising session throughout your undergraduate career.

1.    Important! While completing your Breadth Requirements, it is very important to   "cross- over" as many courses as possible. Look for Breadth Requirement courses that also count toward the "related coursework" required for your major. Choose strategically in order to graduate on time!  Consult the "Coursework Matrix" for Social Studies courses that also count as Breadth Requirements.

In order to maximize your coursework in the Associate in Arts Program and graduate from our program in four years, take as many of the following courses as you can in your first two years. All of these courses are required for History Education. They also count as A & S Group requirements

• ECON101
• ECON103
• POSC150
• GEOG120
• PSYC100

2.    Carefully go over the courses required for your major. For example, note the types of History courses that the History Education major requires. They are not quite the same as for a History major! One course—HIST316—is a required course that is offered simultaneously on both the Dover and Newark campuses! Be sure to take HIST316 in Dover. One of the best parts of this course is that it allows you to work on a project with students in local schools—giving you the first taste of becoming a teacher!  

3.    Save all your course work and syllabi throughout your college career. You will need prior work in order to complete portions of the required Inquiry and Analysis Portfolio by the spring semester of your junior year.

4.    If possible, attend the mandatory Social Studies Education orientation session, held on UD campus each September or October. The announcement for each fall's meeting can be found on the home page of this website. We are very happy to meet with you individually as well! 

5.    GPA requirements for admission to student teaching are a 2.75 cumulative and a 3.0 in your major by February of your junior year. No exceptions! So keep up that GPA!

Upon arriving on the Newark campus in the fall, you will be assigned a new advisor. But in the meantime, be sure to do the following during spring registration of your sophomore year:

1.    Take EDUC414,  EDUC419 and EDUC413 during your Junior year.  EDUC419 and EDUC 413 each have observation hours in the schools and should not be taken in the same semester. You are responsible for providing your own transportation to your school placement. See the note below*** about Federal and State requirements for working in schools. You should complete these requirements during the summer before you transfer to the Newark campus.

2.    History Education majors must complete HIST268 in the fall of your junior year. That way, you will be eligible to take your HIST400 seminar in the Spring of your Junior year 

3.    Keep up that GPA!

***Students in any course with a field experience in which they are working with or observing children under the age of 18 (e.g., schools, community centers) must have a valid TB test and a valid federal criminal background clearance. Criminal background fingerprinting clearances must be on file at the Office of Clinical Studies by the first day of the semester. TB clearances must be on file at Student Health Services prior to the first scheduled placement. A Child Protection Registry clearance is also required. The form must be submitted to the Office of Clinical Studies prior to the first day of the scheduled placement. The Office of Clinical Studies provides more information on obtaining fingerprint and TB and Child Protection Registry clearances when registering for this course.

Dr. Barry Joyce - bjoyce@udel.edu

Dr. Hannah Kim - hkim@udel.edu

Dr. Bonnie Lewis - bpl@udel.edu ​