The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Social Studies Composite, Bachelor of Arts

Program Overview

As an integral part of a liberal arts education, history courses introduce students to different historical eras, diverse cultures, famous and ordinary women and men, and a variety of geographical settings. Our courses challenge students to think critically, express themselves clearly, and become informed and responsible citizens in an increasingly interconnected world. Students majoring or minoring in history may become teachers or seek employment in business or government. History is an excellent background for those who wish later to go to law school or enter journalism.

Specific graduation requirements for this program beyond university bachelor’s degree requirements. 

A student graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Composite is required to demonstrate proficiency (beginning, intermediate or advanced) in a foreign language. Proficiency can be demonstrated by: 

  • Earning 6 credits of foreign language through successful completion of coursework
  • Earning 6 credits through a foreign language college credit exam (e.g., AP, CLEP, International Baccalaureate) 
  • Demonstrating proficiency by meeting the WebCAPE scores approved by the Department of Writing and Language Studies
  • Demonstrating proficiency by an exam approved by the Department of Writing and Language Studies

 

Core Curriculum - 42 hours

The Core Curriculum serves as a broad foundation for the undergraduate degree. All candidates for a bachelor’s degree must achieve core student learning outcomes, including communication, critical thinking, empirical and quantitative skills, teamwork, personal responsibility and social responsibility, by completing courses within each category or component area of the Core Curriculumas outlined below.

The University has approved specific courses that satisfy Core Curriculum Requirements. Approved courses can be found on the Core Curriculum Page. Students seeking the most efficient way to complete the core curriculum and major or minor requirements are advised to take approved courses that can fulfill both requirements. Although core curriculum courses can also be used to fulfill major or minor requirements, earned credits hours are only applied once.

The courses listed below fulfill core curriculum and major requirements. Students who have completed a core curriculum category with courses other than those listed below will still be required to take the listed course(s) to meet major requirements.

040 Language, Philosophy & Culture - 3 hours

HIST 2321World History I

3

080 Social and Behavioral Sciences - 3 hours

ECON 2301Principles of Macroeconomics

3

090 Integrative and Experiential Learning - 6 hours

HIST 2322World History II

3

Major Requirements - 60 hours

Required Courses - 12 hours

Social Studies Composite Core

ECON 2302Principles of Microeconomics

3

HIST 3308History Foundation for Social Studies Educators

3

HIST 3302World Environmental History

3

HIST 4398History Capstone for Social Studies Educators

3

Prescribed Electives - 48 hours

Certain courses below appear in more than one section of the degree plan. The courses and related semester credit hours can only be applied only once to the degree.

United States History - 12 hours

Choose from:

HIST 3320Colonial America to 1763

3

HIST 3321The United States, Revolution, and the New Nation, 1763-1815

3

HIST 3322Rise of the American Nation, 1815-1848

3

HIST 3323Era of Sectional Conflict, 1848-1877

3

HIST 3324The Emergence of Modern America, 1877-1929

3

HIST 3325Twentieth Century America

3

HIST 3326Indians of North America

3

HIST 3327The American Military Experience

3

HIST 3328History of the American Presidency

3

HIST 3329American Legal History

3

HIST 3330The United States as a World Power

3

HIST 3331Women, Gender, and Sexuality in American History

3

HIST 3332Mexican-American History

3

HIST 3333Texas History

3

HIST 3334History of the American West

3

HIST 3335American Environmental History

3

HIST 3336Spanish Borderlands to 1821

3

HIST 3338United States-Mexico Borderlands after 1821

3

HIST 3339Slavery in the Americas, 1492-1888

3

HIST 3382Asian American History, 1849 to 2001

3

HIST 4315Discovering the Rio Grande Valley

3

HIST 4323History of the Old South

3

HIST 4324History of the New South since 1877

3

HIST 4325The United States: War, Prosperity, and Depression, 1917-1945

3

HIST 4326The United States since 1945

3

HIST 4327History of the American Family and Childhood

3

HIST 4329Black History and Thought

3

HIST 4330Race and Ethnicity in America

3

HIST 4331Mexican-American Civil Rights

3

HIST 4332Chicano Movement

3

HIST 4333Food and Agricultural History

3

HIST 4392Special Topics in United States History

3

European History - 6 hours

Choose from:

HIST 3340Medieval Europe

3

HIST 3341Early Modern Europe

3

HIST 3342Revolutionary Europe, 1789-1850

3

HIST 3343Europe's Age of Imperialism, 1850-1919

3

HIST 3344Contemporary Europe, 1919 to the Present

3

HIST 3345History of England to 1688

3

HIST 3346History of England after 1688

3

HIST 3347History of Spain

3

HIST 3348Russian History

3

HIST 3349Women, Gender, and Sexuality in European History

3

HIST 3351History of Southeastern Europe since 1815

3

HIST 4339Ancient Greece and Rome

3

HIST 4342The Renaissance and Reformation, 1300-1650

3

HIST 4344Absolutism and Enlightenment in Europe, 1650-1789

3

HIST 4391Special Topics in European History

3

Latin American History - 3 hours

Choose from:

HIST 3361Colonial Latin America

3

HIST 3362Modern Latin America

3

HIST 3363Mexico from Pre-Conquest to the Present

3

HIST 4360Mexico's First Century as an Independent Republic

3

HIST 4361Contemporary Mexico

3

HIST 4362History of Mexican Culture

3

HIST 4363History of Mexican Cinema

3

HIST 4366The Caribbean and Central America

3

World/Asian/Middle Eastern History - 3 hours

Choose from:

HIST 3306Great Discoveries in Archaeology and History

3

HIST 3307Women, Gender, and Sexuality in World History

3

HIST 3370Early Middle East History

3

HIST 3371Modern Middle Eastern History

3

HIST 3372History of East Asia to 1800

3

HIST 3374History of the Ottoman Empire

3

HIST 3375History of Modern Japan

3

HIST 3376History of Modern China

3

HIST 4301Maritime Archaeology and History

3

HIST 4303Public Health in the Americas

3

HIST 4306History of the Cold War

3

HIST 4390Special Topics in World History

3

Additional History Electives - 6 hours

Choose from additional advanced History (HIST) courses except HIST 3301.

Geography Component - 6 hours

GEOG 1303World Regional Geography

3

GEOG 3320Cultural Geography for Educators I

3

Political Science Component - 6 hours

Choose from:

POLS 3311Contemporary Texas Politics

3

POLS 3355U.S. Public Policy

3

POLS 4312U.S. Constitutional Law - Civil Liberties

3

POLS 4341U.S. Political Theory

3

Economics - 6 hours

Choose from:

ECON 1301Introduction to Economics

3

ECON 3353International Trade

3

ECON 3355Development Economics

3

ECON 3358Labor Economics

3

ECON 3381Money and Banking

3

Free Electives - hours will vary

Free electives credit hours required may vary to achieve the institutional minimum of 120 hours for a degree.

Advanced Minimum Credit Hours: 42

Total Credit Hours: 120