Teaching Options for History Majors

Think you want to be a teacher?

The History B.A. provides excellent training for prospective teachers.

Students who want to prepare for teaching have several tracks available to them. Please speak with an advisor about which option is the best fit for your career goals. 

Students interested in teaching at the secondary school level need to work with both their History advisor and advisors in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) to outline a plan of study. Students interested in teaching Dual Enrollment courses or at the community college level should also speak with the M.A. history director. 

While you’re an undergraduate, your main focus will be to complete the Content Area Review (CAR) coursework alongside your History B.A. You will also need to know about the Praxis exams needed for licensure. The Office of Teaching Preparation (OTP), in CEHD, will help you understand the exam procedures and what courses you need to take for your endorsement area/major, while your History advisor is the one to talk to about your overall schedule and how to plan semester-by-semester for maximum success. For more information, start with CEHD’s information page.

After you graduate, you have several options available that will enable you to pursue teaching as a career:

• Students may wish to complete the History B.A., along with the required endorsement courses, and then begin the licensure program after they graduate with their bachelor’s degree. This link provides information about enrolling in a teaching preparation program.
• Students can get a head start on licensure in Secondary Education in History/Social Sciences by completing the Accelerated History B.A. to M.Ed. program. This plan shows how students can complete the History B.A. and the endorsement coursework in four years:  History BA / Accelerated MEd Sample Degree Plan
• Many schools in Northern Virginia are looking to hire teachers who are qualified to teach Dual Enrollment courses. In addition to a teaching license, students need either an M.A. in history or a Dual Enrollment certification (18 graduate credits in history). Information about the credential is found at this link.
• Students interested in teaching can pursue a History M.A. with a concentration in teaching. Students will be required to fulfill the graduate coursework requirements for the M.A., as well as licensure coursework and 9 additional credits to finish the graduate certificate in secondary education licensure (45 credits total). Upon completion, students will also be eligible to teach Dual Enrollment courses and at many area community colleges. More information about this track is available on the FAQ page for the M.A. in history.
• Pursuing an accelerated M.A. in history (BAM) enables students to obtain their M.A. in history with the teaching track in less time (reducing from 45 graduate credits to as few as 33). Qualified students can take up to 12 graduate-level credits toward their B.A., plus an additional 6 reserve credits can be applied to their graduate degree. Students would start the M.A. with up to 18 credits earned while undergraduates. This plan shows how students could put together the History B.A., endorsement coursework, and the M.A. in history:  History BA / Accelerated MA Sample Degree Plan
• Students may choose to obtain a dual M.A. in history (teaching) with an M.Ed. They should first apply to one program and then apply for the second degree. To receive both degrees will involve 51 credits in total, although this total could be reduced by taking an accelerated M.A. or M.Ed. (from 51 credits to as few as 39). Students interested should reach out to both the director for the history M.A. program as well as advisors at CEHD.