Social Studies Education 6-12 – Virginia

Educational Requirements

According to the Virginia Department of Education: 

The state of Virginia offers the following endorsements. 

• Virginia offers Social Studies Education.

Endorsement requirements. The candidate shall have:

1. Earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and graduated from an approved teacher preparation program in history and social sciences; or
2. Earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and completed 51 semester hours of coursework distributed in each of the following areas:
a. History: a major in history or 18 semester hours in history (shall include coursework in American history, Virginia history, and world history);
b. Political science: a major in political science or 18 semester hours in political science, which shall include coursework in American government (state and local government);
c. Geography: 9 semester hours; and d. Economics: 6 semester hours.
B. Add-on endorsement requirements in history, political science, geography, and economics. The candidate shall have:
1. Earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and hold a teaching license with an endorsement in history, political science, geography, or economics; and
2. Completed 21 semester hours of coursework in the additional social science area – history, political science, geography, or economics for which the add-on endorsement is sought.