Secondary Education – Social Studies

Program Description

The Associate of Arts degree (A.A.) at JCCC is a general transfer degree and partners well with the first two years of most bachelor degree programs. Students pursuing the A.A. may select courses that satisfy both the A.A. degree requirements and lower division requirements for a bachelor’s degree at four-year institutions. The elective hours within the A.A. allow students to complete additional general education and lower division courses required for specific majors. The A.A. degree requires completion of 60 credit hours. Visit JCCC A.A. degree requirements for more information. The maximum number of hours from a community college that will be applied toward a bachelor’s degree at USM is 81 hours. Meeting with a JCCC counselor is strongly recommended for selection of appropriate courses. 

The Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education is a four-year undergraduate program with a minimum of 120 credits required for graduation. Candidates earn a degree with an embedded state accredited licensure program in Secondary Education - Social Studies leading to 6-12 teacher licensure. 

Admission Requirements

Admission to the University of Saint Mary does not confer or guarantee admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP), which has its own acceptance criteria. Transfer juniors and seniors must apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program after their first semester at the University of Saint Mary. Visit the Declaration of Major and Teacher Education Program for more information. 

• Completed admissions application and pay a non-refundable $25 application fee
• Official transcripts from all previous colleges and universities attended (these must be sent directly from the colleges). The final transcript must indicate conferral of the bachelor’s degree.
• Minimum grade point average of 2.0 (on a scale of 4.0)
• To be eligible for admission to the teacher education program, students must have a composite ACT score of 22 or higher, or have achieved passing scores on the reading, mathematics, and writing subtests of the Praxis Academic core or the basic skills test offered through USM.
• Students must make formal applications for admission to the teacher education program after one semester at the University of Saint Mary.
• The A.A. degree at JCCC requires completion of 60 credit hours. Visit the JCCC A.A. degree requirements for more information. Students who have earned the A.A. at JCCC are considered to have met the University of Saint Mary general education requirements, with the exception of three hours of Theology. Please note: The University of Saint Mary is not participating in the Kansas (KBOR) Systemwide General Education framework. Visit the USM General Education guide for more information.

It is the STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY to check for updates to all transfer information. This transfer guide is provided as a service and is updated as needed. Degree requirements at the four-year colleges are subject to change by those institutions. To ensure you have the most accurate information about the program, you must meet with an advisor at the transfer institution.