PLST Political Science Teaching Major, Secondary Teacher Certification
The teaching degree is a very small program, as evident from the number of graduates over the
past five years noted in the table below, and has been for some time. It requires very few
additional resources in the department since students pursing the degree take courses that apply
to several other majors in the department; no specific or exclusive courses in the department are
offered solely for this group of students.
There are some administrative resources devoted to the program—a faculty member is
designated as advisor for the teaching majors and that individual also attends regular committee
meetings with counterparts in the teacher education program. As part of the teacher education
assessment effort, that individual will also play a lead role in the department in assessing student
achievement at program completion, involving grading student essays.
PLST Graduates per year
Number
2004-2005
2
2005-2006
6
2006-2007
2
2007-2008
3
Majors
F 04 29
F 05 31
F 06 24
F 07 21
F 08 13
As a product of discussions with the teacher education faculty during the 2008-09 academic year,
department faculty, on recommendation from the instructional committee, voted unanimously to
shelve the PLST program. Students graduating from the program receive an endorsement in
political science, which certifies them for only one course—civics—at the high school level.
Students completing the social studies teaching major, which involves coursework in at least
three social science disciplines (one of which can be political science), can receive an
endorsement in social studies. This broader designation is more advantageous to students and
has been recommended by the teacher education faculty.
Current majors in PLST will complete course requirements in the coming terms but new students
will be advised into the social studies teaching major. The department will continue to be
represented on the teacher education committee and cooperate with the social studies teaching
faculty for students who select political science as one of their minor fields of study.