Wellesley-MIT
Teacher Education
Additional Information on Subject Matter Knowledge and Subject
Advising
for the Political Science/Political Philosophy Teaching Programs
Subject
Matter Requirements.
Political
Science/Political Philosophy teachers in Massachusetts need the following
subject matter knowledge. To understand
more about what is intended in each area, please study the Massachusetts
Curriculum Frameworks for History and Social Studies, which
we
will give you a copy of and which can be found on line at
www.doe.mass.edu You can also examine the test objectives for the
Massachusetts
subject test in this area. (This test is required only for
licensure in Massachusetts.) To see these objectives, go to doe.mass.edu,
and select Educator Licensure Tests.
Areas
of subject matter knowledge for Political Science/Political Philosophy:
Political
Science/Political Philosophy (grades 5-8 or 8-12)
(a) Civics and Government
1. The Founding Documents of the United States and Massachusetts
2. American government and politics
3. Comparative government
4. Theories of political science or philosophy
5. International relations
(b) History
1. United States history
2. Western civilization
3. World history
(c) Geography
1. Major physical features of the world
2. Key concepts of geography and its effects on various
peoples
(d) Economics
1. Fundamental economic concepts and economic
reasoning
2. American economic history
(e) Methods and sources for research
in the social sciences
You
would meet the requirements, first, by completing the
set of courses described below; second, by doing
additional study in areas where you have not taken courses; and,
third,
by
demonstrating
your knowledge via student teaching and the MTEL
subject test. (MTEL stands for Massachusetts Tests for Educator
Licensure.) Or if you do not plan to take the MTEL
subject test because
you
do not intend to teach in Massachusetts, you can
alternatively do a portfolio review process.
Planning
required subject matter courses and study.
It
will be easiest to complete the required courses while doing a major
in political science, but other
majors
are acceptable
as long as they provide a way of gaining deep
insight into the overall area of knowledge outlined above.
Economics majors, for
example, would be able to bring special understanding
of
how economic forces affect all areas of human
activity referred to in the areas of knowledge above. And
similarly for majors
in
anthropology, sociology, etc. But the scope of
the knowledge must still be addressed. Please consult
with our subject
matter
advisor, Prof. Edward Stettner, about how you
will plan to address all areas of required knowledge.
In conjunction
with
these discussions,
please fill out the Teaching Program Plan form
and have it approved.
Required
courses:
Courses
to complete a major in political science or other appropriate field,
including:
1.
Civics and government. At least one course in each of the following
four areas:
a.
American politics and government, including attention to the degree
possible to the founding
documents
of the United States
and Massachusetts
b. Comparative politics
c. International relations
d. Political theory
The
above four-course requirement would normally be fulfilled by the
Political
Science major
requirement of at least
one course in each of the department’s four sub-fields. Please see
the list of recommended courses in the department’s
directions for election.
2.
History. At least two courses chosen to address knowledge of:
United States
history,
western
civilization, and
world history.
3.
Geography. Your study of geography will be integrated with
your choice of courses
in the
other social
science areas. Please
examine how this integration works
in the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework
for
History and Social
Science. There, the emphasis
in geography is on five major concepts:
location, place, human interaction
with
the environment,
movement, and
regions. In
grades 8-12, the Framework integrates
the study of geography with history
courses and also with electives in
economics and American government.
4. Economics.
At least one course in economics, along with attention to
how courses in
history, political
science, and other social
sciences address economic issues.
5.
Methods and sources for research in the social sciences. At
least one course
at the
300 level
using the primary
research methods of a social
science.
Additional
study:
For the required areas of subject
matter knowledge listed that
are not covered
by your required
or other courses,
additional study will be needed.
This study provides a wonderful
opportunity for valuable, stimulating
learning. Please discuss your
plan of study with our political
science subject
teaching advisor, with
your major advisor, and with Ken Hawes.
